Category: Health Financing

Health Services Suffer as Budget Remains Unused

Kuda Pembere

By Kudakwashe Pembere As Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube prepares to present the 2026 National Budget, concerns persist over Zimbabwe’s failure to fully utilise health allocations, despite the Ministry of Health and Child Care consistently receiving less than 15 percent of the national budget. According to the 2025 Mid-Term Budget and Economic Review, the Health Ministry had spent only 25 percent of its allocation by mid-year, compared to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, which had already spent 116 percent of its budget. Health Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora has…

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“Consult Us Before Introducing New Health Taxes,” Business Pleads With Mthuli

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe’s business community has warned that introducing more health levies without consulting the private sector could negatively affect business operations and undermine collaborative health financing efforts. Over the years, the government has introduced several taxes to boost domestic health financing. These include the airtime levy, the fast-food levy, and the sugar tax. While acknowledging that these levies have helped close some of the funding gaps left by departing development partners, the private sector believes the measures need better coordination and transparency. Zimbabwe Business Council Executive Director, Mr.…

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Mhangura Hosts World Contraception Day as Zimbabwe Pushes for Domestic Family Planning Investment

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere in Mhangura Zimbabwe last Friday belatedly marked World Contraception Day in Mhangura with the launch of the country’s Contraceptive Cost Recovery Framework, aimed at improving domestic financing for family planning commodities and services. The commemorations, held at Mhangura Recreational Club, drew hundreds of community members and health stakeholders. Mashonaland West was selected to host the national event to raise awareness on contraception, as the province records one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancies in the country. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe’s…

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Africa Lags Behind in Mental Health Spending, Allocating Less Than 10 Cents Per Person

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere At a time when African Governments are seized with the scourge of drug and substance misuse, Zimbabwe included, they are spending less than US$0.10 per capita on mental health, compared to more than US$50 in other regions of the world. Government expenditure per capita refers to the total government spending divided by the total population, representing the average amount of public money spent per person in a country. This stark underinvestment was highlighted in the World Mental Health Atlas 2024, released earlier this month by the World…

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Treasury Generates US$25 Million from Sugar Tax Collections

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe’s Treasury raised ZiG685.8 million (about US$25.4 million) from the sugar tax between January and May 2025, with the funds earmarked for the procurement of cancer equipment and medication. This was revealed by Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube during the Mid-Term Budget Review presentation on Thursday. Prof Ncube introduced the sugar tax in 2024, and by November of that year, over US$30 million had been collected, according to his Permanent Secretary, George Guvamatanga. “Government introduced a levy on sugar content in beverages…

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EMF Medical Aid Society Reinforces Commitment to Quality Healthcare with Digital Innovation and Expanded Wellness Benefits

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa EMF Medical Aid Society has reaffirmed its dedication to delivering accessible, innovative, and member-centric healthcare at its Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Society unveiled a forward-thinking strategy designed to meet the evolving health needs of Zimbabweans. Against the backdrop of a turbulent economic climate in 2024, EMF showcased resilience and innovation in service delivery, with the launch of new digital tools, expanded wellness services, and plans to extend coverage to the informal sector. One of the flagship developments of the past year was the successful introduction of…

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After Years Stuck at 10%, Zimbabwe’s Medical Aid Coverage Crashes to Just 4%

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Health insurance coverage in Zimbabwe has declined to a historic low, with new data revealing that only four percent of the country’s population is currently covered by any form of medical aid. This comes after more than a decade in which the national coverage rate stagnated at around 10 percent, raising fresh concerns about the accessibility and affordability of healthcare in the country. The figures are drawn from the latest Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS), which paints a stark picture of declining health insurance coverage across…

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Cuts in Health Aid Threaten Global Health Systems – WHO Warns

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarm over the growing trend of reduced and suspended Official Development Assistance (ODA) for health, warning that such cuts are already weakening health systems in low- and middle-income countries and placing millions of lives at risk. In its latest report titled “The Impact of Suspensions and Reductions in Health ODA on Health Systems,” WHO says the decrease in global health aid has come at a critical time when many countries are still reeling from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,…

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Why Medical aid societies in Zimbabwe should be regulated by a Health-Focused Authority or body — Not IPEC

Michael Gwarisa

By Enock Musungwini, MPH; MBA There are varying definitions and descriptions of what a medical aid is. Medical aid societies, also known as private health insurance companies, are non-profit or for-profit entities that provide health coverage by pooling member contributions to finance medical services. According to Shylet Sanyanga, the AHFoZ CEO, a medical aid is a form of insurance where members pay a monthly fee (called a contribution or premium) in return of financial cover for medical treatment or related medical expenses when the need arises. Medical aid members contribute…

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Regulatory Rift: Medical Aid Sector Say No to IPEC, While Doctors and Private Hospitals Say It’s Time

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The medical aid industry and healthcare service providers appear to be at odds regarding the proposed Insurance and Pensions Commission (IPEC) Amendment Bill, H.B. 7, 2024. If passed into law, the IPEC Bill will see the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) surrender regulation of the medical aid sector to the Insurance and Pensions Commission (IPEC), which falls under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. The Insurance and Pensions Commission Amendment Bill, H.B. 7, 2024, introduces significant reforms aimed at strengthening regulation, transparency, and policyholder…

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