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*Parliamentary Committee Calls For Increased Funding For Family Planning Services*

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The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care has said the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) is being underfunded by the Treasury, which is hindering its ability to fulfil its responsibilities.

During a SMART Advocacy workshop organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and ZNFPC, health portfolio committee chairperson Josiah Makombe said that there is a need for increased funding from the Treasury.

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He warned that without this support, the country risks reversing the progress made in combating new HIV infections since 2000. Said Makombe (via NewsDay):

> I was really touched when the presentation was done that only ZWL$100 000 was disbursed to the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council to do their job this year, which I think to me was not enough at all and also it was not fair, considering the amount of work that they do.

> We understand we have the partners that come and chip in here and there, but if you look at the work that they do, for example, the issue of HIV prevention, if we don’t have measures to protect our people, in terms of condoms and all that, what it would then mean is that we will slide back to the years of 2000 and all that, where people will be affected now and then.

> We need to make sure that we fund them, we need to make sure that we support them. So as we go to the budget season, as a committee, as the portfolio committee for health, we are going to make sure that we look into their needs.

Makombe said there was a need to prioritise the health sector, especially maternal health services.

Clemence Chiduwa, chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance, and Investment Promotion, said that as the budget is debated on November 28, Members of Parliament will defend the position put forward by ZNFPC.

He said that they will advocate for the minimum 15% allocation required for family planning services.

The Abuja Declaration mandates that 15% of the national budget be allocated to health, with 3% specifically earmarked for family planning services. However, in the past, the Treasury has consistently fallen short of meeting this 15% target.

At the same event, ZNFPC Chief Executive Officer Farai Machinga expressed concern over the delayed disbursement of funds needed to address unmet needs for family planning services. Said Machinga:

> For the past five, six years ZNFPC has not been receiving capital grants from Treasury and of the operational grant which has been allocated to ZNFPC, not all the allocated budget has been disbursed.

> In most cases, the disbursement is untimely and usually at the end of the year, which gives challenges in terms of the operations of the council and also effective implementation of its mandate which is on co-ordination, technical leadership and ensuring that there is provision of quality integrated service provision.

More: Pindula News

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