Zimbabwe is part of the Eastern and Southern African country collaboration teams in Sub Saharan Africa under the Countdown to 2030. The nation’s team comprises the University of Zimbabwe, Ministry of Health and Child Care and Global Financing Facility .  This aligns with the National Health Strategy 2021- 2025, and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) which aim to achieve universal health coverage by addressing RMNCAH and nutrition access and quality gaps in order to reduce maternal, neonatal and child mortality; and improve public health and wellbeing amongst others. 

Zimbabwe team members at the Countdown annual meeting in Kigali, Rwanda (April, 2024)

Background

Zimbabwe intends to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), African Agenda 2063, in accordance with Vision 2030 and the NDS 1. By aiming to raise domestic funding for Health to meet the 15% Abuja Declaration and, eventually, the USD84 per capita World Health Organization threshold, the Government of Zimbabwe demonstrated its strong commitment and acknowledgement of the importance of investing in the health of the nation as a key element to sustainable development. This pathway is guided by The Investment Case of the National Health Strategy 2021-2025 by the Global Financing Facility which advocates for efficiently utilizing the resources available while implementing the agreed high impact strategic actions. 

One of these strategic interventions is the improved reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition with the promotion of research and evidence generation for effective program development and policy. Zimbabwe has been actively monitoring and evaluating progress towards achieving MNCH-related SDGs including key impact indicators such as under five mortality rate (U5MR), neonatal mortality rate (NMR), infant mortality rate (IMR), and maternal mortality ratio (MMR) to ensure their reduction is expedited in order to achieve the 2030 target.  

Planned research for 2023-2025

  • Juliet Nyamasve from the University of Zimbabwe was selected as a Countdown fellow for 2024.
  • Completion of the multi-country analytical study on Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) phase one and commencement of phase 2.
  • Mapping of private sector facilities and health information systems, qualitative and quantitative analysis as a step towards triggering private sector reporting and increasing overall transparency and knowledge management in the Zimbabwean health care system.
  • In-depth analysis of RMNCAH service across health system levels, for the improvement of quality of care for maternal and child services through development of more efficient models of care.
  • Support for MoHCC cadres operation research in selected RMNCAH areas.
  • Absolom Mbinda was selected as a Countdown fellow for 2023 and is being supported by the Zimbabwe Countdown consortium .

Achievements for 2020-2022

Zimbabwe participated in the Countdown annual meetings in 2022 and 2023. 

 

Zimbabwe Countdown Collaboration Team

Kuziva Gurure

Learnmore Meki

Juliet G. Nyamasve

Vasco Chikwasha

Munyaradzi Murwira

Richard Makurumidze

Absolom Mbinda

Winston Chirombe

Manes Munyanyi

Dr L. Gondongwe

Patron Mafaune

Oona Campbell