Port Health Services are a program of the Environmental Health Services under the Division of Public Health of Ministry of Health and Child Care. The Objective of the Port Health Services is to prevent and guard against the introduction of disease from outside the Zimbabwean borders.

Port Health staff are appointed through the Public Health Act 15:17 (Public Health Port Health Regulations) to provide public health services at airports and ground crossings. These persons are responsible for the interaction and coordination with border agencies. These cadres are responsible for the inspection and clearance of goods of Public Health concern at Airports and Border posts and warehouses.

Food is defined in the Food and Food Standards Act as any substance which is, in whole or in part, intended for human consumption or which is intended for entry into, or to be used in the manufacture of any such substance. All food imported or exported from Zimbabwe requires a Sanitary Certificate which is issued after a Pre-shipment inspection is carried out in the country of Origin by Zimbabwean Health inspectors.

Pre shipment Inspections are carried out as provided for in Food and Food Standards (Import and Export) Regulations. Any food imported into or exported from Zimbabwe shall be subject to inspection, analysis and, where necessary, to detention, disposal, or destruction in terms of the Act at any port of entry into or out of Zimbabwe unless the importer or exporter concerned holds a Food Sanitary Certificate issued in respect of the food concerned. A Food Sanitary Certificate is issued in accordance with procedure outlined in the Food and Food Standards (import and export regulations) Regulations, 2015. A food sanitary certificate must be issued before the food is imported /exported. This means the food should meet our local food and factory hygiene requirements and standards according to the local laws (Public Health Act 15:17 and Food and Food standards Act.

Approval of food is done through inspection of manufacturing food premises, collection of food samples and analysis. This inspection is carried out once every two years.

Importers / exporters apply to the Permanent Secretary for health for an inspection, and inspectors are assigned by the Director of Environmental Health to conduct the Inspection. The Inspection is carried out in the country of origin/ port of import. This process involves a full factory inspection, and collection of samples for analysis which is conducted by our local Government Analyst Laboratory. Once the product is analysed, the import of the requested food product is approved or recommendations for measures that result in the compliance of the product are made. Once the product is satisfactory, a sanitary certificate is issued. This certificate is required to accompany the shipment on import.

Repatriation of human remains and ashes to or from or through Zimbabwe is carried under the supervision of Port Health Office . Due to possible public health issues, there are some international procedures on how human remains are repatriated and hence Port Health Officials are involved in this procedure. If one wishes to repatriate human remains should follow these guidelines: