From Early Warning to Early Action: Building Zimbabwe’s Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Through One Health

Women in white dresses standing in a line, clapping their hands

Background

Zimbabwe received US$14.33 million from the Pandemic Fund to enhance pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response through a One Health approach. The grant mobilized an additional US$49 million in co-financing from multilateral, philanthropic, and civil society partners and US$91.8 million in co-investment from the government’s own budget. The project brought together a wide range of partners, such as the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Clinton Health Access Initiative, the Higherlife Foundation, among others.

While Zimbabwe has formally adopted a One Health approach, the country remains vulnerable to infectious diseases due to its porous borders, frequent interactions between humans and animals, and limited access to healthcare, particularly for people living in rural areas. Cholera, typhoid, measles, anthrax, rabies, Rift Valley Fever, and brucellosis are among the threats facing Zimbabwe’s population. These threats are intensified by deforestation, droughts, floods, and inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure, which amplify the risk of vector- and waterborne disease.

Zimbabwe’s project seeks to boost multisectoral cooperation, in keeping with its One Health approach and the spirit of the Pandemic Fund. The project is led by the Ministry of Health and Child Care, in collaboration with the Ministries of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, and Environment, Climate and Wildlife. The project also features three implementing entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and UNICEF.

Project objectives

With the support of its project partners and the Pandemic Fund, Zimbabwe aims to establish a resilient pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response system by 2028.

Implementation arrangements and key components

Zimbabwe’s project aligns neatly with the Pandemic Fund’s priorities -- surveillance, laboratory systems, and workforce development – as well as its cross-cutting enablers, including digital innovation and regional collaboration. More detail on the project’s components follows.

Surveillance and early warning. This body of work focuses on expanding event-based, environmental, community-based, and cross-border surveillance via digital tools, automated weather stations, social listening tools, and community feedback mechanisms. It also involves establishing five Public Health Emergency Operations Centres to coordinate multisectoral responses.

Laboratories. This work involves upgrading 25 laboratories (five national and 20 subnational) with capabilities including rapid diagnostics, AMR testing, genomic sequencing, biosafety, and quality management, ensuring compliance with the International Health Regulations (IHR) and World Organization for Animal Health standards.

Health workforce. Activities in this area include training more than 10,000 professionals to strengthen the country’s public and community health capacity, including topics such as Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response and risk communication and community engagement.

Governance and simulation. Zimbabwe’s project will conduct annual simulation exercises and regular IHR, After Action, and other reviews, as well as strengthened risk assessments at the country's borders.

Community engagement and innovation. This part of the project is designed to reach up to two million people through community-led monitoring, multilingual awareness campaigns, and digital learning hubs.

The AfDB will facilitate health information system coordination and contribute to project activities ranging from policy development to capacity building, measurement and evaluation, and more. The FAO will lead on laboratory and information management upgrades, as well as workforce training. UNICEF will drive financial oversight, procurement, and community engagement.