Harare (New Ziana)-President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday sworn into office seven members of the Health Services Commission (HSC) who are expected to play a major role in reviving the healthcare system in the country.
The commissioners will be led by the Public Service Commission (PSC) chairperson, Dr Vincent Hungwe who is statutorily required to chair all commissions.
Other members of the commission include Dr Abigail Rugare Kangwende vice chairperson, Brigadier General (retired) Dr Gerald Gwinji, Dr Edward Makondo, Engelebert Mbengwa, Josephine Mwakutuya and Mercy Sibongile Gwaunza.
All the commissioners have extensive experience in the health sector, having served in various roles at senior levels.
Commissioners Kangwende, Gwinji and Makondo have extensive experience in the health sector having served in various roles at senior levels while commissioners Mbengwa, Mwakutuya and Gwaunza have expertise in human resources, health workforce regulation, and legal matters respectively.
Speaking after the swearing in ceremony, Dr Hungwe said besides giving advice and support on strategic planning for the health services sector, the HSC is expected to assist in improving the health delivery system in conjunction with other stakeholders.
“Beyond that we will also support them with recruitment, selection and appointment of personnel that are fit for purpose to undertake the tasks and assignment or functions that they are beholden to, and we would want to attend to issues relating to improvement of salaries and conditions
of service for our staff but before they join the Ministry, there is certainly the need for skills development and training and that’s another area that we would want to focus on,” he said.
“We would also want to see a Health Services Commission that also works to improve the health delivery system itself. And the system needs to be revamped in order for health service delivery to become more effective.”
Dr Hungwe said the HSC would need to effectively mobilise resources in order to support the work that is going to be undertaken by the Ministry of Health and Child Care while working with the multiplicity of other stakeholders that play various roles to make sure that health is delivered.
In this regard, he said the HSC will be tasked with stakeholder mapping,
identification, engagement and management.
At the same event, President Mnangagwa also swore into office two additional members of the PSC, namely recently retired Foreign Affairs permanent secretary James Manzou and Dr Millicent Sibongile Mombeshora, whose appointment was announced on Tuesday.
New Ziana
