A community health worker in Zimbabwe said of the U.S. aid cuts: “I provide blood pressure testing and health education at gatherings like funerals. We used to receive bags, uniforms, and other items from the U.S. government, but that has since stopped. I will continue with this work despite not being paid because I am now accustomed to it, and people rely on me. I don’t want to let them down.”
Date: 4/26
Region: Africa
Country: Zimbabwe
Topic: Health
Policy Lens: Global Health Security
Entry Type: Field Observation
Additional Context: This information was collected as part of The Aid Report's original feature story, "Aid cuts and a failed deal: Zimbabwe’s frontline health care under strain." Reporter Linda Mujuru looked into how deep U.S. foreign assistance cuts and the collapse of a $367 million health deal have disrupted the system sustaining Zimbabwe’s community health workforce.
This quote is attributed to Daniel Ngorima, a community health worker in Rusape since 2015 who has worked for both the Zimbabwean government and U.S.-funded organizations. He noted that he has seen supplies diminish in the past year, including the small $45 stipend he used to receive each quarter.
Source: Devex