Policy Tracker: Southern Africa
The Government of Zimbabwe launches its first strategy to guide surgery: National Surgical, Obstetric and Anesthesia Strategy (2022 – 2025)
The Government of Zimbabwe, on September 30, 2022 launched its very own health strategy guiding surgeries, titled the ‘National Surgical Obstetrics and Anaesthesia Strategy 2022-2025’ [NSOAS]. According to the Minister of Health, Constantine Chiwengwa, who is in charge of ensuring the implementation of this strategy, the latter aims at ensuring universal health coverage to each and every citizens of Zimbabwe while also contributing to the attainment of the United Nations SDGs - especially SDG 3 (ensuring healthy life and good well-being for all). Importantly, this also follows the WHO 68.15 resolution which recognizes and ascertains the central role of surgery and anesthesia care in achieving Universal Health Coverage (WHO, 2022). To make sure that the citizens of Zimbabwe also benefit from the former, the government of Zimbabwe developed this strategy as an implementation tool. The strategy is also in line with the National Health Strategy (2021-2025) seeking to achieve good health and quality of life for Zimbabweans by 2030 (Zimbabwe Vision 2030).
The development of the NSOAS was a long process which ended with its launch last September . According to a report by the World Health Organization, its development commenced in 2018 with the leadership of the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health (MoHCC). The process followed a participatory approach whereby consultations were conducted with a vast array of stakeholder including: government, civil society groups, WHO, SDG 3 GAP Signatory partners ( which include UNFPA, World Bank and UNICEF), NGOs , technical experts in the area of surgery from SADC and CSOs, to name a few.
Some of the components the NSOA strategy aims to tackle is to ensure that all citizens in need of Surgical Obstetrics and Anaesthesia (SOA) receive equal and quality services regardless of class, gender and culture, at all levels of the healthcare system. The strategy also aims, for the first time, to prioritize the issue of surgical care which has been for a long time neglected as highlighted by a WHO report (2022). The strategy also aims to improve the issue of access to surgeries for the most vulnerable groups and communities.
Implications for the citizens of Zimbabwe
The government of Zimbabwe has taken a broad move to promote and ensure that universal health coverage is attained in Zimbabwe through the introduction of the NSOA strategy. Given how Zimbabwe is struggling with a double health burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (WHO, 2022), the strategy comes into force at the right time. To also note, is the fact that in Zimbabwe presently NCDs are 5 out of 10 of the leading cause of death. A report from the Zim Focus Newspaper also highlighted how some of these NCDs require surgical interventions. The launch of this strategy is a positive step that the government of Zimbabwe has taken to strengthen its primary health care.
However if the policy is to be fully implemented the government of Zimbabwe will need to put more effort and put in structures, institutions and personnel (where there currently isn’t any) who will make sure that the provisions in the strategy are effectively implemented at all levels in the country. This is due to the fact that the policy is there and ready to be implemented when currently approximately 83% of key surgical operations were only being held at central and provincial hospitals (WHO, 2022). This represnets a clear challenge to citizens in remote communities where the lack of equipment essential in surgical care and infrastructure still prevents them from accessing and affording to have these surgeries.
Conclusions & Recommendations
While this stratgey is a broad step in the right direction in order to improve primary health care and universal health coverage in Zimbabwe, adequate piloting and robust evaluation will be essential to ensure succesful implementation. Through collaborations and partnership and using a decentralized approach in the implementation of this policy, the government can have successful and effective results to fulfill the positive step taken by Zimbabwe in the enactment of the NSOAS strategy and a plan to improve its primary health care.
South Africa passes Climate Change Act Bill ( B-9 2022) to address to challenges of Climate Change in South Africa
The South African Minister of the Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, under the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) introduced to the parliament, the Climate Change Bill B9-2022 on 18 February 2022. According to the Minister the bill aims at developing an effective climate change response and a climate-resilient society as well as ensuring the sustainable development in South Africa as far as climate change is concerned.
It has been three years up to date since the Bill was published for public comment on 8 June 2018. This new bill is actually a reworked version of the 2018 draft version. Presently, B-9 2022 is currently under debate and consideration by the National Assembly of South Africa. This is because South Africa uses the dualism approach of enacting laws in their country. The bill is also currently open to comment and contributions from the public and citizens of South Africa to ensure a participatory approach towards its final enactment.
Some of provisions in the bill include the aim of a long term goal of South Africa to combat issues of climate change and to cooperate the former employing a cooperative governance approach; ensuring an equal and just transition of low carbon; building climate resilience in terms of social and the economic aspects; and also show commitment in the international community of the Republic of South Africa in climate change combating. The Bill sees the imperative of combating climate change as a huge threat needing urgent solutions thus the need of an effective but progressive response hence pushing for its enactment.
According to the objectives of the Bill (2022) the following is what the government aim to achieve:
Provide for a coordinated and integrated response to climate change
Provide for the effective management of climate change impacts
Make a fair contribution to the global effort to stabilize greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations
Ensure a just transition towards a low carbon economy and society
Give effect to South Africa’s international commitments and obligations in relation to climate change
Protect and preserve the planet for the benefit of present and future generations of humankind.
Source: (The Bill B-9 2022: p7)
If this bill is to be passed through the above mentioned objectives, and to be fully implemented it uses a participatory approach where it aligns the bill to other policies in South Africa. The Bill states how it will be a prerequisite to every organ of the state to have a review in its organ on issues of climate change, coordinate and harmonize their programs and policies as a way of making sure that the risks and impact of climate change are tackled using the provisions of the bill. Thus South Africa uses an integrated and coordinated approach and sees it as the best approach to combat climate change.
The bill also aims to implement and fulfill its objectives by providing power to the president to develop a Presidential Climate Commission (the Commission) which will be responsible for advisory purposes to the government on responses and mitigation strategies to climate change. The Commission will comprise qualified experts in the socio-economic, environmental and sustainability domain with a gender balance of South African origin. The bill also mentions the adaptation of strategies and plans initiated and led by the Minister of Forestry to plan, strategise and develop programs meant to capacitate the citizens on climate change resilience amongst other things and the Minister is obliged to publish a carbon budget. A carbon budget refers to the amount of GHG emissions that would be permitted to be emitted over at least three five year periods (The Bill, 2022). These budgets will be reviewed, monitored and evaluated at each end of the 5year time interval. The bill also installs penalties to offenders notably organizations that fail to prepare and have a GHG mitigation strategy or plan. A fine amounting to R 5 million and a maximum of a period of five years in prison is set by the bill so as to make sure the issue of climate change is taken seriously in South Africa.
Implications of B-9 2022 to South Africans
If the bill is passed into law in South Africa it will be a positive step towards combating climate change and the socio-economic impacts of climate change, not only in South Africa but globally. Pertaining to the citizens of South Africans, and how it has been flooded by drought and floods which have prevailed recently, with far reaching consequences like loss of life, loss of employment and contributing to poverty and hunger, this bill will be a real deal to South Africans. It will come in to solve these challenges which come due to the effects of Climate change. This Bill comes also with a strong call of action to the issue of climate change designed with programs to capacitate, take initiative by the government to create the institutions and personnel to make sure that climate change is combated especially the socio-economic effects which usually affects the most vulnerable groups.
Accelerating digital transformation in Zambia: Zambia Inclusive Digital Economy Status Report 2022
Zambia’s Minister of Technology and Science, Hon Felix Mutati launched the ‘Zambia Inclusive Digital Economy Status Report 2022’ on 22 April 2022. According to him, this report is a measure to assess the status to which Zambia’s digital economy has achieved, with progress, challenges, opportunities and prospects towards the aim of increased usage of digital economies in the country. The outcome of this report was done by the government in partnership with the United Nations Impact Capital for Development (UNCDF) and other local stakeholders as an actualization of the government’s efforts to use technology and innovation in developmental issues in the country.
The main aim of this report is clearly outlined in a quote through the Minister’s speech on the official opening of the launch where he clearly stated that, “This report is in line with actualizing the Government’s desire for citizen happiness through technology, science and innovation. The Inclusive Digital Economy Status Report gives us information on where we stand as a nation, and with that we are able to set our targets and bring in development and private sector partners who can help us achieve our digital transformation targets.” (UNCDF News, 2022)
Indeed the COVID-19 came as a blessing in disguise, with it introducing and showing the world how digitalization can contribute to the socio-economic development of nations. The government of Zambia have also synced to this as they have in fact aligned the digital economy initiative to the attainment of the 17 UN SDGs and ascertain how the digital economy is imperative in assisting Zambia promote economic growth. According to UNCDF (2022), the Digital Economy Status Report 2022 gives an assessment of where Zambia is in the usage of digital technologies looking mainly at the key constraints so that solutions on how to increase the usage are made for Zambia economic growth.
The report revealed that in Zambia in terms of digital economy, it scores 45% which is relatively low and regarded as the first start-up phase of digital economy (E-Trade for All, 2022). Moreover, Zambia has a digital divide which is also relatively low, with a percentage of 47. According to the report this means a total of 47% of the population of Zambia are not involved in digital technologies. Lastly the report also reviewed that 56% of Zambians in the rural areas are not digitally included. This report gave valuable and important figures which can help to understand the status quo as the digital economy is concerned in Zambia. It also plays a key role in finding gaps as a way of aiming to bring the digital services and products to the citizens as a way of their better involvement and participation in economic development in the country using digital technologies.
Implications of the Digital Economy Report 2022 to Zambians
The report forwarded by the Ministry of Technology of Zambia has unveiled the gaps and challenges that exist pertaining to digital economy usage in the country. There is low usage especially to the people that are within remote and rural areas who do not have access and have the means to be involved in developmental issues using the new technologies. The report also showed that in cases where the resources are there in some instances the capacity and knowledge by the majority of Zambians still also lags thus the need to capacity building. The government of Zambia has made a huge step in coming up with this report which can help in the development of strategies and plans with the results that have been obtained from this evidence-based research. To conclude this work, the report becomes a starting point and a basis that the government of Zambia can use to develop programs aimed at capacitating citizens especially the youth on the use of digital technologies (digital skills and digital entrepreneurship) and how they can be used to contribute to economic development; the need to also build the infrastructure to work on the issue of access especially to people in the rural areas and lastly promoting innovation using digital forms and platforms to citizens.
Sources
https://www.zbcnews.co.zw/zim-launches-strategy-guiding-surgery-anaesthesia/
https://www.parliament.gov.za/bill/2300773
https://www.iej.org.za/climate-change-bill-is-it-responsive-to-adaptation-needs-factsheet-june-2022/
https://www.webberwentzel.com/News/Pages/Climate-change-bill-introduced-in-Parliament.aspx
https://pmg.org.za/committee-meeting/35596/
https://etradeforall.org/documents/zambia-inclusive-digital-economy-status-report-2022/
https://www.lusakatimes.com/2022/04/22/government-launched-the-digital-economy-status-report/
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/33806