Zimbabwe and Global Health Care Systems - Assignment Example

Zimbabwe and Global Health Carre Systems Affiliation Introduction The last decade has seen an emphasis on health care reforms all over the globe. Global health care system has seen unprecedented transformation characterized by increased agitation for quality health care and appropriate health care financing system. Notably, the emphasis on the reforms has been championed by increase consumer awareness, increased global pattern of disease especially on chronic illnesses. Health care system adopted in any country largely influences morbidity and mortality outcomes. Besides, it affects health care accessibility and affordability. In this paper, a number of health care systems will e explore with a view of demystifying the global burden of disease and high mortality rates in low-income countries. Global Health Care Systems Skolnik & Skolnik (2012) states that the World Health Organization (WHO) identifies that a functional health care system anywhere in the world is primary to the achievement of universal coverage of health care (pp. 67). Global Healthcare system refers to the various framework that countries anchor their health care. It covers three critical issues that includes access to quality health care, role of government policies in health care financing and national and global health care concerns. In the wake of 2000, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Primary Health Care (PHC) package provided a bearing to the desirable health care needs. According to United Nations Declaration 2012 Report, it identified that despite increased emphasis on universal health care access, many developing countries continue to have high mortality rates. During the study that informed the declaration, it was noted that 75 countries mainly from developing countries accounted for 95% of morbidity and mortality (Meldrum 2014, pp 312). Notably, maternal and neonatal mortality were at unprecedented levels. Zimbabwe was one of the nations in Africa that continues to face myriad health care challenges that led to high mortality rates. Campbell (2014) identifies that the recent analyses have drawn attention to the weakness of health care systems (pp. 142 ). Delivery of health care at community and in hospitals in any country is influenced how the countrys health department organizes care framework. In response to health care system deficiencies, a number of countries have embarked on focusing on three important components of an ideal health care system. It includes new approaches to financing. Some of the critical reforms has seen a number of countries develop a comprehensive health care financing scheme that ensures every person has can access medical care. In United States, health care reforms have seen the introduction of health care package by Obama administration that allows financing through relative insurance scheme. It allows every employee contribute premium to a common pool that allows health care cautioning of those from low socioeconomic status. As an important health care strategic financing, cost-sharing has been adopted in Australia, France, South Africa and many other countries. Under this important plan, the government shoulders burden of health care needs by contributing a set percentage of hospital bills. Many other countries including Zimbabwe have health insurance covers that allow for easy financing of health care services in public hospitals (Campbell 2014, pp 143). Besides, the global health care system has seen reorganization of health services. Today, the emphasis is given to preventive medicine and health promotion campaigns as a new weapon to lower disease burden. In order to achieve the fundamental universal health care, countries are now emphasizing on health education and public empowerment strategies that allow people to own their health. Besides, the emphasis is laid on developing the multi-sectored approach into health care. With modern health care systems, the consumers own their health and resources to address health issues should be largely derived from the communities involved. Evidently, the contemporary health care financing envisions health community through its inner efforts and sustainable health programs. School health and community outreach services are good examples of the new health care platform (Frampton et al., 2013, pp 79). Zimbabwe Health Care System and High Mortality Zimbabwe is an ideal case study in health care system and global health outcome disparities. While many countries experience booming health care benefits, Zimbabwe continues to experience myriad challenges in health care. Firstly, there is poor government commitment to support health care financing. The country continues to struggle with the economic crisis that has negatively affected health care delivery system. Notably, there are many reasons to believe that the health of the nation is largely incompetent since it has been slow to address key health problems. Firstly, by 2010 Zimbabwe was among the countries with high cases of Tuberculosis (TB) and high rate of maternal and child health woes. Evidently, in 2010 there were 45 infant deaths per 1000 people; surprisingly this was an improvement from 63 infant deaths per 1000 births in 2000. Evidently, the existing policies have failed in curbing these high levels of mortality (Kanchense 2010, pp 21). Besides, it was ranked 14th with highest maternal deaths in the world. Evidently, public health survey in 2010 identified that there were 570 deaths per 100,000 live births. Again, it was a decrease from 640 per 100,000 in the year 2000 (Campbell 2014, pp 144). Majority of causes of these high rates of mortality includes preventable diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, TB and diarrhea diseases. With the startling statistics, the cornerstone of the real issues underlies the policy-making institutions and government health care systems. Furthermore, in countries where cholera continues to claim many lives, it is an indicator of poor quality of health and lack of inter-sectored approach in addressing health care woes. Notably, in 2008 cholera swept across Zimbabwe, claiming 4293 lives by 2010 making it the deadliest cholera outbreak ever in the world. Other leading causes of mortality in Zimbabwe include cholera, typhoid, giardia and many other waterborne diseases that are diseases of 18th century in other parts of the world (Kanchense 2010, pp 23 ). Following the striking mortality rates in Zimbabwe, several factors within the health systems were identified as the primary causes. Firstly, the staggering economy marred with a high rate of inflation left the health sector with deficient budgetary allocation over the last ten years. As a number cause, insufficient support to public health due to deepening economic crisis has continued to derail health care reforms. Besides, while global health care system emphasizes on preventive strategies through public health education and sustainable health programs at the community level, Zimbabwe continue to focus on curative medicine. In order to reverse the devastating mortality rate, there should be a sound preventive medicine framework and policy accompanied by government support through funding (Campbell 2014, pp 143). Besides, according to Ruth Labode, parliamentary committee chairperson on health identified that during 2014, the health outcomes would suffer due to government allocation reduction from $407 million in 2013 to $ 330 million in 2014 (Camppbell 2014, pp 145). In addition, she recognized that the greatest cause of health disparity among countries rested on the lack of policy framework that fixes certain proportion of income to the health. Zimbabwe lacks political good will to eradicate the high morbidity and mortality. Evidently, according to the WHO report on Child Health Care in 2011, it noted that the lack of policy on child welfare clinics coupled with low funding were the key reasons for high infant and subsequent maternal mortality (Campbell 2014, pp 146). Furthermore, the dependency on donor funding within health care remain a huge challenge. International politics characterized by sanctions and political dynamics within the country have led to slow development of health care. Another critical element in Zimbabwe health care system is an acute shortage of medical staff. Medical practitioners in any country are fundamental pillars of a successful health care. According to Regina Smith, president of Zimbabwe Nurses Association shortage of nurses was a great hindrance in achieving universal health care and MDGs. She noted with regret that the government was struggling to pay the few nurses and wondered whether it will manage to fund the recruitment of new nurses (Frampton et al., 2013, pp 80). As an important recipe to poor health, shortage of medical staff is an important cause to health outcome disparity. Moreover, shortage of skilled staff is an important contributor to recommended global health care system. As identified in Zimbabwe case, where staff training and availability is still a hurdle, health care outcome will continue stagnating or even deteriorating. Public hospitals have not recorded following the 2009 economic crisis that was caused by political sanctions. In 2010, Bulawayo Hospital was operating below capacity according to Ministry of Health Report on status of health (Meldrum 2014, pp 313). Factors Influencing Global Health Care System Some of the leading determinants of global health care framework include individual country funding system on health care. For instance, Zimbabwe health outcomes varied significantly among different socioeconomic groups. Because the medical covers were available for those employed, the medical outcome was improved across the working class. Sadly, the majority of the poor and vulnerable groups continued to succumb to preventable diseases due to inability to afford health care fees. Where the citizens fund their health care bills through out-of-pocket money, the higher number of the jobless population will be denied access to curative services and the concept of preventive medicine will remain remote (Meldrum 2014, pp 314). Today, universal health care provision across the globe emphasizes health as a right and not a privilege. While many countries have institutionalized unlimited access to health services through government funding and insurance schemes irrespective of employment status, Zimbabweans continue to have skewed access to medical services. Current Efforts to Address Health Care System Shortcomings in Zimbabwe In recognition of running-away health challenges, the government n 2010 identified that the incidences of high morbidity and mortality laid squarely on the health care organization. The White Paper on health identified that the government recognized the existing health care systems encouraged fragmentation of health services and subsequent poor outcomes. Besides, it recognized that the citizens continue to experience inequality in health care access due to poor funding schemes, limited medical staff and limited health facility across the country. In order to address these issues, a number of deliberate actions were outlined. Firstly, the government commitment itself to develop an integrated non-racial health care framework in order to limit deficits and inequality of services. Besides, there was a concerted effort to address the high mortality through implementation of PHC package of health throughout the country. However, many health economics analysts argued that the proposal was a mirage worth pursuing. Primary health care framework is an ideal health care system that focuses on cohort unique health. Many believe that the concept would not be possible in Zimbabwe because of insufficient nurses and another medical staff (Meldrum 2014, pp 317) . Thirdly, there have been ongoing efforts to address disparity in health care. Notably, the government through ministry of health and rural public health workers are deliberating on how to redistribute health services and manpower to rural areas. Evidently, Zimbabwe rural communities have limited number o facilities. The distance from one facility to the is an approximately 20 Kilometers while the WHO recommend less than 5. The comparative analysis of Zimbabwe with U.S depicts two different worlds that are far apart in health access and government support (Meldrum 2014, pp 317). Moreover, there are ongoing efforts and deliberations to ensure equitable health care access across the country. It derives this recommendation from the India health care system that emphasizes on equitable health care services. As an integral concept in modern health care systems, equity allows for quality of care across social stratification. Zimbabwe recognizes the integral role of private health care facilities in the provision of specialized care and thus remains committed to addressing health care challenges through equitable access framework. Lastly, the work is in progress in Zimbabwe to restructure health care system through limiting the size of private sector influence and encouraging competence in public hospitals. This has been ongoing through equipping all public hospitals with adequate medicine and medical staff. Besides, there has been efforts that begun way back 2010 to address health issues through public campaign and health education platforms. Notably, the majority of the causes of high mortality and morbidity stems from preventable diseases. In order to eliminate these diseases, there should be health care strategy that lays emphasis on educating the people on prevention strategies. Typhoid, for instance, will be greatly eliminated if the public is educated on water safety (Meldrum 2014, pp 317). However, the white paper stipulation remains unclear on the efforts of the state in addressing the health care financing burden that continued to be shouldered by poor consumers. An accomplished healthcare system anywhere in the world should address the health disparities through establishing a financing health care that recognizes the unemployed and the vulnerable groups (Campbell 2014, pp 149). Conclusion Global health care systems are a three-tier concept that lays a solid foundation on accessibility, affordability and sustainability of health care services. It envisions deliberate steps from the government all over the world to develop an equitable system that ensures that every person has access to the minimum health care standards. Moreover, emphasis is laid on sustainable health care programs that encourage preventive medicine. Empowering communities and increasing medical staffing in hospitals culminate in an excellent health care system. References Campbell, C. (2014). Factors Influencing Health Care Disparities. In Children?s representations of school support for HIV-affected peers in rural Zimbabwe (pp. 142-54). New York: (BioMed Central Ltd.) BioMed Central Ltd. Frampton, S. B., Charmel, P. A., & In Guastello, S. (2013). The putting patients first field guide: Global lessons in designing and implementing patient-centered care. (pp 79-83). Kanchense, J. H. (2010). Holistic Self-Management Education and Support: A Proposed Public Health Model for Improving Womens Health in Zimbabwe. Health Care for Women International, 3, (pp. 21-48). doi:10.1080/07399330600803774 Meldrum, A. (2014). Zimbabwes health-care system struggles on. Lancet, 312-17. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60468-7 Skolnik, R. L., & Skolnik, R. L. (2012). Global Health Systems and Health Reforms. In Global Health 101 (pp. 67-71). 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