KEY POINTS
- Zimbabwe’s maternal and neonatal death rates remain alarmingly high.
- Recent donor funding cuts may worsen the country’s healthcare crisis.
- Health officials urge stronger interventions to prevent avoidable deaths.
Zimbabwe’s health sector is facing a critical challenge as maternal and neonatal death rates remain alarmingly high, according to the country’s Health and Child Care Ministry.
Despite efforts to reduce mortality rates, pregnant women and newborns continue to face life-threatening risks due to inadequate healthcare services and funding shortages.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora highlighted that although there has been a notable decline in child mortality, the country is still struggling to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths.
“The life expectancy at birth has increased from 61 years to an average of 65, and to as high as 68 years for women,” Mombeshora said. “Maternal and under-five mortality rates have been on a declining trend since 2010.
For instance, the maternal mortality rate declined from 525 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2012 to 363 per 100,000 live births in 2022, according to the Zimbabwe Population Census Report.
The under-five mortality rate also decreased to 39.8 deaths per 1,000 live births. However, institutional maternal and neonatal deaths are still unacceptably high.”
According to New Zimbabwe, the minister did not provide specific figures for current maternal and neonatal death rates, but recent reports paint a grim picture.
Donor funding cuts worsen health sector challenges
Zimbabwe’s struggling health sector relies heavily on international donors for support.
However, recent funding cuts made by UKAID pose a threat to further deteriorate the existing crisis. UKAID successfully directed essential healthcare services to over two million women and babies.
Health officials express concern about maternal and neonatal health outcomes because decreasing international assistance presents an alarming scenario to them.
Investment coupled with donor backing is essential to prevent risks against pregnant women and infants from increasing.
The country’s healthcare system is already poorly funded, with limited infrastructure and resources.
Urgent need for improved healthcare measures
Adding to the concern, Deputy Health Minister Sleiman Kwidini recently revealed that nearly 300 infants and 54 women died in January 2025 due to complications during childbirth.
The present statistics underline the necessity to enhance health interventions focused on maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Health experts recommend strengthening healthcare infrastructure, developing better medical staff training and community-wide health awareness to cut unnecessary maternal deaths.
“It’s critical that we address these gaps in healthcare services,” said one health official. “We need targeted policies, improved healthcare facilities, and sustained funding to save lives.”
Maternal and neonatal health requires urgent national and international support to address current challenges facing the nation.
Without immediate and coordinated action, Zimbabwe risks seeing more avoidable deaths among its most vulnerable populations.
