The practice of strategic operation is key to performance in the public sector because it optimises service delivery. This article focuses on the implementation operation adopted for the National Health Strategy (2009-2013) in Zimbabwe. It analyses the strategy to determine its impact on primary healthcare delivery in Vungu Rural District council clinics. The existing literature is reviewed for theoretical and conceptual insights into the subject of the article. Semi-structured interviews were used to generate empirical data for the assessment of the implementation strategy. The findings of this exercise indicate that the performance of health workers in Vungu Rural District council clinics was determined by the availability of resources. The National Health Strategy set unattainable goals and objectives, which were too ambitious - hence the failure of health workers to provide efficient and effective healthcare services. The article