ZimbosAbantu: Primary care clinics on wheels

Zimbabwe faces severe economic challenges that limit its citizens’ ability to access healthcare. With a large majority of the population working in the informal sector and 70% living on less than USD 1 a day, 90% of Zimbabweans have no health insurance at all. While HIV/AIDS rates are declining, the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is rising, particularly among people with HIV/AIDS.

For many Zimbabweans, healthcare is physically difficult to access, with 24% of the population having to walk 7 to 10 kilometres to reach the nearest primary health facility. Informal sector workers often delay or avoid seeking care so as not to forego earnings. Vulnerable groups face heightened health risks and stigmatisation.

These issues necessitate comprehensive strategies to improve healthcare access and support for Zimbabwe’s most vulnerable populations.

ZimbosAbantu Healthcare operates five mobile clinics out of repurposed vans, serving poor, densely populated peri-urban areas of Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city. These units offer primary curative and preventive care, screenings (including for NCDs), vaccinations, sexual and reproductive health services and health education.

Equipped with examination rooms, vital monitoring machines, diagnostic kits and medications, each clinic rotates among four locations per week. The clinics operate 12 hours a day from Monday to Saturday, each staffed full time by lead nurses, nurse aides, a clerk and a security guard and by doctors online or in person as needed.

ZimbosAbantu partners with NGOs, corporate social responsibility departments and government entities to implement health campaigns and to ensure that service costs are subsidised. In 2023, the venture introduced health membership plans and partnered with the National AIDS Council to integrate HIV/AIDS and NCD care.

ZimbosAbantu’s innovative approach addresses critical health needs efficiently and effectively, offering essential services to people who need them most. Each mobile clinic serves an average of 18-20 patients per day, or approximately 1 000 patients per month. Mass screening days attract even more visitors. Repeat visitors accounts for 17% of visits overall and for one-third of visits among people on membership plans who have chronic conditions.

ZimbosAbantu will use funding from the Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award programme to purchase and equip five new mobile clinics, top up its working capital and serve an additional patients. This growth is expected to boost uptake of health membership plans and to generate employment for 20 more nurses and field staff.

The venture looks forward to receiving technical support in improving the design and go-to-market strategies of its membership plans, collaborating with microinsurance providers and strengthening its capabilities in financial management and impact tracking.

The copyright for all images displayed lies with ZimbosAbantu.