The Government of Zimbabwe has launched a $14.33 million national project financed by the Pandemic Fund, aimed at strengthening health security through improved early disease detection, laboratory diagnostics, workforce capacity-building, and emergency preparedness and response across the human, animal, and environmental health sectors.

The three-year project, running from 2026 to 2028, will be supported by $49 million in partner co-financing and $91.8 million in government co-investment — distinct funding categories that reflect the broader commitment to expanding Zimbabwe's pandemic prevention and response capacity. The investments are intended to enable the identification and containment of emerging threats before they escalate, while reinforcing coordination among institutions and essential services.

Led by the Government of Zimbabwe, the initiative will be implemented by the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with relevant ministries and other national and international partners. The project encompasses five intervention areas, including the strengthening of epidemiological surveillance and early-warning systems through digital tools, weather stations, and community monitoring mechanisms, as well as the establishment of five public health emergency operations centres.

On the laboratory side, the programme envisages the modernisation of 25 facilities — five at the national level and 20 at the subnational level — to improve rapid diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance testing, genomic sequencing, biosafety, and quality management. More than 10,000 professionals across the relevant sectors are expected to receive training in integrated disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, risk communication, and community engagement. Annual emergency simulations, risk assessments, and reinforced coordination at points of entry are also planned.

The initiative further incorporates community-led monitoring mechanisms, multilingual awareness campaigns, and digital learning platforms, with a target reach of up to two million people. Zimbabwe is also participating in a separate regional Pandemic Fund initiative implemented by the World Health Organization (WHO), covering eight Southern African countries and carrying approximately $35.8 million to strengthen climate-sensitive early-warning systems, laboratories, workforce capacity, and cross-border coordination.

At the project's launch ceremony, Minister of Health and Child Care Douglas Mombeshora said that, within the framework of Vision 2030 and the implementation of the National Development Strategy 2, "the protection of public health must be recognised as a fundamental development imperative, essential to safeguarding our livelihoods, our economy, and our public services."

The minister added that, given health threats that transcend administrative and international borders, pandemic preparedness demands a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach through the One Health concept, integrating the human health, animal health, agriculture, environment, research, and private sectors.

UNICEF's Representative in Zimbabwe, Etona Ekole, underscored the importance of placing communities — particularly children and vulnerable groups — at the centre of response systems.

"The first signs of an outbreak are often detected not in a laboratory, but in a community," she said, adding that preparedness also means ensuring families have access to credible information, communities are empowered, and essential health services remain continuous.

The AfDB's country representative for Zimbabwe, Eyerusalem Fasika, described the financing as representing a decisive shift from a reactive approach to preventive protection, enabling threats to be identified and contained before they worsen.

FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for Southern Africa and Representative in Zimbabwe, Patrice Talla, noted that many pathogens with pandemic potential emerge at the interface between humans, animals, and the environment. "This investment will strengthen Zimbabwe's capacity to detect, prevent, and respond to threats where they arise, through more robust animal health systems, integrated surveillance, and the application of the One Health approach," he said.

Talla reaffirmed FAO's commitment to supporting the government and partners in building greater resilience to protect lives, livelihoods, and food systems.

WHO Representative in Zimbabwe, Desta A. Tiruneh, said the investments would help translate lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and other health emergencies into more robust systems and greater community protection. "By bringing together the human, animal, and environmental health sectors, we can detect threats earlier and respond faster, with communities as essential partners in preparedness and response," he said.