Universal Health Coverage Under Strain: Health officials say Zimbabwe remains committed to universal health coverage, but public hospitals are hit by medicine shortages, ageing infrastructure, staff gaps and rising costs. Maternal Care Push: Government plans to expand midwifery training, e-learning and retention to tackle the shortage of midwives and improve maternal and newborn outcomes. Cancer Care Funding Scrutiny: A youth group is demanding transparency over procurement of radiotherapy and cancer machines reportedly bought using sugar tax funds, after officials allegedly rejected information requests. Hypertension Alarm: A new focus on Zimbabwe’s hypertension epidemic highlights low awareness and treatment rates, warning of stroke, heart disease and kidney failure risks. Midwives Shortage: Authorities also flag critical shortages of midwives as demand for maternal services rises. Child Protection: Senators call for tougher enforcement against child marriage and teen pregnancy, linking the crisis to poverty and weak law enforcement. Road Safety Tragedy: Seven schoolchildren died in a Gweru kombi fire, with investigations pointing to negligence and overcrowding concerns. Food Safety Crackdown: Bulawayo seized 1.5 tonnes of elephant meat and issued penalties after inspections found licensing and hygiene breaches. Migration and Health Risks: ZCTU blames South Africa’s soft stance for worsening migration pressures amid xenophobic attacks, while displaced people in South Africa face serious health and sanitation risks. Responsible Mining: WWF Zimbabwe and partners launched a project to promote environmentally and socially responsible mining and benefit local communities.