ZIMBABWE HEALTH CLUSTER MEETING
Harare, Zimbabwe
Date:
10 September 2013
Chair: Dr L Charimari – Health Cluster Coordinator ai
Agenda Item
Welcome and
Introductions
Welcome
Remarks
EPI Update
Venue: WHO Annex Boardroom, Parirenyatwa Hospital Grounds
Time: 2.30 p.m.
Discussion
1. The Chair welcomed all to the 10th September 2013 Health Cluster meeting. He apologized for not
holding Health Cluster meetings for the past three months due to other conflicting events.
2. Introductions round the table were done.
1. Since the last meeting in May the CAP Mid-Year Review was supposed to take place but this did not
happen due to the absence of the ZUNDAF Report. Various clusters did their desk review, updated their
projects and submitted to OCHA.
2. A lot of discussion on the transition of clusters from cluster to sector working groups has taken place.
There will be a presentation from OCHA on this topic.
1. Highlights for Week 35 of 2013:
 9 diarrhea deaths
 1 malaria death
 3 maternal deaths
 2 typhoid cases
 3 anthrax cases
2. Typhoid – Two new suspected typhoid cases were reported. Cases reported from Sanyati district in
Mashonaland West province. The cumulative figure for typhoid is 1,405.
3. Common diarrhea
 10,135 cases and 9 deaths
 5,557 (54.8%) and 7 deaths were from the under five years of age.
 Highest number of diarrhea cases is Manicaland (1,539) and Masvingo (1,313).
4. Dysentery
 Clinical dysentery cases: 798 and no deaths. Of the reported cases 261 (32.7%) and no deaths
were from the under five years of age.
 The provinces which reported the highest number of dysentery cases are Masvingo (198) and
Manicaland (132).
 The cumulative figure for dysentery is 29,956 and 25 deaths (CFR 0.08%).
5. Malaria
 2,294 malaria cases and 1 death were reported this week.
 Of the cases reported 456 (19.9%) and no deaths were under the age of five.
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Follow up Actions
Agenda Item
Discussion
 The death reported was from Rushinga district in Mashonaland West province.
 Mashonaland West (with 577) and Mashonaland Central (with 456) reported the highest number of
malaria cases.
 The cumulative figure for malaria is 386,505 and 326 deaths (CFR 0.08%).
6. Anthrax
 Three suspected cases of anthrax were reported during week 35.
 The cases were from Gutu district (1) and Zaka district (2) both in Masvingo province.
 The cumulative figure for anthrax is 88 cases and 1 death.
7. Maternal Deaths
 Three new maternal deaths were reported during week 35. The cases were from Mutare district in
Manicaland province (1) and Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe district in Mashonaland East (2).
 The cumulative figure for maternal deaths is 4.
 Reports for maternal deaths started in week 33.
8. National Completeness & Timeliness for week 35 was 89% compared to 85% during week 34 and
Timeliness was 89% for week 35 and 85% for week 34.
9. Points Noted
Malaria
 Training of district IRS managers in all districts going on. Training on Case Management currently
going on in Mudzi district. The Managers will then cascade the training to other staff.
 Carrying out Rapid Impact Assessment using a tool designed by WHO. To assess cases/deaths in
various age groups for a period of time – to see if interventions have made a difference so as to
improve and prepare for the next malaria season.
 IFC did a lot of capacity building training.
 Net distribution done in the Goromonzi area where an increase in malaria cases was recorded.
Water Borne Diseases
 There was need to capture and highlight where the highest number of diarrhea deaths are
occurring for follow up purposes.
 Although most of the diarrhoea deaths reported were from Central hospitals – some of the cases
were referred from districts. There is need to investigate where the cases are originating from.
 Question was raised on when the Rotavirus vaccine was going to be available. The reply was the
vaccine was set to be available in 2014. At this stage government got funds to expand the vaccine
storage space.
EHA Update
1. EHA
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There were plans to retain the WASH Emergency capacity
Health partners were still fully stocked under the ECHO funds
Save the Children continuing up to December
WASH – plans put in place for the transition process (in the provinces)
Follow up Actions
Agenda Item
Strategic
Working
Group
Update on
Transition
from Cluster
to Sector
Coordination
Discussion
 Discussions were underway between Ministry of Health & Child Care and EHA on the future of EHA after
the transition.
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Future of cluster coordination system was subject of discussion as it was going to end in December,
2013. HCT requested ICF Meetings to discuss:
1. Transition from humanitarian phase to recovery/development
2. Coordination
3. Humanitarian Appeal 2013 and
4. Future of the clusters
Health Cluster discussed this in a meeting held on 11 September 2012 and agreed on a broader health
sector coordination mechanism led by Ministry of Health and Child Care.
Decision was later made by HCT to retain Health, WASH, Protection and Food clusters and discontinue
the rest, converts them into working groups or merge them with remaining clusters.
The following issues were raised at the 11 September 2012 Health Cluster meeting:1. A balance between humanitarian and development issues to be struck in the work of the health
sector working group
2. Good if the Health Sector Working Group be co-led (and co-chaired) by Ministry of Health and Child
Care and WHO before the Ministry assumes full control.
3. EDC Department to be the entry/coordination point. Consultations with PS will have to be made in
this regard.
4. A health coordination mechanism was in existence before the cluster system was introduced in
Zimbabwe, and this system needs to be re-established.
5. Government should be ready to take over this responsibility.
Consultations in ICF and HCT on the future of clusters continued in 2013.
SWG held a meeting on 27 August 2013 and agreed on the following:1. Health Sector Working group should be chaired by the Ministry of Health and Child Care
2. Operationalization of the NHEOC to provide surge capacity
3. Should tackle both humanitarian and development issues.
4. Re-establishment of the Inter Agency Coordination Committee on Health (IACCH) chaired by EDC
Director as starting point. There is need for TORs.
5. Linkages with current coordination mechanisms such as CCM, ZUNDAF and HTF to be established
and working group should eventually be coordinated at Principal Directorate Level as that level has
influence on other mechanisms like the ZUNDAF, CCM and HTF
SWG in consultation with OCHA established the following gaps:1. Residual humanitarian needs such as outbreaks of water borne diseases and early warning and
early action important
Follow up Actions
Agenda Item
OCHA Update
Discussion
2. NHOEC still not operational – need for funding and capacity building
3. EHA and other partners providing field EPR capacities but funding challenges continue
4. Currently no inclusive health coordination body covering entire health sector. There was need for
linkages with recovery and development partners.
 Way Forward
1. There was need for Terms of Reference for IACCH.
2. WHO to continue support surveillance and response activities.
3. NHEOC needs urgent capacity building including staff such as Epidemic Preparedness and
Response Manager.
 Points Noted
1. OCHA was compiling inputs from different clusters to have one report. Will submit to country team
next week for approval and recommendations. Risks that remain will be taken into account. Rapid
Response Capacity will remain in 2014.
2. Once report is out will share with Cluster Coordinator for further distribution.
3. After the report is out the Humanitarian Coordinator will liaise with government to make them aware
in order to mobilize the necessary resources required. Members will continue to be updated on
developments.
4. There was urgent need to clarify the Civil Protection Unit coordination role after the transition. The
Civil Protection legislation and DRM Strategy still to be approved by Parliament and still in draft form.
5. Humanitarian needs have gone down but some members felt there was need to retain a smaller
appeal rather than abandoning it completely in case humanitarian shocks occur.
6. OHA pointed out that the ERF will be extended to end of March 2014 because some flooding was
expected in the country during the 2013/14 rainfall season.
7. Funding will not close completely as other appeals like the Flash Appeal will still be in place.
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Any Other
Business
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CAP 2013 Mid-Year Review Process – waiting for the ZUNDAF report.
85% of funding available is for food
All Clusters have submitted information – doing final review and will send to HQ Geneva. Mid-Year
Review expected to take place mid-September 2013.
There was an overall appeal increase of 12% with a slight increase for the Health Cluster
90 million received so far – have a funding gap of 57 million.
Plan International would like to make presentation at the next Health Cluster meeting. To arrange this
with Dr Charimari.
Minutes compiled by: Mrs Regina Chipo Mutanhaurwa – WHO
Distribution:
All Health Cluster members
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Follow up Actions
List of participants – Health Cluster Meeting – 10 September2013
NAME
ORGANISATION
EMAIL ADDRESS
TELEPHONE
Dr Lincoln Charimari
WHO
charimaril@who.int
0772277893
Victoria Ndlovu
Plan International
victoria.ndlovu@plan-international.org
0772403008
3
Brian Mazani
IOM
bmazani@iom.int
0773362352
4
Stephen Maphosa
WHO
maphosas@who.int
0772279259
5
Fungai Gutusa
World Vision
fgutusa@gmail.com
0773235088
6
Blessing Muchemwa
ECHO
blessing.muchemwa@ec.europa.eu
0772720198
7
Christie Billingsley
PMI/USAID
cbillingsley@usaid.gov
0772149042
8
Paolo Cernuschi
IRC
paolo.cernuschi@rescue.org
0772283181
9
Fabian Taziwa
MSF - Spain
msfe-harare-med@barcelona.msf.org
0774079208
10
Tafadzwa Chigariro
WHO
chigarirot@who.int
0771803158
11
Panganayi Dhliwayo
CDC
pdhliwayo@cdc.gov
0772129119
12
Benoit Pylyser
OCHA
pylyser@un.org
0772125282
13
Patson Kaendesa
EHA
pkaendesa@zw.mercycorps.org
0773100427
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