Zimbabwe’s Multi-layered Humanitarian Emergency

Zimbabwe is currently facing multiple hazards, which include widespread economic shocks, recurrent drought, a severe food insecurity crisis, recovery from the devastating cyclone Idai, risk of outbreaks of cholera and typhoid, and now the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In the face of all these humanitarian problems, the Health Development Fund (HDF) is a Health System Strengthening (HSS) effort with the primary objective to support the Government of Zimbabwe to build health systems for delivery of effective health services for the population. It receives pooled funding from the European Union (EU), the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Swedish International Development Cooperation (SIDA), the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) and Irish Aid, and is managed by UNICEF in coordination with UNFPA.

“We as EU and our partners, the UK, Sweden, Japan, Irish Aid and GAVI, remain committed to supporting Zimbabwe in addressing ongoing health crises through the establishment of strong and inclusive healthcare systems,” said EU Ambassador, Timo Olkkonen. “The current pandemic highlights more than ever the need for joint effort in achieving our sustainable development goals through funds such as the HDF and other key organisations," he said.

Thanks to the flexible nature of the HDF, with continuous monitoring and adapting the Programme to remain fit for purpose, gains obtained through Health System Strengthening can be preserved. The HDF is paving the way for a paradigm shift to completely embrace the humanitarian/development nexus ensuring the health system in Zimbabwe remains resilient to shocks, such as the current COVID-19 emergency and others.

The responsiveness of interventions under the HDF were clear to see during the Cyclone Idai natural disaster that hit the Eastern part of Zimbabwe in early 2019. UNICEF and partners initiated an immediate response and early recovery phase which demonstrated that the strengthened health system investments made under the HDF produced resilience actions in the face of the emergency.

All the required essential medicines and commodities for the emergency response were ready and in stock to be deployed to the affected areas. And the established networks of well-trained Village Health Workers were quickly mobilised to support disease prevention activities. The health sector response prevented potential epidemic disease outbreaks such as cholera and measles through mass integrated vaccination campaigns, reaching over 67,000 children (6-59 months) with measles and almost 470,000 of eligible persons with oral cholera vaccines.

“The beauty of the HDF is that it works at the foundation of the health system – ensuring primary health care through community engagement, participation and social accountability – developing it and strengthening it from the ground up over a long time period,” said Dr. Paul Ngwakum, UNICEF Zimbabwe’s Chief of Health and Nutrition. “This means when disaster strikes, or we face a massive global health challenge such as COVID-19, we can respond with the most timely and focused health interventions using existing platforms.”

Responding to the current COVID-19 pandemic, additional funds from the EU and SIDA, as well as re-programmed funds from DFID, Gavi and Irish Aid, amounting to USD 12.4 million is available to support key pillars of the COVID-19 response. The focus is on pillars involving Coordination, Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), Case Management, Procurement, and Continuity of Critical Health Services.

Some examples of the COVID-19 response under the HDF include training of Village Health Workers and other healthcare workers about COVID-19, production and distribution of communication materials through digital channels and in communities, training of staff in case management including psychological support, support to  logistic improvement of identified treatment centers,  training of staff in Infection Prevention and Control, support in coordination of the COVID-19 response, estimation of needs and procurement of key essential supplies for prevention, diagnosis and  treatment of identified cases.

In addition, there is extensive ongoing monitoring and advocacy for continuity of critical services to ensure gains obtained through support from the HDF over the years are not eroded.