Zimbabwe

Malaria prevention and control are major foreign assistance objectives of the U.S. Government (USG). In May 2009, President Barack Obama announced the Global Health Initiative (GHI), a six year, comprehensive effort to reduce the burden of disease and promote healthy communities and families around the world. Through the GHI, the United States will help partner countries improve health outcomes, with a particular focus on improving the health of women, newborns, and children. The President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) is a core component of the GHI, along with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis programs. PMI was launched in June 2005 as a five year, $1.2 billion initiative to rapidly scale up malaria prevention and treatment interventions and reduce malaria-related mortality by 50% in 15 high-burden countries in sub-Saharan Africa by 2010. With passage of the 2008 Lantos-Hyde Act, funding for PMI was extended and, as part of the GHI, the goal of PMI was adjusted to reduce malaria-related mortality by 70% in the original 15 countries by the end of 2015. In mid-2011, Zimbabwe's selection as a PMI country was announced. Malaria is a major health problem in Zimbabwe with 50% of the population at risk, although its epidemiology varies in the different regions of the country, ranging from year-round transmission in the lowland areas to epidemic-prone areas in the highlands. Zimbabwe's National Strategic Plan does not call for the implementation of all interventions in all malarious districts; hence the targeted number of districts varies by intervention, as detailed below. Zimbabwe's malaria program receives support from two major donors, the Global Fund and PMI. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided targeted support to Zimbabwe's National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) through an emergency round of indoor residual spraying (IRS) in 2009 and in 2011 with a procurement of malaria commodities. Other malaria donors included UNICEF, the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DfID), and the European Commission. However, many European donors have shifted their funds to a new multi-donor fund designed to strengthen health systems in Zimbabwe, the Health Transition Fund. The Health Transition Fund is operating from 2011-2015 and aims to improve access to all types of quality health care for Zimbabweans and to harmonize donor support, practices, and requirements. The FY 2014 Malaria Operational Plan was developed in collaboration with the NMCP and aligns well with the National Malaria Control Strategy. Planning for FY 2014 was carried out in Zimbabwe in April/May 2013 and included representatives from USAID and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff based in Washington, Atlanta, and Zimbabwe. The FY 2014 PMI proposed budget for Zimbabwe is $14 million. The following major activities will be supported with FY 2014 funding: