Malaria ‘back with a vengeance’ in Zimbabwe as number of deaths from the disease triple

Withdrawal of USAID funds threatens decades of progress, say experts, with cuts to research and shortage of mosquito nets putting thousands at risk across the country

Zimbabwe's efforts to control malaria have been dealt a huge blow as experts say the disease has returned with a vengeance" after US aid cuts, with 115 outbreaks recorded in 2025 compared with only one last year.

The sharp rise in cases comes six months after Donald Trump halted critical funding for US research and national response programmes.