Scaling Mass Drug Administration in Zimbabwe: Advancing NTD Elimination in 2025

In 2025, Higherlife Foundation continues to scale its Mass Drug Administration (MDA) efforts across multiple districts in Zimbabwe as part of an essential strategy in the fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). These interventions remain one of the most cost-effective tools in global health, reaching large populations quickly and preventing diseases that disproportionately affect vulnerable communities.

This year’s MDAs, including major efforts targeting Lymphatic Filariasis, are showing strong progress. Through close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, community health workers, and global partners, HLF is contributing to one of the world’s most successful public health interventions—bringing life-changing treatment directly to households, schools, and hard-to-reach areas. The coordinated approach ensures that no community is left behind, even those traditionally underserved by formal health systems.

Locally, the results are immediate: fewer infections, healthier households, and strengthened community trust in primary health systems. Parents see their children missing fewer school days, caregivers experience reduced financial strain, and communities return to productive activity sooner. The long-term impact is even greater. Eliminating NTDs improves school attendance, workforce participation, and economic resilience—creating a foundation where families can prioritise opportunity over illness.

The MDA campaigns also reinforce the vital role of community health workers and volunteers. Their door-to-door engagement builds public understanding, increases treatment uptake, and empowers residents to take ownership of their health outcomes. This community-led momentum is essential for the sustainability of NTD elimination efforts and strengthens local capacity for future public health campaigns.

Globally, these administrations contribute to the World Health Organization’s roadmap for ending the burden of NTDs by 2030. Zimbabwe’s progress demonstrates what is possible when governments, philanthropy, and communities work in true partnership. The country’s experience provides a blueprint for scalable, inclusive health interventions that can be replicated across the region and beyond.

As MDA coverage expands each year, the vision becomes clearer: a Zimbabwe where preventable diseases no longer limit the potential of individuals or communities. This is not only a public health achievement—it is an investment in the nation’s social and economic future.

Every MDA brings us closer to a future where preventable diseases no longer hold communities back.