Zimbabwe conducts second joint external evaluation

Zimbabwe recently completed its second Joint External Evaluation (JEE), a critical assessment of the country's capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats under the International Health Regulations (2005). The evaluation took place from June 29 to July 4, 2025, coordinated by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and key partners.

The JEE is a voluntary and collaborative process conducted globally every five years to gauge a nation's readiness to manage infectious disease outbreaks and other health emergencies. Zimbabwe's first JEE was completed in 2018.

"The JEE gives us a structured opportunity to check how ready we are to detect and respond to public health threats, and we thank all the partners who have made this possible," said Dr. Wenceslaus Nyamayaro, MoHCC Acting Chief Director for Public Health.

The initial phase of the JEE involved an internal self-assessment completed in July 2025, with over 100 participants from diverse sectors including health, environment, veterinary services, defense, disaster management, civil society, and development partners such as WHO, UNICEF, FAO, and Africa CDC. The assessment covered 19 technical areas ranging from biosafety and surveillance to legislation and points of entry.

Key findings highlighted several urgent areas for improvement: outdated or poorly implemented legal frameworks and limited legal support at subnational levels; gender equity gaps in emergencies, especially inadequate funding for gender-based violence prevention and low female representation in decision-making; and insufficient funding for emergency response activities. Surveillance systems for foodborne illnesses and healthcare-associated infections remain fragmented, and coordination between human, animal, and environmental health sectors needs strengthening. Biosafety and biosecurity capacities require enhancement, particularly in laboratory infrastructure and staff training. Additionally, Zimbabwe's readiness at points of entry, such as borders and airports, remains limited.

Zimbabwe also evaluated progress on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a global health threat. While a robust One Health AMR National Action Plan and 14 multisectoral surveillance sites have been established, challenges persist in laboratory capacity, data integration, and containment of multidrug-resistant organisms.

The next phase involves an external validation mission scheduled for September 6–13, 2025. International experts coordinated by WHO's Regional Office for Africa will validate the self-assessment, review documentation, and conduct site visits to key health facilities and entry points. Following this, Zimbabwe will update its National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS), consolidating findings to guide future investments and reforms.

"The evaluation is about continuous improvement. It reflects Zimbabwe's commitment to protect the health of its people through stronger systems, better data, and broader collaboration," said Dr. Desta Tiruneh, WHO Representative to Zimbabwe.

Funding for the JEE was provided by the Health Resilience Fund through WHO, with additional support from Africa CDC and UNICEF mobilised by MoHCC.

This JEE marks a vital step in reinforcing Zimbabwe's public health emergency preparedness and response, aligning with global health security goals.