Kadoma, (New Ziana)– Zimbabwe has made progress in areas such as surveillance, laboratory systems, emergence preparedness and risk communication in the last eight years, although much more still needs to be done, an expert has said.
Speaking at the opening of the Zimbabwe Second Joint External Evaluation (JEE) to strengthen health security on Tuesday, Technical Officer for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) at the Africa Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr Denis Bunyonga said the JEE process is important in light of past public health crises, including the devastating Ebola outbreak in West Africa from 2014 to 2016.
“Zimbabwe has registered progress in areas such as surveillance, laboratory systems, emergency preparedness, and risk communication. But much more remains to be done. This JEE offers us the chance to chart a clear, evidence-based path forward, supported by strong partnerships,” he said.
Zimbabwe on Monday officially launched its Second Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of core public health capacities under the International Health Regulations (IHR), a critical milestone aimed at enhancing the country’s preparedness for health emergencies, having last conducted one in 2017.
Dr Bunyonga said the Ebola outbreak reminded African countries of the urgency to strengthen national, regional, and continental systems for public health preparedness and response.
“The JEE is not a pass-or-fail exercise. It is a process of collective learning and continuous improvement,” he said.
The evaluation provides an opportunity to assess the country’s progress in 19 technical areas ranging from disease surveillance and laboratory systems to emergency response capabilities and risk communication.
Dr Bunyoga highlighted the progress made over the past eight years in Zimbabwe, noting improvements in several key sectors.
The one week exercise is being attended by senior health officials, technical experts, and representatives from global health organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC).
“We are honoured by the presence of international experts and enriched by your knowledge,” Dr Bunyonga said.
The Africa CDC, established in 2017 following a resolution by African Union Heads of State, is supporting the evaluation as part of its mandate to build resilient health systems across the continent
“The legacy of this JEE will not lie only in the report,” Bunyoga said, adding, “but in the actions we take afterwards to protect the health and well-being of every Zimbabwean, and by extension, every African.”
The evaluation is expected to conclude with recommendations to guide policy, funding, and capacity-building efforts over the coming years.
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