The 2012 national health policy is theoverarching health policy framework in Zambia. The policytakes a human rights approach to health care provision,where all citizens are entitled to basic health care(Ministry of Health 2012). The policy is actualized throughsuccessive five-year national health strategic plans.Operationally, Zambia’s health system is centralized, withdelegated responsibilities from the center to lower levelsof the health care delivery system. The Ministry of Healthplays a dual role of policy formulation and strategicplanning and delivery of health services, with provincialand district health offices being upwardly accountable tothe Ministry of Health headquarters. Going forward, Zambiais in the process of launching two major reforms which willfurther affect the organization of the health sector. Theseare (a) implementation of the National DecentralizationPolicy, and (b) introduction of a National Health Insurance(NHI) scheme. The PHC function (including transfer of PHCstaff to local government authorities) is among the frontrunner for decentralization. If national decentralization isfully implemented, it will affect the way health servicesare organized, delivered, and financed in the country. Thus,adequate preparations in the health sector are required tominimize challenges. Secondly, Zambia enacted the NHI Act inApril 2018 which provides the legal mandate to establish theNHI management authority, and the NHI scheme. At the time ofthis study, it was envisaged that implementation of the NHIscheme will be done in a phased manner with a view ofcovering the entire population in the medium to long term.However, depending on the final design and implementationprocess, the NHI will have a substantial effect on thefinancing and delivery of health programs and services inZambia. One of the immediate challenges will be providinginsurance cover to the informal sector and indigent peoplein rural areas.
PDF
download
878987797
028-85220240
