Analysis of social investment in health systems reform: a case study of results-based financing in Marondera District, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Introduction: suboptimal use of donor funds and poor health systems performance is rife across most developing countries; to address this, results-based financing (RBF) models were developed. However, it is imperative to explore the emic and context specific influence of results-based financing in health systems performance. This study therefore sought to explore the influence of results-based financing on health worker motivation and governance, temporal perspective, distributional principle, and policy coherence. Finally, the influence of results-based financing on interrelations across donors, technical partners, and health workers was explored. Methods: the study adopted a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, phenomenological design using audio-recorded face-to-face semi-structured interviews to capture diverse perspectives from the remaining and available two health financing experts, two technical partner organization representatives, and six health workers who have been implementing results-based financing from 2011 to 2022 in the Marondera district of Zimbabwe. Data was transcribed and collectively analyzed using NVIVO software. Results: improved staff motivation, better governance, health system development, equity, and policy consistency were attributable to results-based financing, notwithstanding several challenges including understaffing, increased workload, procurement red tape, financial rigidity, and delays in subsidy payments, which eroded gains of better performance. Additionally, a lack of continuum of care due to user fees faced by the poor at higher levels of care, and limited engagement between donors and healthcare facility workers were also observed. Conclusion: reinforcing pinpointed positives is vital for sustaining realized health gains; however, urgent attention is required to address the challenges to safeguard the milestones achieved thus far.