Zimbabwe’s Post‑Pandemic Health Plan: Promise vs. Reality

The government of Zimbabwe has launched a long‑term health strategy called the One Health Strategic Plan for 2026‑2030. The plan was created right after the COVID‑19 crisis and is kept under the Office of the President and Cabinet. This move mirrors the whole‑of‑government approach that helped the country during the pandemic. The piece explores whether such crisis‑born structures stay once the emergency fades.

Researchers looked at the plan itself, a 2024 baseline review of One Health activities, and the 2025 Joint External Evaluation of health security. They also examined case studies from Kenya and Rwanda. The findings show that while leaders now see One Health as important, the plan lacks concrete tools to make it work. There is a full budget estimate, but no dedicated money, no law that formalizes the coordination, and no steps for local rollout.

The gaps become clear when you compare the ambition with the reality. The strategy is fully costed, yet no domestic funds are earmarked. There is no legal instrument that locks the coordination mechanism into place. No mention of how provinces or districts will implement the plan. This suggests that political interest exists, but the building blocks for lasting impact are missing.

Other nations are turning emergency coordination into permanent health bodies. Zimbabwe offers an early test of whether these institutions can survive after the crisis memory fades. The piece argues that without solid funding, legal backing, and local action, the plan may fade quietly when political attention shifts elsewhere.