By A Correspondent The Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, has announced that Zimbabwe currently has enough stocks of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to last only until the end of the year.

In a video that has since circulated online, Dr Mombeshora appears visibly uncomfortable and hesitant as he delivers the update—raising eyebrows and triggering widespread concern over the country’s preparedness to maintain continuous HIV treatment. His delivery, marked by vague reassurances and a lack of detail, has done little to reassure the public or healthcare stakeholders.

The announcement comes amid persistent fears of drug shortages within Zimbabwe’s strained health sector. Advocacy groups and health professionals say the minister’s jittery presentation reflects deeper issues within the system—chiefly, the absence of a clear, long-term procurement and distribution strategy.

Critics argue that a six-month buffer is inadequate for a country with one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in Southern Africa. Any lapse in access to ARVs, they warn, could result in thousands of treatment interruptions, which would not only affect individual health outcomes but also increase the risk of drug resistance.

Public health experts are now urging the government to move swiftly to secure extended supplies and to communicate more transparently about future plans.

The Ministry of Health has yet to release further details about what steps are being taken to prevent possible shortages after December.