Duduzile Nyathi
Matabeleland South and Bulawayo provinces report Zimbabwe’s highest anemia rates among women of reproductive age (15-49 years), exceeding 30% according to the 2023-24 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS).
This trend persists with minimal improvement since 2005. The survey confirms a direct correlation between HIV and anemia severity. HIV-positive women are 2.4 times more likely to develop anemia than their HIV-negative counterparts, a disparity unchanged since 2005.
Infrastructure limitations exacerbate the crisis, with only 8% of rural Matabeleland households having electricity, restricting access to telehealth and health information systems.
In response, Zimbabwe authorized traditional leaders in March 2024 to register births, deaths, and facilitate health documentation in rural areas, targeting barriers affecting an estimated 2.3 million children nationally lacking birth certificates.
ZimStat noted, “Integrated approaches must address both HIV treatment and nutrition in Matabeleland’s unique epidemiological context.”
Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr. Aspect Maunganidze confirmed mobile clinics and community health worker training will prioritize Matabeleland provinces in 2025–26. Neonatal mortality—linked to anemia and documented at 37 deaths per 1,000 births in the survey—remains elevated in lowveld regions like Matabeleland South.
