"Malaria Cases Drop In Zimbabwe, But Threats To Progress Remain"
The government of Zimbabwe has said malaria is a priority disease for elimination in the country, although the path to eradicating it has not been easy.
In a statement marking World Malaria Day on 25 April 2025, the Ministry of Health and Childcare (MOHCC) highlighted progress in reducing malaria incidence from 32 per 1,000 people in 2020 to 4 per 1,000 in 2024, while deaths dropped from 400 in 2020 to 109 in 2024.
The Ministry also warned that these gains remain fragile, as climate change and the rise of economic activities, such as artisanal mining, which create mosquito breeding grounds, threaten to undo the progress made so far. Part of the statement reads:
The increase in rainfall and temperature has contributed to the increase in malaria transmission during the current malaria season.
By week 15, malaria cases had increased by 107% from 17,539 cases in 2024 to 36,423 cases in 2025. Malaria deaths increased from 34 in 2024 to 85 deaths in 2025 during the same period.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) encourages all communities at risk to use the preventive measures including sleeping in sprayed houses, sleeping under treated insecticide nets and using repellents.
Late presentation has contributed to the increase in malaria deaths. We encourage all patients with signs of malaria to visit their Village Health Worker or nearest health facility for treatment.
The country has 31 elimination districts. In 2024 seven (7) districts had no local malaria transmission and in 2025 six (6) districts have no local transmission. We applaud the communities for their participation in malaria prevention and control activities.
The Ministry expressed its determination to protect the achievements made so far by ensuring availability of all malaria prevention and control commodities at all levels of the health delivery system until we attain malaria elimination status.
The Ministry said that the Government is committed to increasing domestic funding to bridge the gap left by the withdrawal of US Government support.
The statement added that the Malaria Control Programme in Zimbabwe continues to receive both technical and financial backing from various Government Ministries, parastatals, the Global Fund, CHAI, PLAN, and many other organisations, as well as from local communities and their leadership.
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