Zimbabwe plans to protect sugar tax revenue for health services

The Zimbabwean government is moving to ensure that revenue generated from sugar taxes and other health-related levies is used exclusively to support the healthcare sector, Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora has said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, Mombeshora said the government intends to ring-fence health-related tax revenues to prevent them from being diverted to other national priorities, Pindula reported.

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According to the minister, the measure is aimed at addressing funding shortfalls that continue to affect healthcare delivery across the country.

He said taxes collected for health programmes have not always been reserved for their intended purpose, making it difficult to secure adequate funding for critical services.

Mombeshora noted that the government now plans to ensure that funds raised through health taxes remain dedicated to healthcare initiatives. He added that although there had been some resistance to the proposal, the government had received support from President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who backed both the introduction of the taxes and their direct linkage to health programmes.

The minister said that if all revenue generated through these taxes were protected and used solely for healthcare, concerns over funding shortages would be significantly reduced.

Zimbabwe introduced taxes on sugary drinks and fast foods as part of efforts to combat the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, obesity and heart disease. The measures were also designed to generate additional resources for the health sector.

Mombeshora said the taxes were intended not only to raise revenue but also to discourage excessive consumption of sugary beverages and fast foods.

However, he observed that fast-food outlets continue to expand, suggesting that taxation alone may not be enough to change consumer behaviour.

He stressed the importance of increasing public awareness about healthy lifestyles, saying greater education among parents and communities is needed to encourage healthier dietary choices and reduce the risk of lifestyle-related diseases.