Health in Zimbabwe

In 2008, Zimbabwe had a 76.9 billion percent inflation rate[1] and this worsened the state of the healthcare system which has not recovered today and is relying mostly on donor funding to keep running.

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.

[4] 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.

[4] 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.

[4] A 2008 cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe began in August 2008, swept across the country[5] and spread to Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia.

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.

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.

[21] 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.

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.

[22] Under-five mortality remains a major public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa and Zimbabwe is one of the countries in the region that failed to achieve Millennium Developmental Goal 4 in 2015.

[24] This shows how the Zimbabwean healthcare system is not really improving despite that this is a major fall from the 2900 recorded in 2008 when Zimbabwe's economy fell to the brink.

A decrease in the number of maternal deaths was recorded starting in 2009 when the government of national unity resolved the political crises and saw Zimbabwe's economy getting better again and the introduction of the US dollar helped curb inflation.

[37] Cultural beliefs and religious traditions in Zimbabwe often play a significant role in determining a woman's decision-making process during childbirth.

[39] 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.

[39] 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.

[43] Due to this unfriendly service by the workers and the shame the society puts on these young adults, the youth demanded easier, faster access to the contraceptives from the Zimbabwean government.

[45] An excessive amount of these metals in water deteriorates the health of humans but also the lives of animals and plants – hence it is dangerous for any type of organisms to consume.

[45] Other diseases that occur in Zimbabwe due to water pollution are cholera, typhoid, infectious hepatitis, Giardia, Salmonella, and Cryptosporidium.

[51] This is an ecological consequence that arises from the burning of fossil fuels,[52] which is performed in many countries and many industries for the formation of energy, power plants, and automobiles.

[57] These fumes pollute the atmosphere, causing a greater long-term damage which will eventually work against the health and lifestyle of Zimbabwe.