Zimbabwe launches $14.33m pandemic preparedness project

Zimbabwe has launched a $14.33 million project to strengthen early disease detection, laboratories and the response to health emergencies. The government-led initiative is supported by the Pandemic Fund, according to 263Chat.

Scheduled to run from 2026 to 2028, the project is expected to receive $49 million in partner co-financing and $91.8 million in public investment. The African Development Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will support its implementation, alongside national and international partners.

The programme includes the modernisation of 25 laboratories, including five national and 20 local facilities, as well as training for more than 10,000 professionals in disease surveillance and emergency management. It is also expected to establish five health emergency operations coordination centres and expand digital and cross-border surveillance. Information campaigns and digital learning tools should reach up to two million people.

Zimbabwe’s Minister of Health and Child Care, Douglas Mombeshora, said the initiative was part of the country’s development ambitions for 2030. UNICEF’s representative in Zimbabwe, Etona Ekole, stressed the role of communities in detecting early warnings and the need to preserve essential health services during crises. The FAO’s sub-regional coordinator for Southern Africa, Patrice Talla, also spoke at the launch.