Health Systems Strengthening

Zambia has committed to a continuous investment in the health sector as part of its efforts to improve access to quality health services by all its citizens (SNDP 2014-2016). The health sector has continued to record significant progress in most of the key areas of health service delivery, including the successful integration of HIV related services into other core health services such as STI treatment, family planning and maternal and child health. It has also gone through a significant restructuring process with primary health care being devolved to the Ministry of Community Development, Maternal and Child Health. The sector, however, continues to face major challenges including:

i.    Inadequate numbers of medical staff particularly in more remote rural areas which leads to severe congestion problems in health centres;
ii.    Weak logistics management of drugs and medical supplies including HIV related equipment and supplies such as condoms;
iii.    Inadequate and inequitable distribution of health infrastructure in the country;
iv.    Lack of equipment leading to long delays in access to test results; and
v.    Lack of electricity and internet connectivity possess a huge challenge in improving the quality of services especially to rural areas.