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Parliamentarians Grill Mnangagwa’s Health Minister Over Rising HIV-AIDS Related Deaths
21 June 2025
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By A Correspondent

Parliament turned tense this week as Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora was put on the spot by lawmakers demanding answers over the rising number of HIV/AIDS-related deaths recorded in the first half of 2025.

Concerns were raised that a decrease in donor funding for HIV/AIDS programs may be worsening the situation, with legislators pressing the minister for clarity and accountability.

Presenting statistics in response to a question from Kwekwe MP Corban Madzivanyika, Mombeshora revealed that Zimbabwe recorded 5,932 AIDS-related deaths between January and June 2025, up from 5,712 during the same period in 2024 — a jump of 220 deaths.

“This means that in 2025, there were 220 more deaths compared to 2024 over the same period,” Mombeshora said.

However, when asked whether the increase could be linked to the exit of international development partners who had supported Zimbabwe’s fight against HIV/AIDS, Mombeshora firmly denied the connection.

“I want to assure the House that the increase in deaths cannot be attributed to the withdrawal of funding by partners,” Mombeshora said. “By the time our partners exited, our health institutions were already stocked with sufficient antiretroviral drugs.”

Madzivanyika pushed further, questioning if the rise in deaths pointed to cracks in Zimbabwe’s HIV response. “Is it not that this increment represents the challenge that we are now facing or the burden that has now increased, now that development partners have left Zimbabwe in terms of funding for HIV and Aids-related programmes?” he asked.

While acknowledging the seriousness of the issue, Mombeshora maintained that internal health systems remain resilient. “We continue to monitor the situation closely and ensure our hospitals are equipped to provide uninterrupted treatment,” he said.

The exchange highlighted growing concerns over the sustainability of Zimbabwe’s public health system in the face of waning external support, and underscored the urgency for domestic investment in the country’s HIV/AIDS programs.