Zambia National Health Strategic Plan 2017-2021

Abstract

Despite progress made in reducing maternal and child mortality rates, Zambia remains a country with a high disease burden which is under significant pressure to improve the health status of the people. This plan identifies strategies to significantly reduce the disease burden and accelerate the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. The plan is a major departure from the past strategic plans. While the plan recognizes that all health care interventions are important and should continue to receive support; it also recognizes that interventions must be prioritized due to the constraints on available resources and capabilities. The plan therefore focuses on Primary Health Care as the main vehicle of service delivery; resolving the human resource crisis; addressing public health problems and ensuring that priority systems and services receive the necessary support. This National Health Strategic Plan (NHSP) supports the National Vision 2030 which expresses the Zambian people’s aspiration “to become a prosperous middle-income nation by 2030.” This plan envisions a prosperous country where all Zambians have access to quality health services. As a government, we are committed to sustaining the gains made in the past five years, and to expanding the coverage and improving the quality of health services provided to our people. This plan identifies strategies and programs which will ensure that people of Zambia are healthy and able to contribute to economic development as articulated in the National Vision 2030 and the Seventh National Development Plan which prioritize health as a key economic investment that will drive our socio-economic development agenda. The National Health Strategic Plan 2017-2021 has a transformative agenda which focuses on building robust and resilient health systems. The plan focuses on delivering quality health services across the continuum of care which includes promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care. provided as close to the family settings as possible. The attainment of the universal health coverage will be made possible through primary health care with a focus on community health. Through the integrated community and primary health care approach, the country will achieve reduction in maternal and child mortality rates, malaria elimination and reduction in the incidence of HIV among other key health outcomes. We acknowledge that good health is a function of not only health care services, but also other socioeconomic factors which include education, agriculture, housing, water and sanitation. Therefore this document emphasizes strong multi-sectoral collaboration to address all the social determinants of health. It is my considered view that – with appropriate levels of commitment and support from the Government, Cooperating Partners, health workers and other key stakeholders – this plan will significantly improve the health status of Zambians and significantly contribute to national development. I therefore, urge all the people involved in the implementation of this plan to fully dedicate themselves to this important national assignment. My Ministry is committed to ensuring the successful implementation of this plan.