Story by Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor
THE government has made significant strides in ensuring the availability of essential medicines across the country’s health facilities.
Addressing members of the media in Harare this Friday, the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, said the availability of essential medicines has significantly increased driven by more investments in medication.
“The country requires approximately US$17 million worth of medicines monthly,” he said.
“The figure only covers the most essential medicines. The availability of essential medicines increased from 22% in 2023 to around 50% in 2024. In 2023, about US$52 million was allocated by the government towards medicines. In 2025, the government committed about US$44 million towards medicines. There are ongoing negotiations with the Treasury to increase budget allocation to health in view of dwindling external support,” the Minister said.
The government is also taking proactive measures to ensure the continued availability of essential medicines, particularly for HIV and AIDS patients, in light of the withdrawal of funding by the United States government.
“We have already taken measures to cover the gap, but we have, now, medicine up to the end of June for HIV and for AIDS.
“We have already studied our procurement process to cover the gap to increase the maintenance up to the end of the year. We are going to see how the order is going to be finally executed. We are already making efforts through Treasury and through the National AIDS Council to make sure that if those medicines are not procured, we have enough funds already on standby to procure more medicines to cover us from September up.
“We can assure everyone in Zimbabwe who is on ART that they will not miss their medication. There will be no shortage. We have also gone on to procure test kits, which were being supplied by partners who are affected by the executive order. So that gap is also covered. We will avail more resources through Treasury to make sure that the gaps are covered. We also have to take over all the staff in the health sector so that if any NGO or any partner is coming in, they will be topping up on the staff who are employed by the government.”
Meanwhile, the government is also upgrading its medical equipment across the country.
Efforts to re-equip clinics and hospitals have led to the installation of new theatre equipment in over 60 secondary care facilities.
Additionally, 20 digital X-ray machines have been installed, and new MRI scans are now available at Mpilo and Parirenyatwa hospitals.
Three central hospitals and two provincial hospitals have also acquired CT scan machines, with more on the way.
Furthermore, radiotherapy centres at Parirenyatwa and Mpilo are now operational, with plans underway to replace the old machines with new ones worth more than US$30 million, funded by the sugar tax.
