Zimbabwe
Health
Before you travel check that:
- your destination can provide the healthcare you may need
- you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation
This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.
Emergency medical number
Dial 112 from a mobile phone and ask for an ambulance.
Zimbabwe’s emergency response capabilities are limited and, in many places, you will need to make local arrangements for transport.
The Official Government of Zimbabwe web portal has a full list of emergency numbers.
Contact your insurance company quickly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment.
Vaccine recommendations and health risks
At least 8 weeks before your trip:
- check the latest vaccine recommendations for Zimbabwe
- see where to get vaccines and whether you have to pay on the NHS travel vaccinations page
There are currently a number of disease outbreaks in Zimbabwe. For more information, please see NaTHNaC - Zimbabwe
Medication
The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries.
Read best practice when travelling with medicines on TravelHealthPro.
Healthcare in Zimbabwe
Healthcare provision and quality in Zimbabwe is variable and can be very poor outside of the major cities.
There are shortages of drugs and trained medical staff in hospitals, making it difficult for hospitals to treat some illnesses and trauma cases.
Emergency response capabilities are limited.
Private clinics will not treat patients until they pay and often require large amounts of cash before they will admit emergency cases, even if you have travel insurance. Many businesses in Zimbabwe will only accept US dollars in cash, rather than credit or debit cards. This includes some medical providers. Medical costs, particularly for evacuation, can be high. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.
FCDO has a list of medical providers in Zimbabwe where most staff will speak English.
Travel and mental health
Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health. There is also mental health guidance on TravelHealthPro.