Zambia developing health financing reform framework to improve health resource management —Lishimpi

Zambia is in the process of developing a Health Financing Reform Framework to improve efficiency, accountability and innovation in the management of health resources, Ministry of Health officials have announced. Permanent Secretary for Technical Services at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Kennedy Lishimpi said the Government was currently strengthening the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIMA) by broadening its contribution base.

Lishimpi said this during the official opening of the 62nd Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting held at Avani Victoria Falls Resort in Livingstone on Saturday. He said the government was also improving reimbursement systems for NHIMA, enhancing collaboration with private healthcare providers and increasing efficiency in resource utilisation. “The national health budget allocation had increased from 8.1 percent in 2021 to 10.3 percent in 2026, reflecting Government’s steady progress towards achieving the Abuja Declaration target of allocating 15 percent of the national budget to health,” Lishimpi said.

He said the government would continue leveraging the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to construct health facilities, maternity annexes, staff accommodation, ambulances and water and sanitation infrastructure aimed at improving access to quality healthcare at community level. Lishimpi assured delegates that the government had taken note of the concerns raised by the medical fraternity and was implementing comprehensive reforms to address them. He said the government remained committed to safeguarding Zambia’s health gains by building a resilient, efficient and sustainably financed health system aligned with the country’s Universal Health Coverage agenda.

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“Government had recruited 23,560 healthcare workers over the past five years, including 4,216 in 2024 and 3,205 earlier this year, while an additional 2,600 health workers are expected to be recruited before the end of 2026,” he said. Addressing governance concerns, Lishimpi said the Ministry, working with Cabinet Office, was expediting the appointment of substantive Boards and senior executives in health institutions and regulatory agencies. “A Health Sector Governance Charter would be launched later this year to strengthen leadership, institutional performance, transparency and stakeholder engagement across the health sector,” he said.

Lishimpi reaffirmed Government’s commitment to maintaining a strong partnership with the Zambia Medical Association, describing the Association as a strategic partner in policy formulation, research, innovation and improving healthcare delivery. ZMA President, Dr. Masiku Phiri, called for increased domestic investment in healthcare, as the era in which donor financing could reliably fill gaps within the country’s health system was gradually drawing to a close.

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