Zimbabwe was once a model functional healthcare system in post colonial Africa, boasting a strong primary healthcare system and skilled healthcare workers under the controversial colonial administration. However, since the 1990s, its quality has decreased. In 2008, Zimbabwe had a 76.9 billion percent inflation rate and this worsened the state of the healthcare system which has not recovered today and is relying mostly on donor funding to keep running.
Health status The top three health threats facing Zimbabweans are HIV, TB and malaria, all of which are highly preventable. These diseases contribute effectively to maternal and childhood death, with a maternal mortality rate of 365 per 100,000 according to the latest census report. Declining economic conditions have led to the fall of one of Africa's most robust healthcare systems with underpaid skilled doctors fleeing to other countries and hospitals being under equipped even with the basic PPE. In 2019, more than 40% of the total number of deaths were attributed to HIV, lower respiratory infection, TB and malaria.
Life expectancy
According to Our World in Data, Zimbabwe's life expectancy at birth is estimated to be 62.8 years as of 2023, with 60 years for males and 65 years for females.
Malaria Malaria is a major health problem in Zimbabwe with about half the population at risk. Malaria epidemiology varies across the country ranging from year-round transmission in lowland areas to epidemic-prone areas in highland areas. Transmission is seasonal, occurring primarily between November and April, correlating closely with rainfall. According to Zimbabwe's District Health Information System-2, approximately 82 percent of malaria cases in 2016 originated from three eastern provinces (Manicaland, Mashonaland East, and Mashonaland Central), with 39 percent of all cases and 31 percent of all deaths coming from Manicaland. The concentrated trend of malaria cases and deaths in three provinces has remained consistent since 2013.
Reported cases decreased from 1.8 million in 2006 to 281,000 in 2016 (20.5 per 1,000 population per year). New cases mostly occur along the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border, including Manicaland, where Anopheles funestus (mosquito vector) resistance to pyrethroid class insecticides was identified in 2013. It is difficult to quantify if the case burden in this area is also due to migration across the border, strengthened surveillance systems, or ineffective malaria control interventions.
Cholera
A 2008 cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe began in August 2008, swept across the country and spread to Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia. By 10 January 2010 there had been 98,741 reported cases and 4,293 deaths making it the deadliest African cholera outbreak since 1993.Epidemiological Bulletin Number 41 Week 1 (week ending 10 January 2010), Retrieved on 19 April 2008. The Government of Zimbabwe declared the outbreak a national emergency and requested international aid.
There was also a 2018-2019 cholera outbreak with a total of 10,421 cases, including 69 deaths.
Following Cyclones Idai and Kenneth, 490,000 people were vaccinated in Chimanimani and Chipinge districts in Manicaland Province with the goal of preempting a possible cholera outbreak.UNICEF, 2019. Cyclone-affected communities in Zimbabwe being vaccinated against cholera [WWW Document]. URL https://www.unicef.org/zimbabwe/press-releases/cyclone-affected-communities-zimbabwe-being-vaccinated-against-cholera (accessed 12.2.19).UNOCHA, 2019. Cyclones Idai and Kenneth [WWW Document]. OCHA. URL https://www.unocha.org/southern-and-eastern-africa-rosea/cyclones-idai-and-kenneth (accessed 12.2.19). There were no cholera cases following the cyclones in Zimbabwe, but there were cases in neighboring Mozambique.Cambaza, E. et al. (2019) 'Outbreak of Cholera Due to Cyclone Kenneth in Northern Mozambique, 2019', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(16). doi: 10.3390/ijerph16162925.
HIV/AIDS
Zimbabwe was and still is one of the countries that have been strongly affected by HIV/AIDS.Owomoyela, Oyekan (2002). "Culture and Customs of Zimbabwe", p. 108. Greenwood Press, London. . HIV is the leading cause of death in Zimbabwe with a minimum of 19.4% of deaths in 2019. Several donors have invested in managing HIV infections in Zimbabwe and it is running a 502 million grant from the sixth cycle of the Global Fund. The immensity of this health issue can be clearly determined through this particular statistic: one in every five children was orphaned due to the HIV/AIDS crisis,Elder, James. "HIV/AIDS: A deadly crisis each day in Zimbabwe", Unicef, Bulawayo, 24 March 2005. Retrieved on 25 April 2013. which adds up to a total of approximately 1 million orphanhoods caused by AIDS in 2011 alone. In 2021, 6,800 young people (ages 15–24) were newly infected with HIV This is the most vulnerable age group, with unsafe sex being the commonest of causes of new HIV infections among them.
1.3 million people are estimated to be living with HIV in Zimbabwe out of the 15 million population. 91% of the people living with HIV were on antiretroviral therapy in 2021 In 2021, HIV accounted for 10.4% of all deaths in Zimbabwe compared to a global average of 1.1%. HIV prevalence among adults aged 15-49 has decreased from 12.69% in 2019 to 10.49% in 2023. In December 2024, Zimbabwe reached the 95−95−95 UNAIDS Fast−Track targets for adults, marking notable strides in reducing HIV prevalence and strengthening HIV service delivery. These targets indicate that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed are receiving treatment and 95% of those treated achieved viral load suppression. There is also notable improvement in viral suppression rates among children living with HIV, from 70% in 2019 to 86% in 2023. This progress in HIV outcomes stems from the use of innovative prevention methods such as cabotegravir (CAB-LA)injection, and comprehensive prevention, testing, treatment initiatives, the adoption of differentiated service delivery models and rollout of child-friendly medicines. These efforts have been supported by key international partners including WHO, USAID, PEPFAR, UNITAID and the Global fund. In 2024, Zimbabwe was the first country in Africa and the third in the world behind Austria and the US to approve CAB-LA, a long acting injectable medicine recommended by WHO as pre-exposure prophylaxis(PrEP) for those at high risk of contracting HIV. Although the nation registers success in combatting HIV/AIDS, other people with the disease still refuse to take treatment.
Tuberculosis
Zimbabwe is ranked among the 22 countries with a significant burden of tuberculosis. In 2000, the incidence rate of tuberculosis reached 605 per 100,000 people and it dropped to 193 per 100,000 people in 2020 which is, however still way above the sustainable development goals target. The case detection rate fell from 83% in 2018 to 55% in 2020 which is the least Zimbabwe has experienced since 2000. This is mainly attributed to the crumbling health care system, a falling economy and the COVID-19 pandemic which saw a diversion of resources from TB to COVID-19. This can also be attributed the almost similar symptoms of TB and COVID-19 which was difficult to distinguish in Zimbabwe's under resourced health-care facilities.
Maternal and child health
Inequalities in maternal health care are pervasive in the developing world, a fact that has led to questions about the extent of these disparities across socioeconomic groups. Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health and Child Care, in collaboration with the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, has been monitoring the demographic trends of Zimbabwe and published in 2025 very important information for the year 2023–24 through the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS). The ZDHS provides information about fertility rates. More specifically, it shows significant progress in the maternal mortality ratio, with 212 deaths per 100,000 live births (a decrease from 615 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015). At the same time, antenatal care coverage increased slightly from 91% in the 2015 ZDHS to 92% in 2023–24. Even though this is a small increase, it is not insignificant for the health of both infants and mothers, as 71% of pregnant women followed the "4+ ANC visits" schedule. As a result, a larger percentage of women (84%) chose hospitals for the safe delivery of their babies, while home deliveries decreased to 14%, compared to 16% in 2015.
The reference to the maternal mortality ratio is of great importance, as it indicates investment, empowerment, and development of the health system, and according to Miranda Tabifor, the representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), "By prioritizing maternal health, lives are saved."
However, although the maternal mortality ratio decreased, the under-5 mortality, infant mortality, and neonatal mortality rates either remained the same or increased:
Under-5 mortality rate: remained the same as in 2015 — 69 deaths per 1,000 live births
Infant mortality rate: worsened to 56 deaths per 1,000 live births (from 50 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2015)
Neonatal mortality rate: increased to 37 deaths per 1,000 live births (from 29 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2015).
There was also a significant increase in the use of condoms, with 53% of sexually active people following the principles of safe sexual practices. This has slightly reduced the fertility rate to 3.9 children per woman in 2023–24, compared to 4 children per woman in 2015. This decrease also includes a decline in unintended teenage pregnancies.
Some of the most common diseases that these young children are facing are hunger: iron deficiency anaemia, vitamin A deficiency, and mentally impaired (iodine deficiency), and childhood diseases: acute respiratory infections, diarrhoeal disease, and malaria.United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)(2007). World Hunger Series 2007 : Hunger and Health, Table 6a. The World Food Programme, Rome. . 87% of women living with HIV were on antiretroviral therapy in 2021, which is a 10% decrease from 2019. 72,000 children between the ages of 0–14 years were living with HIV in 2021. This is about 144 times the total number of people living with HIV in Norway.
Challenges Affecting Maternal and Child Health The challenges facing maternal and child health in rural Zimbabwe, with cultural preferences, religious beliefs, and a lack of healthcare infrastructure all contribute to poor health outcomes. The complexities of maternal health in this context, highlight the need for greater investment in healthcare infrastructure, better access to skilled healthcare workers, and more education and awareness about the risks of traditional birth practices. Colonial rule in Zimbabwe left a lasting imprint on the country's healthcare system. The decades of racial segregation and unequal distribution of resources have led to a situation where rural areas continue to suffer from poor healthcare infrastructure, inadequate access to skilled healthcare workers, and lower health outcomes.
Cultural beliefs and religious traditions in Zimbabwe often play a significant role in determining a woman's decision-making process during childbirth. Traditional practices such as home births, performed by traditional birth attendants without formal medical training, are still prevalent in many rural areas, especially among the older generation. These cultural preferences and religious beliefs, while deeply rooted in the community, can often come at the cost of the health and safety of the mother and child.
This legacy, combined with the challenges of political instability and a struggling economy, further complicates the provision of quality maternal healthcare in Zimbabwe, making it difficult to achieve meaningful improvements.
Contraception