An Optimal Outcome for 'OptiMuL' Research

The 2026 Zimbabwe Medical Association Annual Scientific Congress held on 29-30 August at Cresta Lodge, Harare, brought together healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders, to discuss how Zimbabwe can build a future-ready health system through innovation, investment, policy and a strengthened health workforce. A future-ready Zimbabwe looks like one with health sovreignity, and this conference explored suitable and realisitc pathways toward this goal.

At the Congress, Fionah Mundoga delivered an oral presentation titled ‘Learning to Integrate? Multimorbidity, Health System Adaptation and Chronic Care Governance in Post-USAID Zimbabwe.' The presentation drew on findings from the OptiMuL study, including research conducted at St Mary’s Clinic in Chitungwiza and Nketa Clinic in Bulawayo. It explored how Zimbabwe’s health system is responding to the growing number of people living with multiple chronic conditions, while also adjusting to recent funding disruptions. The findings showed that chronic care remains fragmented across different clinics, queues and information systems. However, healthcare workers are already finding practical ways to manage several conditions during one consultation. The presentation highlighted opportunities to build on these efforts through better-integrated information systems, workforce capacitation, quality-improvement activities and stronger platforms for patients, healthcare workers and decision-makers to jointly improve services.

As her first presentation at the ZiMA Congress, Fionah particularly appreciated the engagement and discussions that followed.