Role of faith-based organisations and individuals in provision of health services in Zimbabwe
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 a...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
| Published: |
AOSIS
2023-03-01
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| Series: | HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8114 |
| _version_ | 1831874037694857216 |
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| author | Ivy Musekiwa Norbert Musekiwa |
| author_facet | Ivy Musekiwa Norbert Musekiwa |
| author_sort | Ivy Musekiwa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:48:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fb5df5d56a4f43cea340bc4ba5731a77 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0259-9422 2072-8050 |
| language | Afrikaans |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-21T20:23:24Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-fb5df5d56a4f43cea340bc4ba5731a772024-06-02T06:03:12ZafrAOSISHTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies0259-94222072-80502023-03-01793e1e710.4102/hts.v79i3.81145642Role of faith-based organisations and individuals in provision of health services in ZimbabweIvy Musekiwa0Norbert Musekiwa1Department of English, Faculty of Humanities, University of Botswana, GaboroneDepartment of Political and Administrative Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Botswana, GaboroneThis 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.https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8114christian churchesfaith-based organisations (fbos)health servicesill healthindividualsreligionspiritual dimensionstate fragilityzimbabwe. |
| spellingShingle | Ivy Musekiwa Norbert Musekiwa Role of faith-based organisations and individuals in provision of health services in Zimbabwe HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies christian churches faith-based organisations (fbos) health services ill health individuals religion spiritual dimension state fragility zimbabwe. |
| title | Role of faith-based organisations and individuals in provision of health services in Zimbabwe |
| title_full | Role of faith-based organisations and individuals in provision of health services in Zimbabwe |
| title_fullStr | Role of faith-based organisations and individuals in provision of health services in Zimbabwe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Role of faith-based organisations and individuals in provision of health services in Zimbabwe |
| title_short | Role of faith-based organisations and individuals in provision of health services in Zimbabwe |
| title_sort | role of faith based organisations and individuals in provision of health services in zimbabwe |
| topic | christian churches faith-based organisations (fbos) health services ill health individuals religion spiritual dimension state fragility zimbabwe. |
| url | https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8114 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ivymusekiwa roleoffaithbasedorganisationsandindividualsinprovisionofhealthservicesinzimbabwe AT norbertmusekiwa roleoffaithbasedorganisationsandindividualsinprovisionofhealthservicesinzimbabwe |