The Role of Civil Society in Improving Health Care: The Case of Community Working Group on Health in Zimbabwe

Civil society plays an important role in improving health care in Zimbabwe. The roles that CSOs can play will be reviewed and illustrated with examples from the work of the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH).

CSOs play an important role in health promotion through surveys, advocacy and community education. CSOs contribute to policy setting and resource mobilisation and allocation; ensuring that community interests are represented in policy-making. CSOs can also contribute to the monitoring of the quality of care and responsiveness of health services. Some CSOs have gone further to be involved in the actual service provision. CSOs play an important role in balancing the power of the state and that of the people and improving trust and coordinated public action.

CWGH is a network bringing together 32 national partner organisations and working with health centre committees and district health fora in 27 districts of Zimbabwe.  CWGH was formed in 1998 at a time of great difficulty in the health sector and reflected a recognition that civil society needed to play a more active and coordinated role.  Some examples of CWGH’s policy advocacy work will be shared and a description provided of some of its program activities. CWGH works closely with health centre committees and district health fora supporting health care delivery and addressing the social determinants of health.

PHM Zimbabwe (of which CWGH is an active member) participates actively in PHM projects at the global and regional levels including IPHU, GHW, the Right to Health Campaign and, presently, in gearing up for the third PHA in July 2012. 

Some reflections, based on this experience, will be presented regarding the linkages and synergies between the local, national, regional and global levels of analysis, strategy and action.