Zimbabwe launches US$14.33 million Pandemic Fund project to boost health security

The government of 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, according to a press release by the African Development Bank Group (AfDB). The three-year initiative, running from 2026 to 2028, will be implemented by the African Development Bank Group, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). It aims to help the country identify and respond to emerging health threats before they escalate. The launch took place in Harare on 27 October 2026. The project reflects a coordinated effort across human, animal and environmental health institutions.

Supported by the Pandemic Fund, the project 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 investments are expected to strengthen national institutions, frontline services and communities in managing outbreaks while maintaining essential services. Zimbabwe is also one of eight countries taking part in a separate Southern Africa multi-country Pandemic Fund initiative implemented by WHO. That regional grant of approximately US$35.8 million is distinct from Zimbabwe’s country grant.

The country grant will support five complementary areas of intervention. These include:

• Disease surveillance and early warning, including the establishment of five public health emergency operations centres.
• Laboratory systems, with 25 laboratories—five national and 20 subnational—to be upgraded.
• Health workforce development, training more than 10,000 professionals in integrated disease surveillance and response.
• Governance and emergency preparedness, through annual simulation exercises and strengthened risk assessments at points of entry.
• Community engagement and innovation, reaching up to two million people via multilingual campaigns and digital learning platforms.

Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Health and Child Care, Hon. Dr Douglas Mombeshora, underscored the national significance of the initiative. “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,” he said. UNICEF Zimbabwe Representative Etona Ekole stressed that “the first signs of an outbreak are often detected not in a laboratory, but in a community.” The African Development Bank Group’s Country Manager for Zimbabwe, Eyerusalem Fasika, called the grant “a decisive shift from reactive containment to proactive protection.” FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa, Dr Patrice Talla, highlighted the One Health approach as central to the response.

The project will be led by the government of Zimbabwe, working with relevant ministries and other national and international partners. Dr Desta A. Tiruneh, WHO Representative in Zimbabwe, said the 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.” The Pandemic Fund, which supports the initiative, is a multilateral financing mechanism hosted by the World Bank. It assists countries and regions in strengthening pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Through this project, Zimbabwe moves to reinforce its capacity to detect, prevent and respond to emerging health threats.