LEGISLATORS have demanded full accountability of millions of dollars collected from sugar tax and other health levies, accusing the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) of failing to translate earmarked funds into medicines and equipment as donor funding shrinks.
During the pre-budget hearing last week, Members of Parliament told Health secretary Aspect Maunganidze that beverages manufacturer Delta alone paid US$32 million in sugar tax in 2024, US$32.1 million in March 2025 and US$30 million in March 2026. Combined with fast food, airtime and health levies, they argued health is financed through seven to eight levies at point of sale, yet only one reaches the sector directly.
The gap, MPs said, is visible in hospitals where patients must buy their own orthopedic implants. Elderly women and accident victims are being asked to pay up to US$8,000 for implants that should be in stock.
Maunganidze said the ministry was prioritising primary health care, expansion of rural centres, PMD outreach vehicles, immunisation, free maternal services, HIV, malaria, cancer, mental health and health security following the Ebola resurgence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
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"The plan is centralised procurement through NatPharm, local manufacturing of medicines, oxygen, dialysis consumables and blood, and ring-fencing of the health levy and sin taxes," Maunganidze said.
On the long-delayed National Health Insurance Bill, which MPs said had stalled since the last Parliament, Maunganidze said, "it is undergoing external peer review before going to Cabinet and Parliament."
To stem attrition, the Health Service Commission said it was pushing a wellness programme and a revolving motor vehicle loan fund to retain staff and will open five more provincial offices next year.
The Commission said it will also introduce performance audits to track institutional spending and roll out Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) so staff are allocated by workload.
Digitalisation has stalled, for instance the Mpilo electronic records system remained at around 1,250 facilities after development partners withdrew.
The ministry said it will use domestic resources to expand it in the 2027 budget.
On infrastructure, the Presidential Hospital Rehabilitation Programme had progressed at Mpilo Central Hospital, with Sally Mugabe Central and Masvingo Provincial next.
The ministry said cancer machines were being installed at Parirenyatwa and Mpilo, with low-energy machines expected by end of October and high-energy machines in the next two to three months.
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The HSC said it still carries two legacy burdens: government needs to take over payment of village health workers currently funded by partners, and settlement of allowances after losing a court case to the Zimbabwe Health Workers Union.
