Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, has announced plans to strengthen domestic resource mobilization to fund the country’s health sector, following the United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO). This move by the US, a major contributor to global health funding, could reduce support for programs like PEPFAR, which funds HIV and AIDS initiatives in Zimbabwe.
Speaking during an online briefing from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the finance minister emphasized the need for Zimbabwe to increase domestic funding, particularly through taxes such as the sugar content tax and a proposed levy on fast foods. The sugar tax alone has already raised US$31 million, which will be used to purchase cancer treatment machines and essential medications.
While there has been no official word on PEPFAR’s future, the minister warned that the potential funding gap could impact critical health programs. He reiterated the importance of preparing for these changes through local funding efforts.
