Role of faith-based organisations and individuals in provision of health services in Zimbabwe

HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Role of faith-based organisations and individuals in provision of health services in Zimbabwe
 
Creator Musekiwa, Ivy Musekiwa, Norbert
 
Subject Theology; Gender; Public Policy; Christian churches; faith-based organisations (FBOs); health services; ill health; individuals; religion; spiritual dimension; state fragility; Zimbabwe.
Description This article reflects on the increasing roles of faith-based organisations (FBOs) and individual followers in the provision of health services in Zimbabwe within the context of declining capabilities of state-funded and state-owned health facilities. In colonial and post-colonial Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular, FBOs have consistently contributed to the provision of public services and social security. We contend that state fragilities in the Zimbabwean political landscape result in severe public service delivery deficits that are often filled by FBOs and individual followers. The implications for FBOs and individual followers are twofold. Firstly, the increased involvement of FBOs in the production and provision of public services such as education and health services afford FBOs with opportunities and spaces to evangelise. Secondly, and on the downward side, the provision of health services can often be expensive and diverts attention from the core business of these religious organisations. The article reveals that in the context of economic and governance crises, FBOs play an increasingly momentous role in providing health care services in Zimbabwe. The article focuses on Zimbabwe during the crisis periods of 2007–2009 and 2018 up to the current (2022) socio-economic and political declines, poor governance, and the subsequent fragilities in the state.Contribution: Faith-based organisations assume increasing roles in the provision of health services in place of failing states. Those increased roles provide FBOs opportunities to evangelise. However, FBOs are not a sustainable replacement because they become afflicted with the same financial challenges that bedevil the state.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor Ivy Musekiwa University of Botswana, Department of English Norbert Musekiwa, University of Botswana, Department of Political and Administrative Studies
Date 2023-03-13
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Historical Inquiry
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/hts.v79i3.8114
 
Source HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies; Vol 79, No 3 (2023); 7 pages 2072-8050 0259-9422
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8114/24584 https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8114/24585 https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8114/24586 https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8114/24587
 
Coverage Zimbabwe Post 2000 N/A
Rights Copyright (c) 2023 Ivy Musekiwa, Norbert Musekiwa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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