Mlondolozi Ndlovu
Civil society organisations (CSO) in Zimbabwe under the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition have released an alternative economic blue print that calls for both economic and political liberalism but has much bias on health insurance.

The document which was launched at Ambassador Hotel by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Director DR Philani Zamchiya is called the Zimbabwe Social Market Agenda for Recovery and Transformation (ZIMSMART) and seeks to provide SMART ideas to resuscitate the ailing economy.

The document which involved stakeholders and consultations and was part of the review of CSOs and government economic blueprints if adopted by the government will kick start Zimbabwe.

Unlike the other blueprints so far offered by opposition political parties, the blue print will seek to deal with the health for all policy abandoned by the government in the 1990s when it adopted the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme (ESAP) that sought to cut public expenditure.

The organisation noted through the document that Government allocated only $337 million to health from the $4.2 billion budget this falls short of the Abuja Declaration of 2001 which stipulates that governments must allocate 15% of their budget to health.

This model further brings smile to millions of Zimbabwean without health insurance as it recommends the establishment of the national insurance scheme that is publicly funded.

The document says that the government must cut spending by reducing the cabinet, removing the posts of deputy ministers, cutting on travel expenses and increase revenue by taxing harmful products like beer and cigarettes.

The blueprint calls for the government to education, social assistance to the vulnerable in the form of pensions, long term care insurance and collective labour bargaining.