KEY POINTS
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Zimbabwe launched a revised National Health Laboratory Strategic Plan (2025–2030) with Africa CDC and World Bank support, focusing on digital systems, AI, and public-private partnerships.
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The plan introduces a One Health approach and aims to expand LIMS, achieve laboratory accreditation, and secure 70% of required funding.
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Experts praised the plan as a regional model for health resilience, with Africa CDC supporting similar efforts across several African countries.
In a significant step toward enhancing healthcare resilience, Zimbabwe has launched its revised National Health Laboratory Strategic Plan (2025–2030), supported by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Africa CDC, and the World Bank.
Africa CDC said that the new plan sets out to transform Zimbabwe’s health laboratory systems through digital modernization, quality control, and workforce development.
The announcement was made following a two-week multi-stakeholder workshop held in Victoria Falls from 10 to 24 March 2025. The revised plan replaces the country’s previous strategy, which expired in 2021, and responds to evolving public health threats through improved infrastructure and integrated systems.
“Laboratory services are the backbone of any resilient healthcare system, providing essential support for accurate diagnosis, disease surveillance, and effective treatment,” said Donewell Bangure, Senior Epidemiologist with Africa CDC.
Zimbabwe’s 2025–2030 plan targets AI, public-private partnerships
The new plan outlines specific targets, including expanding Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) to 80% of facilities, accrediting laboratories at all levels—central, provincial, and district—and securing at least 70% of required funding.
It introduces a One Health approach, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, as well as leveraging public-private partnerships and digital tools such as artificial intelligence to improve diagnostic capabilities.
“This updated strategy aligns with both national and continental public health priorities,” said Dr. Raiva Simbi, Director of Laboratory Services at Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC). “We are sincerely grateful to Africa CDC for its technical and financial support.”
The plan has been praised by regional experts for its strategic scope and potential to drive investment and improve disease response systems. Dr. Eugene Bwalya from the University of Zambia called it “a model of how the One Health approach should be implemented in laboratory strengthening.”
Dr. Nyambura Moremi, Director of the National Public Health Laboratory in Tanzania, added that “Zimbabwe’s plan reflects international standards and offers a sustainable pathway toward health security.”
Key features of the 2025–2030 plan include:
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Implementation of national quality management frameworks
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Expansion of lab services to rural and underserved areas
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Integration of laboratory data into national disease surveillance systems
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Focus on training and retaining skilled laboratory personnel
Dr. Patrick Mateta, past Vice President of the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), emphasized the risk of fragmented systems without clear national roadmaps, while Dr. Kingsley Odiabara, former Director of Laboratory Services in Nigeria, reiterated that “a functional lab system is the bedrock of health security.”
Africa CDC noted that this initiative is part of a broader push to strengthen laboratory systems across the continent. Similar support has already been extended to Somalia, Seychelles, and Malawi, with additional Member States expected to benefit from the initiative.
“As Africa continues to face dynamic health challenges, from pandemics to antimicrobial resistance, the importance of coordinated, well-equipped laboratory networks cannot be overstated,” Bangure stated.
He added that updated strategic plans are critical for enabling Member States to offer timely and accurate laboratory services, which are key to preventing outbreaks and saving lives.
The Zimbabwe plan also aims to improve the national reference laboratory function, ensure the safe supply of blood and blood products, support research, and embed teaching within the laboratory workforce framework.
With this initiative, Zimbabwe is setting a benchmark for national leadership in public health preparedness, while Africa CDC remains committed to supporting such regional efforts across the continent.
