WHO Reports Significant Gains in Zimbabwe’s Polio Vaccination Campaigns

Zimbabwe’s healthcare system, long hampered by numerous challenges, has recorded notable progress in addressing critical health threats, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual report.

Earlier this year, the country faced a spike in cholera cases, reaching emergency levels and requiring urgent intervention, alongside confirmed cases of Mpox virus.

Despite these challenges, Zimbabwe exceeded its target of vaccinating over four million children during polio campaigns using the novel oral polio vaccine type Z (nOPVZ).

WHO Zimbabwe representative Desta Tiruneh highlighted the country’s resilience throughout 2024, noting that urgent health responses were effectively managed while laying the groundwork for long-term improvements in the health system.

“The cholera outbreak tested the capacity of our health infrastructure but also demonstrated strong national coordination and response mechanisms that helped contain the outbreak and save lives,” Tiruneh said.

From February 2023 to August 2024, Zimbabwe recorded 34,550 cholera cases and 719 related deaths. Coordinated interventions helped reduce the national cholera case fatality rate from 13.7% in August 2023 to 1.2% by June 2024.

Polio vaccination efforts were robust, with three rounds of campaigns reaching over 13 million children under 10 years, achieving coverage above 109% in each round. These campaigns, conducted in schools, homes, health facilities, and via mobile clinics, played a crucial role in maintaining Zimbabwe’s polio-free status.

Despite these gains, challenges remain. Children in remote areas continue to miss vaccinations, while vaccine hesitancy persists among certain elite and religious groups. Other ongoing issues include outbreaks of Mpox, cholera, and measles, staff shortages, workforce fatigue, and funding gaps for routine immunisation and community outreach.

The report emphasized that these achievements, alongside improvements in service delivery, emergency preparedness, digital health, and public health promotion, reflect the strong collaboration between WHO, the Ministry of Health and Child Care, and other committed partners.

Additionally, WHO Zimbabwe is prioritizing maternal and newborn health, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, and strengthening data systems to ensure equitable service delivery. To tackle postpartum hemorrhage, a leading cause of maternal deaths, Zimbabwe has adopted the WHO E-MOTIVE bundle, focusing on early detection and bundled treatment approaches.

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