Zimbabwe has intensified efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of women and girls following the renewal of a partnership between the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), aimed at ending preventable maternal deaths, reducing adolescent pregnancies and eradicating child marriage.
The renewed commitment was made at a meeting held in Harare, recently
“The Minister, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, met with the UNFPA Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Ms Lydia Zigomo, at his office in Harare to review and strengthen the partnership between the Ministry and the UN agency,” the Ministry said.
The meeting focused on progress towards achieving a common goal in advancing the country’s health priorities.
“Their discussions focused more on accelerating progress toward achieving universal access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Zimbabwe,” the Ministry said.
It added that the Government and UNFPA had identified several priority areas requiring intensified collaboration to improve health outcomes, particularly for women, adolescents and vulnerable communities.
“Key areas of focus included intensifying joint efforts to eliminate preventable maternal mortality, combat adolescent pregnancies and end child marriage,” said the Ministry.
The renewed engagement comes as Zimbabwe continues implementing programmes aimed at improving maternal and reproductive healthcare, expanding access to essential health services and protecting the rights of women and girls through stronger partnerships with development agencies.
UNFPA has remained one of the Ministry’s key development partners, supporting reproductive, maternal and adolescent health programmes, strengthening health systems and contributing to national efforts of improving access to family planning and maternal healthcare services.
