Health Economics Unit
The Health Economics Unit was previously called Health Economics Unit at Zambart (HEUZ). Zambart has been conducting health economics-related research since late 1990 when it was a research project. The HEU aims to contribute positively to the performance of health systems in Zambia and the surrounding region by informing health policy and enhancing technical and managerial capacity. Its foundation is grounded in research excellence in health economics and related health system issues in the developing world.
HEUZ works to help improve the performance of health systems in Zambia and the surrounding region by informing health policy and enhancing technical and managerial capacity. Its foundation is grounded in the need for research excellence in health economics and related health system issues in the developing world.
Vision
To become a world-class leader in health economics and health systems research in Zambia.
To become leaders in publishing innovative research which addresses technical and allocative efficiency and economic analysis-related methodological issues in low-income countries.
To play a key role in providing expert policy advice on health-related policies in Zambia and the surrounding region. To achieve this, the HEUZ pursues a balance of mainstream and developmental health economics drawing on a strong human resource base with a full range of relevant skills and a diversity of nationalities and backgrounds.
Mission
To provide economic guidance to aid policy decisions on the rational use of scarce resources to maximise health gain through conducting health economics research and capacity building in Zambia and surrounding countries.
Our Motto
In pursuant to an improved health policy and system towards the realisation of our vision.
To establish a strong ‘to policy track’ publication database through rigorous and high-quality health economics and systems research.
Goal Areas
To conduct high-quality research in health economics, health policy and systems.
To develop capacity in health economics and related health systems research to improve technical skills in health economics and related research, and contributed to the improvement of health systems in Zambia and the surrounding region.
To provide technical support to the Zambian Ministry of Health (MoH) and its cooperating partners towards improved health financing, costing and expenditure systems to aid the translation of health policies into practical programmes.
- Research Collaboration and Non-Profit Consultancy
In its research work, HEU focuses on health economics research (efficiency, market analysis, economic analysis, financial tracking, etc.), health policy analysis and health systems research. In all these domains we either collaborate or work independently. In the previous, we have worked with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Sight savers-Zambia, Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) and Desmond Tutu TB Centre (DTTC) at Stellenbosch University.
- Teaching and Training Collaboration
Under education and training, we are mandated to provide teaching support in health economics to the University of Zambia. In addition, we can also provide short courses in health economics and related courses for both economist and non-economist professionals.
Lawrence Mwenge is an enthusiastic, adaptive and fast-learning economist with an acute interest and experience in health economics and health systems research. His goal is to work with policymakers towards the achievement of efficient resource use and equitable resource allocation in the health sector as a way of attaining resource redistribution, poverty eradication and better livelihoods of the mass population. Lawrence’s major areas of interest are healthcare financing, economic evaluation and health policy analysis.
Specialities: Economic analysis, cost tracking, policy analysis, project management, econometrics and modelling, project appraisal, health systems research and health care evaluation. Lawrence is currently the head of the HEUZ. His role is to oversee the health economics studies at Zambart.