IT’S late on Thursday afternoon when six heavily pregnant women pace up at Karoi business centre and they are a spectacle for onlookers.
Coming from the remotest parts of Hurungwe, their movements are worth noticing.
Their faces are lit with hope, expecting new babies in a few weeks, chatting to each other with great anticipation of safe delivery at Karoi District Hospital.
Eighteen-year-old Maidei Chimusoro of Mhereyenyoka village under Chief Kazangarare, is among the pregnant women moving in unison around town.
“This is a first pregnancy and it is due in the next month,” she says.
“Local clinic nurses advised me to come to Karoi for safe delivery. Our roads are not safe for emergencies.
“We came from different parts of Hurungwe and are now staying at a mothers’ shelter.”
Her homestead is about 65km north-west of Karoi under Hurungwe North constituency.
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Another villager, Tendai Bakare (42) of Mapfumo village in Masanga area under Hurungwe West, says she was referred to Karoi from Magunje Clinic.
“This is my fourth pregnancy, but of late, I have had challenges during birth, so the nurses advised me to come here,” she explains.
“I am now seven months pregnant. We hope to deliver well at the district hospital. We exercise daily through walking around town.”
Mapfumo’s experience is helping young expecting mothers like Chimusoro as they await delivery at the Karoi mothers’ shelter.
It’s a women only shelter, where they live through hope and perseverance, reducing maternal deaths mostly gripping outlying areas.
According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the shelters have numerous benefits for the women.
“They help rural women to get ante-natal check-ups, newborn care and identifying problems during labour,” UNFPA says on its website.
“Maternity shelters are designed to prevent haemorrhage, which health experts say is the major contributor to death for women during delivery.”
Zimbabwe joined the rest of world in celebrating World Health Day on April 7, 2025, kicking off a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health.
Stakeholders have called for amplified action to curb maternal deaths.
Itai Rusike, executive director for Community Working Group on Health (CWGH), notes that the country’s emergency services have been grounded due to poor funding from central government.
“This has resulted in further disruptions to service delivery during outbreaks and other public health threats, often worsening the plight of women and children who are major users of the health system,” he says.
“Many maternal and child catastrophes have happen due to delays in reaching the health facility and referral level due to a shortage of ambulances.
“Where available, they may not have fuel, be in roadworthy condition and most do not have basic equipment or adequately trained staff to take care of patients during transit. This also complicates their recovery, risking fatalities in transit.”
He, however, notes that despite the challenges the country faces, including the rising and currently unaddressed burden of non-communicable diseases, persistent infectious diseases and the impacts of climate change on health, CWGH remains optimistic about the potential for transformative change in our healthcare system, that adequately covers women and children.
“It is, therefore, critical for our government to revisit the primary healthcare approach to health service provision to ensure adequate coverage of maternal and child health services towards universal access,” Rusike says.
“There is a critical need to increase public health expenditure in tandem with the increased population and growing disease burden and cover the current glaring health financing gaps.”
He called for more domestic public funds, essential for universal health coverage (UHC).
“We commend the government for revitalising he national health insurance and availing earmarked taxes that contribute to the health budget,” Rusike says.
“No country has made significant progress towards UHC without increasing reliance on public revenues and Zimbabwe is no exception, particularly now in the face of dwindling international funding for health.
“The CWGH embraces this year’s theme recognising that the foundation of a healthy society starts with the well-being of mothers and newborns.”
He adds: “Access to quality parental care, safe childbirth practices and essential health services is vital in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates.
“Prioritising maternal and child health breaks the cycle of poverty and illness, ensuring that no mother dies while giving life and that every child has an opportunity to thrive.”
Of late, health experts have noted that it is worrisome that Zimbabwe continues to face significant challenges with maternal and infant mortality rates.
The maternal mortality ratio is estimated at 363 per 100 000 live births; and under-five mortality at 39.8 deaths per 1 000 live births according to a census carried out in the country in 2022.
“This year’s theme Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures highlights the importance of maternal and newborn health,” Rusike says.
“Critical investment is needed to improve women’s longer-term health and general welfare.”
Muchanyara Cynthia Mukamuri, executive director for Self Help Development Foundation as well as Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe chairperson, says mother and child health shelters, also known as maternity waiting homes, play a vital role in reducing maternal deaths in Zimbabwe.
“The contributory factors are access to skilled care, provision of a safe and supportive environment for pregnant women to access skilled care and give birth in a health facility in addition the trained healthcare providers can identify and manage potential complications early, reducing the risk of maternal mortality, she says.
“Furthermore, by promoting healthy behaviours and providing essential care, shelters contribute to better health outcomes for mothers and their babies.
“Shelters help to reduce delays in seeking care, which is a significant factor in reducing maternal mortality in Zimbabwe.”
According to Maternal Mortality: 2000 to 2023 new report from the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group, comprising World Health Organisation, United Nations Children’s Fund, UNFPA, the World Bank Group and UNDESA/Population Division that presents the most up-to-date, internationally-comparable estimates of maternal deaths at global, regional and country levels: “In 2023, an estimated 260 000 maternal deaths occurred worldwide, equivalent to 712 deaths each day.
“This marks a 40% reduction in maternal mortality since 2000, reflecting sustained global efforts to improve access to essential health services.
“For the first time, no country was estimated to have an extremely high maternal mortality ratio.”
Chimusoro is among those banking on section 76 of the Constitution that guarantees access to health services, including reproductive health, for all citizens and permanent residents.
