Access to Social Services

The Zimbabwean health crisis is reflective of the state of the economy – poor infrastructure, lack of medicines and shortage of qualified personnel are the order of the day in all public health facilities. The ever-present HIV and recent COVID-19 pandemics did not only expose the inadequacy of the public health system in the country, they also further strained the system. It is against this background that women, girls and young people struggle to access key health services, especially relating to their sexual and reproductive health. In the targeted communities, ABDO works on mobilising communities to improve access to health services. Considering that the root of much of the problems in relation to access to services lie in the national economy and policy, advocacy for universal health coverage is at the centre of the ABDO programme.

Just like the health sector, the education sector is plagued by various challenges emanating from the poor state of the economy. In rural areas, the poor state of infrastructure as well as the lack of qualified personnel and teaching material compromise the quality of teaching and outcomes of education in general. Where possible, ABDO facilitates the development of such infrastructure and the availability of teaching/learning materials through direct sourcing or advocacy targeted at duty bearers.