Cabinet has approved a contingency fund to strengthen the country’s preparedness against seasonal disease outbreaks, as health authorities warn that risks remain elevated during the current rainy season.
In a post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, government said it had considered and adopted a Report on Seasonal Disease Risks, Urgent Vaccine Deployment and Proposed Contingency Funding, citing heightened concern over waterborne diseases.
Authorities noted that Zimbabwe “has experienced sporadic and isolated outbreaks of waterborne diseases, typically associated with the rainy season,” adding that while “no major outbreaks have been officially declared, risks remain elevated due to current weather conditions, population movements, and increased strain on water and sanitation infrastructure.”
The warning comes amid recurrent cholera and typhoid scares during peak rainfall periods, often linked to sanitation failures and unsafe water supplies in urban and peri-urban areas.
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Government said it has intensified preparedness measures, including “conducting comprehensive risk and hazard mapping, enhancing alertness among response agencies, and expanding public health communication initiatives.”
“The objective is to prevent isolated cases from developing into large-scale outbreaks, and to reduce undue pressure on the healthcare system,” the statement said.
Cabinet has now approved “a Contingency Fund to support the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s preparedness and early response activities for seasonal disease outbreaks.”
The intervention will be underpinned by a strengthened multi-sectoral approach involving “relevant Ministries, local authorities, and agencies responsible for water and sanitation, local government, transportation, education, environment, and social services,” aimed at enhancing prevention and rapid response capacity ahead of the 2026 rainy season.
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