Zimbabwe launches ambitious five-year health strategy

Health Minister Douglas Mombeshora says Zimbabwe's new National Health Strategy aims to increase domestic health funding, recruit 32,000 health workers and achieve universal health coverage by 2030.

NORTON – The Zimbabwean government has unveiled an ambitious National Health Strategy (2026–2030) that seeks to transform the country's healthcare system by increasing domestic health funding, recruiting 32,000 additional health workers, and ensuring every public health facility is connected to the internet by 2030.

The five-year strategy was launched on Thursday at Norton Hospital by Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora, who described it as a blueprint for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Zimbabwe's Vision 2030 development agenda.

"Today, we are not just launching a document. We are making a solemn commitment to the people of Zimbabwe," Mombeshora said.

"This strategy represents a defining moment in our nation's journey towards health and well-being, charting a transformative path that is both ambitious and, crucially, achievable."

Among the strategy's flagship commitments is increasing domestic health financing to at least 15 percent of total government expenditure, in line with the Abuja Declaration, as Zimbabwe seeks to reduce its dependence on donor funding. The government also plans to double the country's health workforce by creating 32,000 new posts over the next five years to address chronic staff shortages affecting public hospitals and clinics.

In a major digital transformation drive, all 1,953 health facilities nationwide will be connected to the internet by 2030 to improve service delivery, health information management and access to digital healthcare services.

Mombeshora said Zimbabwe had made notable progress in several health indicators despite persistent financial constraints. He announced that the country had achieved the global 95-95-95 HIV treatment targets, with 95.1 percent of people living with HIV knowing their status, 100 percent of those diagnosed receiving treatment, and 96.1 percent achieving viral suppression. The minister also said maternal mortality had declined significantly, from 462 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019 to an estimated 212 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024.

Life expectancy has meanwhile increased to 65 years, reflecting improvements in health outcomes. Between 2021 and 2025, the government constructed 200 new health facilities, bringing Zimbabwe's total number of public health institutions to 1,953.

Despite the gains, Mombeshora acknowledged that Zimbabwe's public health system continues to face significant challenges, including staff attrition, inadequate financing and inefficient utilisation of available resources. He revealed that many public health facilities receive less than 50 percent of their allocated operational budgets, affecting service delivery.

"Health financing remains a major constraint. Heavy reliance on donor funding, which fluctuates, and high out-of-pocket payments by households, which stood at 27.8 percent in 2023, expose families to catastrophic health expenditures and impoverishment," he said.

The National Health Strategy seeks to strengthen domestic resource mobilisation, improve efficiency in health spending and expand access to quality healthcare services across both urban and rural communities. Government officials say successful implementation of the strategy will depend on sustained investment, stronger partnerships and continued reforms aimed at building a resilient and equitable healthcare system.

Zimbabwe National Health Strategy 2026–2030