How Zimbabwe’s Digital Health System Is Helping Prevent Stillbirths
Zimbabwe is transforming maternal and perinatal healthcare through digital innovation, introducing real-time data systems aimed at reducing preventable stillbirths and strengthening decision-making in health facilities across the country.
At Zvishavane District Hospital in Midlands Province, midwives now record birth data digitally within minutes of delivery, replacing a previously slow, paper-based system that often delayed reporting for weeks or months. The new approach is enabling faster access to critical health information at district, provincial and national levels.
The shift follows the rollout of the Electronic Maternal and Perinatal Death Notification System (eMPDNS) in 2025, a platform designed to improve the tracking and response to maternal and perinatal deaths, including stillbirths. The system allows frontline health workers such as midwives, nurses and health information officers to input data directly at facility level, making information instantly available for analysis and action.
Previously, Zimbabwe’s reporting system faced challenges including incomplete records, delayed submissions and weak feedback loops, which limited the ability of health authorities to identify causes of stillbirths and respond effectively. As a result, many preventable cases went unaddressed.
Since the introduction of the digital system, reporting rates have increased from 10 per cent under the paper-based system to 40 per cent in 2025. Data indicates that stillbirths account for around 44 per cent of perinatal deaths reported during this period.
The system is also helping health authorities better understand contributing factors such as missed antenatal care visits, delays in referral, and difficulties in managing foetal distress. It further improves classification of stillbirths, distinguishing between those occurring during labour and earlier in pregnancy, enabling more targeted interventions.
In Makonde District, Mashonaland West Province, early data analysis has already prompted action. Health teams identified facilities with higher-than-average stillbirth rates and responded with targeted perinatal death audits, strengthened monitoring during labour, and additional mentorship for healthcare workers.
Dr Dorcas Mutede, Director of Family Health at Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care, said the system is improving responsiveness and care quality. “With the eMPDNS, our teams can now see and understand what is happening in facilities almost immediately. This timely insight is strengthening how we respond and helping us reduce preventable stillbirths across the country,” she said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) supported the initial design and development of the system as part of broader efforts to strengthen maternal and perinatal death surveillance. The platform was later revitalised with support from partners including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), through Health Resilience Funds, and Cordaid under the Global Financing Facility.
WHO officials say Zimbabwe’s experience demonstrates the value of digital health systems in improving outcomes. “Timely, high-quality data is essential to prevent stillbirths. Zimbabwe’s experience shows how digital innovation can transform data into action, helping health systems respond faster, improve quality of care and save lives,” said Zvanaka Sithole, Technical Officer for Family and Reproductive Health at WHO Zimbabwe.
