Zim women outlive men by 7 years

Rutendo Mazhindu

Zim Now Reporter

Women are living longer because they are more conscientious about their health and therefore benefitting from improved public health services, according to the National Health Strategy Performance Report presented to the Cabinet.

There was a 2.5 year increase in life expectancy, for females which rose from 66.5 years to 68 years while male life expectancy remained unchanged at 61 years.

Women in Zimbabwe are more likely to seek medical attention, and improved availability of medicines in hospitals and clinics is contributing to their well-being.

The report emphasizes a significant rise in the availability of essential medicines within healthcare facilities. Stocks of antimalarials, anti-retroviral drugs for HIV treatment, and anti-tuberculosis medicines have all seen improvement.

In 2020, only 51% of facilities had adequate stock, but this figure jumped to 54.1% in 2021. By the second quarter of 2022, nearly all public health facilities (96%) reported having at least 80% of essential medicines on hand.

Zimbabwe has made remarkable strides in tackling HIV/AIDS. The report reveals that 98% of people living with HIV were receiving life-saving ART treatment in 2021. Additionally, the AIDS mortality rate continues to decline. The World Health Organization has acknowledged this success by removing Zimbabwe from its list of high-burden TB countries.

The fight against malaria has also yielded positive results. National malaria incidence has significantly decreased by 70% over the past three years. This decrease, from 32 cases per 1,000 people in 2020 to just 9 cases per 1,000 in 2022, demonstrates the effectiveness of ongoing efforts.

Recognizing that roughly 90% of Zimbabweans rely on the public health system, the government is prioritizing its improvement. Upgrading and expanding facilities is underway to ensure all necessary services are available.

Over 78% of district hospitals now have fully functional operating rooms for emergency maternity procedures, and 93% are equipped with newborn resuscitation kits.

Zimbabwe life expectancy rates were very low in 2014 and 2021 when they hit 58.85 and 59.25 respectively.