Zim Health Sector Remains Underfunded Despite Rising Demand

16 January 2026

By Andile Vundla

Zimbabwe’s health sector remains under serious strain, with civil society organizations and residents questioning whether public budget consultations are genuinely shaping government spending priorities.

The issue came under scrutiny at a stakeholder engagement hosted by the Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET), in partnership with the Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA). The meeting brought together civic leaders, economists, local authorities and community representatives to discuss fiscal priorities and their impact on service delivery.

Despite government outlining ambitious economic targets under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), experts at the meeting warned that healthcare remains one of the most underfunded critical sectors.

Senior researcher at the Public Policy Research Institute of Zimbabwe (PPRIZ), Dr Wayne Malinga, said the numbers paint a worrying picture.

From a total national expenditure of ZiG290 billion, the Ministry of Health and Child Care received ZiG 30.4 billion, placing it behind education and peace and security in the list of priority sectors.

Dr Malinga said the allocation falls far short of both national expectations and regional commitments. Zimbabwe is a signatory to the Abuja Declaration, which recommends that at least 15 percent of a country’s national budget be directed toward health.

“Health is repeatedly acknowledged in policy statements, but the numbers tell a different story,” said Dr Malinga. “When hospitals lack basic medicines, equipment is outdated and skilled professionals continue to leave, it becomes clear that budget priorities are not aligned with realities on the ground.”

Recent data compiled by Lupane State University researchers, indicates that current health funding remains well below the Abuja benchmark, compounding challenges such as deteriorating infrastructure, drug shortages and the loss of experienced health workers.

The discussion came against the backdrop of a budget that introduces several new tax measures aimed at boosting government revenue. These include higher value-added tax (VAT), a digital services tax targeting online subscriptions and ride-hailing platforms, increased gambling taxes, and tighter presumptive taxes for the informal sector.

While government is projecting economic growth of about 5% in 2026 and expects inflation to remain moderate, Dr Malinga cautioned that rising taxes are likely to deepen cost-of-living pressures. He said this would further limit households’ ability to afford healthcare, particularly in urban centres like Bulawayo where public services are already under strain.

Ward 25 Councillor Aleck Ndlovu added that the withdrawal of some United States funding had left significant gaps in health programmes, making it even more urgent for government to develop sustainable, domestically funded solutions.

“As a city and as a country, we need to pay closer attention to health,” Ndlovu said. “This is a sector already facing huge challenges, and the budget must reflect that reality.”

Participants also raised concerns about the effectiveness of public consultations, arguing that recent budget allocations do not reflect the priorities raised by communities.

“There is a gap between what residents say during consultations and what finally appears in the budget,” one participant said. “Health is always raised, yet it remains underfunded.”

Although the engagement reviewed other sectoral allocations, including agriculture, transport, infrastructure, water and sanitation, participants agreed that progress in these areas risks being undermined without a functional health system.

While acknowledging some positive aspects of the budget, such as efforts to improve fiscal discipline and expand digital tax systems, civic groups concluded that these gains are outweighed by the continued neglect of healthcare.

They urged government to urgently reassess its spending priorities, calling for increased investment in hospitals, improved availability of medicines, better equipment, and strategies to retain health professionals.

As Zimbabwe pushes toward its Vision 2030 goal of becoming an upper-middle-income economy, stakeholders insisted that meaningful progress will remain out of reach unless the health sector is adequately funded and treated as a true national priority.

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