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Zimbabwe’s Health Sector in Spotlight as US Pauses Foreign Aid

By Shingirai Vambe

The United States Embassy in Zimbabwe has issued a call to action, urging the Zimbabwean government to take greater responsibility for the health and wellbeing of its citizens. This plea comes as U.S. foreign assistance programs have been paused for review, as part of a broader evaluation initiated by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The review aims to ensure that all foreign assistance programs are efficient, effective, and aligned with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda. In a statement issued by the embassy, it was emphasized that all programs and grants without a waiver approved by the Secretary of State using foreign assistance funding are paused.

Despite the pause, the U.S. has acknowledged Zimbabwe’s notable achievements in combating HIV. The country has successfully met the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, which focus on ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed receive treatment, and 95% of those treated achieve viral suppression.

However, the embassy stressed that it is now time for Zimbabwe to take ownership of its public health challenges. “It is time for Zimbabwe to take seriously its responsibility for the health of its people,” the statement read. “For HIV, Zimbabwe has hit the 95/95/95 targets. They urgently need to be focused on buying ART and getting nurses in clinics. They can do this”.

The emphasis on self-reliance is particularly pertinent, given Zimbabwe’s ongoing economic crisis. The crisis has significantly strained public health systems, resulting in many clinics being understaffed and underfunded. The embassy’s call to action serves as a reminder that Zimbabwe must prioritize its healthcare system and ensure that its citizens have access to essential services, including antiretroviral therapy (ART) and healthcare professionals.

Ultimately, the pause in U.S. foreign assistance programs presents an opportunity for Zimbabwe to reassess its priorities and take concrete steps towards addressing its public health challenges. By doing so, the country can move closer to achieving its development goals and ensuring a healthier, more prosperous future for its citizens.

Earlier, Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube expressed concern that the US’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) may lead to cuts in aid to Zimbabwe and other countries heavily affected by HIV/AIDS. This concern comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the US from the WHO, following his inauguration to a second term.

Ncube emphasized that any country struggling with HIV/AIDS will feel the impact of reduced US aid. “This is a concern, a fear we are expressing,” he stated during an online briefing from Davos, where he was attending the World Economic Forum.

Zimbabwe is particularly vulnerable to these aid cuts, as it receives over $200 million annually from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This funding supports critical healthcare services, including HIV testing, treatment, and prevention programs.

To mitigate the potential impact of reduced US aid, Ncube is advocating for increased domestic funding for healthcare. He proposes directing earmarked taxes, such as the sugar tax and a proposed tax on fast foods, towards healthcare initiatives. The government has already introduced a series of taxes to boost revenue, including a sugar tax on beverages and a 1% levy on fast food.

Ncube stressed the need for Zimbabwe to scale up its funding for health, citing the importance of building capacity to fill potential funding gaps. As the country struggles to fund its public health system, the minister’s concerns highlight the urgent need for a sustainable solution.

Zimbabwe’s health sector is facing a multitude of challenges, which have been exacerbated by the country’s economic crisis. The top three health threats in Zimbabwe are HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria, which contribute significantly to maternal and childhood illness and deaths. The economic crisis, which lasted from 2008 to 2019, had a devastating impact on the healthcare system. The crisis led to a reduction in medical drug supplies, a loss of human resources, reduced financial resources, and an increase in the disease burden. Many healthcare workers, including professional nurses and physicians, left Zimbabwe in search of better opportunities, resulting in a significant brain drain.

The healthcare system was also overwhelmed by intermittent strikes by health workers due to low remuneration and poor working conditions. This further exacerbated the crisis, making it difficult for Zimbabweans to access quality healthcare services. Zimbabwe’s healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, threatened by the twin evils of corruption and misappropriation of funds. Despite being a signatory to the Abuja Declaration, which requires African countries to allocate at least 15% of their annual budgets to healthcare, Zimbabwe has consistently failed to meet this target.

The consequences of this failure are dire. Hospitals are woefully underfunded, leading to shortages of essential medicines and equipment. Healthcare workers are underpaid and overworked, resulting in a brain drain of skilled professionals. The situation is exacerbated by corruption, with funds meant for healthcare being siphoned off by unscrupulous officials. The Abuja Declaration, signed in 2001, was meant to be a watershed moment for healthcare in Africa. However, Zimbabwe has consistently failed to meet its commitments, allocating a paltry 6-8% of its budget to healthcare. This has resulted in a healthcare system that is ill-equipped to deal with the country’s numerous health challenges.