Staff Reporter

Zimbabwe is struggling with one of the most severe malaria surges in recent years, as official figures reveal an accelerating public health crisis.

According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), since the beginning of 2025, the country has recorded 154,000 confirmed malaria cases and 423 deaths nationwide.

This rise includes more than 1,000 new cases and three deaths reported last week from districts like Makoni, Chimanimani, and Mount Darwin, showing a crisis with no immediate signs of slowing.

Health experts link the surge directly to a confluence of environmental and socio-economic factors including heavy rains and stagnant water.

Unpredictable and prolonged rainy seasons have created ideal, widespread breeding sites for mosquitoes, particularly in low-lying, flood-prone areas.

Cumulative cases this year have nearly doubled compared to the same period in 2024.

The worst-affected regions are Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, and Mashonaland West as they are facing overwhelmed health systems, further strained by delayed care in remote areas and disruptions to essential preventive measures like bed-net distributions.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), supported by the World Bank, has launched a critical US$150,000 operational research study in Zimbabwe (alongside Namibia and Lesotho).

Running until end of December 2025, the study aims to assess and strengthen key interventions, including indoor residual spraying, larvicides, and surveillance systems.