The Japanese government has availed US$633,975 towards access to safe and affordable Surgical, Obstetric and Anaesthesia (SOA) care services in Zimbabwe.

The project will be implemented by the health and childcare ministry in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and will be targeting Manicaland and Matebeleland provinces.

In a statement Wednesday, WHO said the services are for everyone in need of them.

"The government of Japan has committed US$633,975 to strengthen access to safe, timely and affordable SOA care services in Manicaland and Matabeleland North provinces.

"The funding from the Japanese government will support SOA care services for everyone in need of care at all levels," the statement reads.

Ambassador of Japan to Zimbabwe, Satoshi Tanaka, also said Japan will assist Zimbabwe's efforts of attaining a middle income economy by making sure citizens have access to quality health care services.

"Zimbabwe's sustainable development and the attainment of its vision of a middle-income country by 2030 can only be assured if its citizens are healthy and have access to quality health care services.

"Japan will support Zimbabwe's efforts to attain Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by strengthening access to safe, timely and affordable SOA care, for which there is a dire need," he said.

WHO added that by the end of 2023, an estimated 845 631 people are expected to access emergency surgical services by the end of 2023 through the proposed interventions in this project.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe is currently experiencing challenges in providing SOA care services owing to lack of surgical equipment, shortage of medicines, consumables, and sundries essential for SOA care services.

This has seen a decline in essential surgical procedures done in hospitals across the country and resulting in long waiting lists.