THE Zambia Household Health Expenditure and Utilization Survey (ZHHEUS, 2015) report was launched by the Minister of Health Hon. Chitalu Chilufya late last year in Lusaka. In the next few weeks I will endeavor to highlight some of the key findings of the report and reflect on the implications of the findings on health policy in Zambia.
A survey of this nature that focuses on detailed household health related expenditure and utilisation was last conducted in 1995 but experts noted that it was not comprehensive. ZHHEUS 2015 was designed to provide more precise data for policy formulation and decision-making. Household Health Expenditure surveys are conducted at regular and predictable intervals in most developed countries. Lately, middle-income and a few low-income countries have conducted these specialized surveys. I hope, and am sure it is a shared hope, that we will see more regular and predictable ZHHEUS going forward. It must be noted that surveys of this nature are expensive and highly technical.
There are alternative surveys to ZHHEUS that have been conducted in Zambia such as the Living Conditions and Monitoring Surveys (LCMS).  Unlike ZHHEUS, LCMS data are limited in that they do not ask, for instance about perceived health status at household level and do not ask for reasons why individuals make the type of choices that they do. For these and other reasons LCMS can not be used as a substitute to ZHHEUS.
The main purpose of the ZHHEUS 2015 was provide evidence and comprehensively study matters pertaining to: Utilization of health care services; Health care expenditure; Access to health care; Household health seeking behavior; Maternal and child health; Private insurance and prepayment financing; and Social health insurance in order to facilitate decision making. The survey was conducted in all ten provinces under the 2010 population census frame work that saw a total of 11, 927 out of the intended 12, 000 households sampled across the country. The survey was a collaborative effort of the Ministry of Health, the University of Zambia, the Central Statistical Office, and the UKaid.
I would strongly advise anyone that has an interest in the Zambian health care system to study the findings and recommendations of the ZHHEUS 2015. In the next few weeks I will be discussing each of the subject areas of the ZHHEUS 2015. I am hoping that my readers will also study the ZHHEUS 2015 report and critic my take on these matters. Happy new and prosperous new year.
Dr. Mujajati Aaaron
aaron@drmujajati.org