Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe has launched a US$14,33 million Pandemic Fund country project to strengthen early detection, laboratory diagnostics, workforce capacity and emergency preparedness and response across the human, animal and environmental health sectors.
Supported by the Pandemic Fund, the three-year project (2026–2028) will leverage US$49 million in partner co-financing and US$91,8 million in Government co-investment.
These are distinct financing categories, reflecting wider support for Zimbabwe’s pandemic preparedness and response capacity.
The project will help the country identify and respond to emerging threats before they escalate, while also reinforcing coordination across human, animal and environmental health institutions.
Together, these investments are expected to strengthen the ability of national institutions, frontline services and communities to manage outbreaks while maintaining essential services.
Led by the Government, the project will be implemented by the African Development Bank Group, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), working with relevant ministries and other national and international partners.
The country grant will support five complementary areas of intervention namely; disease surveillance, laboratory systems and early warning, health workforce development, governance and emergency preparedness, and community engagement and innovation.
Under disease surveillance, the project will expand event-based, environmental, community-based and cross-border surveillance using digital tools, automated weather stations, social listening and community feedback. It also aims to establish five public health emergency operations centres to strengthen multisectoral coordination.
Under laboratory systems, the project aims to upgrade 25 laboratories—five national and 20 subnational—to strengthen rapid diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance testing, genomic sequencing, biosafety and laboratory quality management.
On health workforce development, it is expected that more than 10 000 professionals across relevant sectors will receive training in integrated disease surveillance and response, emergency preparedness, risk communication and community engagement.
Under governance and emergency preparedness, the project will support annual simulation exercises, relevant health emergency reviews and strengthened risk assessments at points of entry to improve readiness and cross-sector coordination.
On community engagement and innovation, the peoject will have community-led monitoring, multilingual awareness campaigns and digital learning platforms are expected to reach up to two million people, strengthening public understanding, trust and participation in disease prevention.
Zimbabwe is also one of eight countries taking part in a separate Southern Africa multi-country Pandemic Fund initiative implemented by WHO. This regional grant of approximately US$35,8 million is distinct from Zimbabwe’s US$14,33 million country grant and supports climate-sensitive early warning, laboratory systems, workforce capacity and cross-border coordination.
Delivering the keynote address at the launch, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora, said: “As we pursue Vision 2030 and implement the National Development Strategy 2, protecting public health must be recognised as a fundamental national development imperative, essential for safeguarding our livelihoods, economy, and public services.
“Because health threats do not respect administrative or international boundaries, pandemic preparedness requires a Whole-of-Government and whole-of-society effort through the One Health approach.
“By aligning human health, animal health, agriculture, environment, local government, research, and private sectors around a shared mandate, we ensure our preparedness systems are resilient, unified, and capable of protecting the lives of all Zimbabweans.”
UNICEF Zimbabwe Representative Ms Etona Ekole said effective pandemic preparedness must go beyond technical infrastructure and place communities, particularly children and other vulnerable populations, at the centre of national response systems.
“The first signs of an outbreak are often detected not in a laboratory, but in a community. Preparedness is therefore not only about investing in laboratories, surveillance systems and emergency operations centres.
“It is also about ensuring that families have access to trusted information, that communities are empowered to act early, and that essential health services remain available when emergencies strike. Every child deserves to be protected, and no community should be left behind.”
The African Development Bank Group’s Country Manager for Zimbabwe, Ms Eyerusalem Fasika, said: “Securing Zimbabwe’s single-country grant from the Pandemic Fund marks a decisive shift from reactive containment to proactive protection.
“This grant strengthens the country’s ability to identify and contain health threats before they escalate. The African Development Bank is proud to partner with the Government, the Pandemic Fund and fellow Implementing Entities on this project.”
Dr Patrice Talla, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa, who is also FAO Representative for Zimbabwe, said: “Many of the pathogens with pandemic potential emerge at the interface between people, animals and the environment. This investment will strengthen Zimbabwe’s capacity to detect, prevent, and respond to threats where they arise, through stronger animal health systems, integrated surveillance and the application of the One Health approach.
“FAO is committed to supporting the Government and its partners to build resilience that protects lives, livelihoods and food systems.”
Dr Desta Tiruneh, WHO Representative in Zimbabwe, said: “These investments offer an opportunity to translate the lessons of COVID-19 and other health emergencies into stronger systems and greater protection for communities across Zimbabwe. By bringing together human, animal and environmental health sectors, we can detect threats earlier and respond faster, with communities as essential partners in preparedness and response.”
The Pandemic Fund is a multilateral financing mechanism hosted by the World Bank that supports countries and regions to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
