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PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has urged African countries to allocate more resources to combat outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, Mpox and Marburg.

Addressing the African Union High Level Meeting on Domestic Health Financing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Friday, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe on its part is working to ensure at least 13 percent of its annual budget is directed towards the health sector in line with the Abuja Declaration.

He said his Government’s allocation towards health had increased from 9,8 percent of the national budget in 2024 to 13,01 percent in 2025 as it moves towards the 15 percent Abuja target.

President Mnangagwa said Government adopted a number of innovative ways to raise revenue for the health sector. He said there is therefore a need for African countries to find ways of raising revenue to fund healthcare services as opposed to waiting for donor funding.

President Mnangagwa’s call comes at a time when the United States of America has withdrawn from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Following an executive order signed by the US President Donald Trump, Washington withdrew from WHO and suspended foreign assistance for 90 days.

President Donald Trump

More than 20 million people globally, which is about two-thirds of all people on Antiretroviral therapy (ART) were being supported by the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR).

A number of health programmes in developing countries, including Zimbabwe, have therefore been affected by the withdrawal of USAid from supporting WHO hence the need to mobilise local resources to continue running the programmes.

Instead of just mourning, the Zimbabwean Government has intensified the mobilisation of local resources to fund the health sector and has introduced a number of levies on alcohol, cigarettes, fast foods and sugary beverages commonly known as ‘‘sin taxes’’.

The health care funding gaps created following the withdrawal of USAid is a wake-up call to developing countries that have for years relied on donors for funding of their health care programmes.

The Zimbabwean Government in a bid to address the funding gaps caused by the withdrawal of USAid, has established a team of technocrats that has been tasked with devising sustainable domestic funding solutions.

We want to once again implore African countries to prioritise funding their respective health sectors taking advantage of the abundant natural resources.

It is time African governments invest in health equipment and infrastructure so that the continent has state-of-the art health facilities and stop seeking health care services in Europe or the US as is the case now.

Most doctors and other health workers offering health care services in Europe or the US are Africans who cannot work at home due to lack of equipment and facilities.