Malaria cases and deaths in Zimbabwe are rising sharply following significant cuts to foreign aid, according to health authorities and aid agencies.

The surge threatens to undo years of public health progress. Zimbabwe was previously viewed as a model for malaria reduction, but the loss of resources has left vulnerable populations without essential preventative tools and treatment.

By mid-April 2026, Zimbabwe recorded over 65,000 malaria cases [1] and 174 deaths [2]. These figures represent a severe escalation in the disease's prevalence; both the number of infections and the death toll are nearly double [3, 4] what was recorded during the same period in 2025 [3, 4].

Aid agencies, including Save the Children, report that the crisis is disproportionately affecting mining communities. These areas often lack stable infrastructure, making them more susceptible to outbreaks when control resources vanish.

"Hard-won progress toward eliminating malaria in Zimbabwe is being reversed following cuts to foreign aid, with malaria cases and deaths surging across the country," a Save the Children spokesperson said.

The decline in funding has limited the availability of malaria control resources. This gap has created a vacuum in the national strategy to eliminate the parasite, leading to a resurgence of the disease in regions where it had been previously managed.

Haru Mutasa said that for more than a decade, Zimbabwe was seen as a success story in the fight against malaria.

Health authorities are now struggling to contain the spread as the lack of foreign assistance hampers the distribution of bed nets, and the procurement of necessary medications. The current trajectory suggests that without an immediate restoration of funding, the health system may be unable to curb the rising mortality rate in high-risk zones.

“Malaria cases and deaths are nearly double what was recorded during the same period in 2025.”

The resurgence of malaria in Zimbabwe illustrates the fragility of health gains that rely heavily on external financing. When foreign aid is withdrawn, the lack of sustainable domestic funding can lead to a rapid collapse of preventative measures, transforming a controlled public health situation back into an active epidemic within a single year.