21 March 2017 - In a move that is meant to strengthen relations between WHO Zimbabwe and the Swedish Embassy, the new Swedish Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Her Excellence, Mrs Sophia Calltorp, and the Desk Officer for Health, Ms Angelica Broman paid a courtesy call to WHO Zimbabwe Country Office to discuss areas of cooperation through their aid agency SIDA (Swedish International Development Agency).

The duo were welcomed to the WCO by the WHO Representative Dr David Okello and the WHO Technical team. In his welcome remarks Dr Okello said he appreciated the visit by Her Excellency to discuss issues of mutual cooperation to improve the health of Zimbabweans. He said the WCO is looking forward to a good working relationship with Sweden on issues of health. Dr Okello informed  them that WHO’s support to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) follows the priority actions identified in the WHO’s Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS ) which are fully aligned to the MOHCC’s mission of achieving  equity and quality in health through universal health coverage (UHC). He emphasized that the CCS is hinged  on provision of advisory and technical support within the SDGs spirit of universality and leaving no one behind.

Dr Stanley Midzi (NPO/HSS), made a presentation of the 5 priority areas in which WHO will concentrate  its broad strategic cooperation agenda over the next five years. These are: (i) achieving and sustaining universal health coverage (UHC) through strengthening of health systems; (ii) accelerating achievement of the unfinished  MDGs relating to reduction of maternal, new-born, child and adolescent mortality; and strengthening sexual and reproductive health; (iii) further reducing  the burden of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, hepatitis, and other communicable diseases; (iv) strengthening and re-orienting  health  and health-related systems to address  the prevention and control of NCDs, including disabilities, injuries and mental health disorders; and (v) strengthening preparedness, surveillance and effective response to disease outbreaks, acute public health emergencies and the effective management of health-related aspects of humanitarian disasters in order to improve  health security.

In response, Her Excellency, the Swedish Ambassador, said she was looking forward to working with WHO on issues of health. She said Ms Angelica Broman the desk officer for health has a very good working relationship with WHO where they sit together in various health development committees, and that they look forward to strengthening that relationship. She also said they are finalizing their 5 year plan of supporting Zimbabwe and identified 2 areas of cooperation with WHO namely sexual reproductive health, and environment and climate issues. The 2 officers responsible for sexual reproductive health and environmental issues made brief presentations to highlight critical issues in those areas.

Dr Okello welcomed the news of the 5 year plan and the identified areas of cooperation. He said this support is timely especially in the face of the uncertainty surrounding support from other traditional donors and funders of health in Zimbabwe.