First Lady organises first-of-its-kind forum for health sector
Tendai Rupapa
A strong healthcare system is the backbone of national development and foundation upon which thriving communities, empowered families as well as a vibrant economies are built, health ambassador First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has said.
She made the remarks at the Belarus-Zimbabwe Medical Forum examining the challenges and prospects in modern medicine.
The forum, which was organised by the First Lady, heralding a new era in the health sector, sought to discuss issues of building a rational healthcare system, quality and accessibility of medical care, prevention and early detection of the most socially significant diseases of the adult and child population.
The forum brought together hundreds of health professionals from the country’s 10 provinces and medical specialists from Belarus.
Topics covered during the exchange programme included the organisational structure of the healthcare system, quality management of medical care, the role and organisation of modern surgical care, the role and organisation of post-graduate education in the development of surgical care, basic principles of providing epidemiological safety in hospitals and sterilisation of medical devices, primary healthcare, early diagnosis of oncological diseases, obstetric haemorrhages, among others.
The mother of the nation has done extensive work in the health sector, fronting the prevention of non-communicable diseases and ensuring vulnerable members of society and those in hard-to-reach areas have access to healthcare and screening services.
She has enabled thousands of girls to get HPV vaccinations and ensured women and men of all ages are screened for breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, and other ailments.
Following her previous visit and engagements in Belarus last year, Dr Mnangagwa facilitated the training of a group of healthcare professionals from Zimbabwe in the use of advanced mammography equipment, ultrasound and radioactive machinery.
The doctors and nurses were also trained in Belarus through exchange programmes in various fields like oncology, screening for cancers of the colon, prostate, cervix, lungs, and other in-patient and out-patient health programmes.
The First Lady regularly undertakes medical outreach programmes across the provinces of the country and spends weeks living in tents in remote areas where she uses her mobile hospital and clinic to ensure people are screened for cancers and commenced on treatment early.
Her interventions in the medical field have widened the vast majority of Zimbabweans access to improved healthcare, thus complementing Government’s efforts.
In her remarks, the First Lady extended a warm welcome to the delegates and expressed her appreciation to the convening of the vital gathering.
“It is heartening to witness such strong bilateral cooperation in an area that is so fundamental to the well-being and prosperity of our peoples’ health.
“This conference comes at a pivotal time, as the world continues to confront new and evolving health challenges. From emerging diseases to the increasing burden of non-communicable conditions, it is clear that modern medicine must adapt, innovate, and most importantly, be accessible to all.
“The main focus of this conference of ‘building a rational healthcare system, ensuring quality and accessibility of medical care, and strengthening prevention and early detection of socially significant diseases’ resonates deeply with our aspirations as a nation and as a global community.
“In Zimbabwe, we recognise that a strong healthcare system is the backbone of national development. Health is the foundation upon which we build thriving communities, empowered families, and a vibrant economy,” she said.
The First Lady said she was particularly encouraged by the focus on prevention and early detection.
“As someone who has worked closely with communities through health awareness and outreach programmes, I have witnessed first-hand how early intervention saves lives, reduces costs, and promotes healthier, more resilient populations. In this regard, cooperation with Belarus offers valuable opportunities to share expertise, technologies, and innovative approaches that can accelerate our efforts.
“Furthermore, the emphasis on child health is very close to my heart. The well-being of our children defines the future of our nations.
“Every child, regardless of where they are born, deserves the chance to grow up healthy, strong, and full of potential. We must work together to eliminate barriers to care and ensure that our healthcare systems are equipped to meet the needs of both the youngest and most vulnerable among us,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa urged the delegates to remain mindful that real and lasting progress will come through solidarity, shared vision, and a commitment to action.
“Together, we can overcome the challenges of today and unlock the great prospects that modern medicine holds for the future.
“I would also like to assure officials of both countries that, as the Health Ambassador of the Republic of Zimbabwe, I will not tire to continuously engage and encourage the officials of both countries to keep on engaging on issues of health matters that will help our citizens to always be in good health. A healthy Nation, is a Wealthy Nation.
“My message to our counterparts in Belarus, is that, we shall continue sending our professionals to your country to gain more knowledge, skills and wisdom and also professionals from Belarus must be coming to Zimbabwe to do the same.
“You can learn a lot from our health system. We are a nation that has excellent and well-trained health professionals. We need you to work with us so as to perfect our knowledge in health professional skills, hence, we remain excellent health workers and offer good health services to our people,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa wished delegates fruitful deliberations saying she looked forward to the outcomes of the conference, which will contribute to advancing healthcare in Zimbabwe and beyond.
“In conclusion, I commend our guests from the Republic of Belarus and all participants for your dedication to advancing healthcare in our nations. Let us seize this moment to build partnerships that not only strengthen our health systems but also reaffirm our shared humanity. I hope the outcomes from this conference will form a basis for concrete actions that will shape a healthier future for all,” she said.
Speaking at the same occasion, Professor Irina Abelskaya, head physician of the State institution “Republican Clinical Centre” of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Belarus expressed gratitude to the First Lady for inviting them.
“Thank you, Your Excellency the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa for the invitation to the medical forum and the opportunity to come to your wonderful country. Thank you very much. It’s a great honour for us to speak in front of such a representative professional community,” she said.
“This medical conference is very important for medical communities of different countries because it helps us tackle very important problems in primary healthcare. We also tackle epidemiological issues, educational issues and other issues with the hope of improving our practice,” she said.
Professor Abelskaya added; “We desire for cooperation caring for a person, about his/her health, protection of motherhood and childhood, issues of quality education, good nutrition and many others.”
She commended the First Lady for her hard work and initiatives through her Angel of Hope Foundation.
“I would like to note the very important implementation of the work by the Angel of Hope Foundation led by its patron, the First Lady. After the visit of the First Lady of Zimbabwe to the Republic of Belarus, we decided to intensify this work,” she said.
Prof Abelskaya gave a brief history of her country and ongoing efforts to strengthen its healthcare system.
“Belarus is a country with a long history and rich traditions with its nature and amazing architecture. After the Second World War Belarus was completely destroyed. Every inhabitant of the country died, which is about three million people.
“Today the Republic of Belarus is on its own way of formation and today we are proud of some of our achievements. The main goal of the healthcare system is the availability and accessibility of medical care. The effectiveness of the healthcare system depends on the competent organisational management and availability of modern technical and medical infrastructure, adequate pharmaceutical support, professional staff and today of course digitalisation and development,” she said.
Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Hon Sleiman Timios Kwidini praised the First Lady for organising the forum, providing a platform for medical experts to share ideas.
“We want to thank Her Excellence, the Ambassador for Health and Childcare in Zimbabwe for organising a very big event here today in Zimbabwe which has gathered both nations, Zimbabwe and Belarus specialists in medical field to come and discuss and share ideas and information, giving more information and knowledge to our local specialists especially in surgery so that when they are practising and doing their duties, we are going to have our patients receiving quality care. Belarus has also extended invitation to Zimbabwe health practitioners to go and train in their country and to learn more,” he said.
Hon Kwidini said medicine was a dynamic field and people needed to learn in various ways and conditions to remain on top of the situation.
“Our ambassador of health, remains focused to make sure our people in Zimbabwe, even in hard-to-reach areas you find our ambassador being there making sure that each and everyone receives medical care especially with the cancer screening programmes which has seen over 800 000 people screened,” he said.
He also praised the First Lady for promoting traditional dishes which help improve nutrition and keep diseases at bay.
Dr Tsitsi Mildred Magure, the chief medical officer for Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals was grateful to the First Lady
“I would like to thank the First Lady Her Excellency Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa for organising this conference for the health sector. This is a very important conference for us. We thank her for bringing doctors and specialists from Belarus to come and share their experiences about healthcare services in Belarus.
“From the programme, it covers a wide spectrum of issues that are affecting us as the health sector in Zimbabwe and hearing from people who are now modern and advanced in the health sector, it is opening our eyes to see the potential that is available in terms of improving our services in terms of modernising our services in line with vision 2030 in terms of improving quality of care and training.
“This platform has presented a very significant and important platform for all healthcare workers to learn and I am sure we are all going to be geared up and ready to implement everything that we learnt and we can assure the First Lady that the health sector will not be the same after this conference.
“It is going to definitely change. Our mindsets have changed, our approaches have changed. We are going to implement everything and we are hopeful that is just the beginning of more engagements and more cooperation with the Belarus specialists. Thank you very much Amai, our ambassador,” she said.
Sister Linda Mbwera from Sally Mugabe Central Hospital was equally grateful.
“I wish to vastly thank our mother, the First Lady for the opportunity she has afforded us to learn what is happening in other countries and we believe we will take all we have learnt and that will help improve our work.
“We also hope to improve the services that we dispense to our patients. We also thank our mother who never tires and gives us opportunities to go to other countries to learn and we are thankful for that,” she said.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Sister Emmaculata Moyo from Marondera Provincial Hospital.
“We want to thank our ambassador, the First Lady for the programme that she has initiated for us. We felt so happy and are learning a lot and we thank her for sending healthcare workers to Belarus to learn quite a lot of things so that they come and implement here. We have learnt a lot and we shall surely transform our health delivery,” she said.
Meanwhile, after the forum, the Belarusian medical professionals toured Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, where they had an appreciation of the Renal, ICU and theatre departments. – Herald