Aid Cuts Trigger Deadly Malaria Resurgence in Zimbabwe, Cases Nearly Double

Zimbabwe is experiencing a sharp resurgence of malaria, with over 65,000 cases and 174 deaths recorded by mid-April this year, nearly double the figures reported during the same period in 2025, according to Save the Children.

The spike marks a significant reversal of years of progress in the fight against the disease, which had positioned Zimbabwe as one of the world’s leading success stories in malaria reduction.

Save the Children attributed the surge to cuts in foreign aid, which led to the premature termination of the Zimbabwe Assistance Programme in Malaria, the country’s largest malaria control initiative. The programme had been instrumental in reducing infections and deaths, placing Zimbabwe on track to eliminate malaria in some regions.

Before the aid cuts, Zimbabwe had recorded approximately 17,000 cases and 34 deaths between January and April 2024. However, cases doubled in 2025 following funding reductions and have now surged further in 2026.

The humanitarian organisation said the programme’s closure has resulted in shortages of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, delays in vector control interventions, and weakened disease surveillance systems. These challenges have been compounded by heavy rains and changing weather patterns, creating favourable conditions for mosquito breeding.

According to the World Health Organisation, malaria remains the leading cause of death among children over one month old globally, accounting for 17 per cent of deaths, with sub-Saharan Africa bearing the highest burden.

Despite recent setbacks, Zimbabwe has made remarkable progress in recent years. Between 2023 and 2024, the country reduced malaria cases by 76.6 per cent — equivalent to nearly half a million cases — with more than 20 per cent of the population living in malaria-free areas by 2023.

Save the Children Country Director for Zimbabwe and Malawi, Bhekimpilo Khanye, said the funding cuts have undone years of coordinated efforts.

“Communities, health workers, government and partners had made significant strides towards eliminating malaria. However, the withdrawal of funding has led to a complete reversal of these gains,” Khanye said.

He warned that halting elimination programmes allows the malaria parasite to rebound rapidly in affected communities, undoing progress that had taken years to achieve.

Save the Children is now scaling up emergency interventions targeting vulnerable communities, focusing on health services, nutrition, and child protection. The organisation has also called on international donors to restore funding and prioritise long-term investment in malaria prevention and treatment.

Health experts warn that without urgent intervention, Zimbabwe risks losing its gains entirely, with children remaining the most vulnerable to the disease.