Authors: 

Musuka G, Makoni T, Dzinamarira T.

Abstract:

Zimbabwe, a country with a population of approximately 16 million, has experienced substantial economic challenges over the past few decades. However, recent projections suggest a more optimistic outlook, with expectations that the economy will continue to grow for the next five years, and the country is on track to attain middle-income status by 2030. Notably, according to the World Bank Group, Zimbabwe has become one of the fastest-growing economies in Southern Africa, with growth rates of 6.1% in 2022 and 5.3% in 2023, driven by a robust expansion in agriculture, mining, and services fueled by remittances from its diaspora and a robust mining sector of key minerals such as lithium, platinum, gold and other base metals (1). This shift in economic status is poised to provide new opportunities, particularly for strengthening domestic health systems, including HIV response mechanisms. As Zimbabwe’s economy continues to evolve, the country’s capacity to sustain health programs, especially the HIV response, will increasingly rely on strengthening domestic financing mechanisms (2). With global health funding continuing to dwindle and the political dynamics in the global north growing more complex (3), enhancing domestic resource mobilization will be essential to gradually reduce dependence on external aid and improve resilience.