By Naledi Nyoni
HARARE — Harare’s collapsing health system is set for revival after the City of Harare signed a five-year Community Health Equity Fund (CHEF) deal with ZB Financial Holdings and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The US$700,000 programme seeks to deliver affordable, modern healthcare across the capital.
The agreement, sealed at Town House, will start in Mbare and Hopley before expanding to Waterfalls, Sunningdale Satellite, Arcadia, Braeside and Hatfield.
It will upgrade maternity facilities, improve diagnostics and strengthen primary healthcare in suburbs where residents have long battled for basic services.
Mayor Jacob Mafume hailed the initiative as a “turning point” for the city’s decayed health infrastructure.
“Like always, we are very delighted with this setup. Since I came into Council, we were talking about it.
“I’m happy that we are getting to its fruition whereby the CHEF is coming to fruition, which is a community health fund,” he said.
Mafume stressed that major hospitals should focus on specialist cases, not routine care.
“If you want to give birth to a baby, you don’t go to Harare Hospital or Parirenyatwa.
“Those are supposed to be learning institutions where complicated operations are to be done,” said Mafume.
“Someone with a tumor from Binga cannot surely be made to wait in line, while the theater is being used by someone who broke a leg dancing to Zimdancehall the previous night.”
He blasted prohibitive fees, singling out dialysis sessions costing US$170.
“We are killing people. Honestly, we must make these things accessible so that residents can live full lives despite their ailments,” Mafume said.
“You cannot come from a dark place and into another dark place as a child.
Clinics should not look like places where people go to die,” added Mafume.
Civil society welcomed the project but warned against mismanagement.
Harare Residents Trust director Precious Shumba welcomed CHEF as progressive healthcare breakthrough but stressed the importance of accountability.
“We are excited, but accountability is key, especially with the ambulance acquisition deal which we feel needs competitive bidding,” said Shumba.
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA), director Reuben Akili, described CHEF a “co-created milestone” reflecting community needs.
“This is a pro-poor, collaborative initiative born out of rigorous consultation among key stakeholders,” he said.
UNFPA’s Miranda Tabifor described CHEF as a groundbreaking community-led healthcare initiative that allows patients to receive medical treatment without being denied care due to upfront payment requirements, ensuring both accessibility and quality.
“It ensures treatment is accessible without compromising care simply because patients have not paid upfront,” she said, calling the partnership a first for Zimbabwe.
ZB Financial Holdings CEO Elisha Chibvuri pledged tight oversight.
“We have built a robust financial system that can be scaled up to other cities and rural authorities across Zimbabwe,” he said.
