By Health Reporter
THE European Union delegation to Zimbabwe says the Health Resilience Fund has injected medical equipment surpassing US$9,2 million under the Health Resilience Fund , giving a reliable lifeline to clinics and hospitals.
The medical equipment has improved access to quality healthcare, particularly for mothers, newborns, children, and adolescents, including in remote communities and strengthened the capacity of Village Health Workers and ensured better-stocked clinics with essential medicines.
The HRF is a multi-donor pooled fund coordinated by Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care.
It receives financial contributions from the European Union, the Governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, with technical support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
In a statement posted on World Health Day (7 April 2026), the EU Delegation described the initiative as a practical example of “Together for Health”, combining evidence-based investment, government leadership, and international cooperation to build a more resilient health system.
The deliveries form part of broader efforts to enhance maternal and child health services and strengthen primary healthcare delivery nationwide.
This support comes as Zimbabwe continues to work towards improving health outcomes amid ongoing challenges in the sector.
In rural and peri-urban Zimbabwe, Village Health Workers (VHWs) are the backbone of the primary healthcare system. They are often the first — and sometimes the only — point of contact between isolated communities and formal health services. Through the HRF, nearly 10,000 VHWs received refresher training, and 2,000 bicycles were distributed to help them cover the vast distances between clinics and the families they serve.
For VHW Melody Deera in Mutoko, that bicycle transformed her ability to serve her community. She now travels 20 kilometres to collect medical supplies, returning to dozens of families who depend on her for vaccinations, malnutrition screening and maternal health support.
“This is more than just a bicycle. It is a means to save lives. It carries the hopes of people in my village.”
— Village Health Worker, Mutoko District, Zimbabwe
In drought-hit Mberengwa, VHW Lizzy Siziba walks five kilometres a day with a MUAC tape and a register, screening children for malnutrition and following up with families whose children have recovered — because, as she says, “raising awareness isn’t something you do just once.”
Her dedication is made possible by HRF-funded training, supplies and community health infrastructure.
The HRF builds on the achievements of its predecessor, the Health Development Fund, which contributed to reducing Zimbabwe’s maternal mortality ratio from 614 to 462 per 100,000 live births between 2014 and 2019, and under-five mortality from 65 to 40 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2022. The HRF has continued and deepened this progress — equipping health facilities, training workers, and channelling over USD 9.2 million in medical equipment and supplies to the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
