ZIMBABWE’S budgetary allocation of ZiG30,4 billion to the health sector in 2026 remains insufficient to meet the nation’s primary healthcare needs amidst a struggling public health system, experts have warned.
Last week, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube allocated 15% of the National Budget to the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
This figure marks progress towards the Abuja Declaration target of 15% and is the first time in several years that the allocation has surpassed the approximate 11% mark. The funding is intended to enhance healthcare infrastructure and workforce capacity.
However, Itai Rusike, executive director of the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH), stated that while the budget met the 15% target nominally, the allocation is still not comprehensively adequate to cover primary healthcare needs.
He said the core allocation was just under 10%, representing a drop from 10,2% in 2025.
“Of course, it depends on the figure that one is using for the denominator. But if you use just the appropriation for 2026 without the retention, then it’s coming to about 10,6%. But if you use the grand total, it’s then slightly below 10%,” Rusike said.
“So of course, I think what the Minister of Finance is saying is that the total funds allocated for health, including through the earmarked health taxes, is above the 15% threshold, even though we know that for this year, nothing has been disbursed from the sugar taxes, for example, towards NCD (non-communicable disease) treatment, the fight against NCDs. And the minister actually did not report on that.”
He emphasised that the 2026 health allocation, in real terms, was below the Abuja threshold.
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“But in terms of just the vote appropriation for health, it is nowhere near the 15% threshold.”
He stressed the need to enhance community participation in health budget allocations.
“Community participation in national budget allocation is key to ensure there is direct link in addressing community needs and problems through advocacy,” Rusike said.
“The review of budgets using a community lens contributes to the creation of an environment that nurtures more inclusivity and equitable distribution of resources.”
The allocation of resources towards health is of paramount importance, as supported by Section 76 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which states that “access to basic health services is a right”.
Health is a critical pillar for economic development and remains key for Zimbabwe’s attainment of its national vision of becoming an upper middle-income society by 2030. To that end, the country is expected to improve its Universal Health Coverage index from the current 55 to 80 by 2030.
The 2026 budget is premised on projections that the economy will grow by 5%, driven by strong performance in key sectors such as agriculture, mining, manufacturing, electricity generation and wholesale trade.
According to the CWGH, the government’s budget allocation recorded increased funding of ZiG46,88 billion for the security sector, which was prioritised over the social services sector — a trend continuing from the 2025 budget.
A glance at the allocations shows Treasury continues to direct more resources to security departments than to health.
Rusike said about 46% of the health allocation would go towards employment costs, thereby reducing prospects for expanding health services to address population needs.
“This shows more than half of the allocation will be consumed by employment costs and there will be little left for textbooks, classrooms, clinics, or medical drugs,” he said. “Through the Health Workforce Investment Compact (2024-2026), Zimbabwe aims to increase its investment in health workers to at least US$32 per capita by 2026, up from US$9 per capita in 2025.
“The 2026 budget translates that health per capita in Zimbabwe will approximately be US$59 using the black market exchange rate which is significantly lower than the average global primary health care spending per capita of US$460, according to the 2021 Global Expenditure on Health by the World Health Organisation.”
A medical doctor and health expert, Johannes Marisa, said the Health ministry could still manage if a US$280 million donor fund is utilised effectively, with accountability being key.
“The health sector was allocated 10,5% of the national fiscus, a figure which many may dismiss as little if we are to consider the Abuja Declaration of 15% towards the health sector,” Marisa said. “The health ministry may not be in trouble as may be anticipated if the US$280 million donor fund is put to proper use. Issues of accountability should top the management of funds.”
