By 
*By Ross Moyo*
Government will next year begin developing a 20-Year Health Infrastructure Master Plan that uses GIS-based infrastructure mapping and data-driven planning to transform Zimbabwe’s healthcare delivery system.
Presenting the 2026 Mid-Term Budget Review in Parliament, Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said the blueprint will guide health investment for the next two decades.
“Government will also develop a 20-Year Health Infrastructure Master Plan, incorporating GIS based infrastructure mapping, population and service demand projections and investment case development,” he said.
Science Meets Health Planning as the masterplan is designed to strengthen evidence-based decision making and improve coordination of health infrastructure investments.
By using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Government will map existing facilities, project population growth, and forecast disease burden to ensure new hospitals and clinics are built where they are needed most.
The plan forms part of broader efforts to build a resilient, equitable and modern public health system and advance Universal Health Coverage.
2027 Budget Focus on Clinics, Hospitals And Solar was explored by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Prof Ncube said health will remain a key priority in the 2027 National Budget.
Planned investments include:
– Construction of primary and secondary facilities in underserved areas
– Completion and equipping of Manyame, Lupane and Masvingo Provincial Hospitals
– New urban district hospitals in Harare and Bulawayo
– Upgrading of provincial and tertiary hospitals
– Staff accommodationto improve retention in rural areas
Government will also refurbish theatres, wards, kitchens, laundries, mortuaries and incinerators across provinces.
Resilience Through Solar And Water
Recognising climate shocks and utility disruptions, the masterplan includes solarisation of health facilities and staff accommodation, plus boreholes and water storage systems to guarantee water security.
“Resources will be channeled towards community health programmes, disease surveillance and pharmaceutical security, complemented by scaled-up domestic health financing to progressively reduce donor dependency,” Prof Ncube said.
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