Zimbabwe’s arts sector is poised for a major shift after the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) and the Chartered Accountants Academy (CAA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch The Creative Ledger, an initiative designed to equip artists with essential financial and business skills.

Announced at NACZ’s head office in Harare, the partnership aims to close what officials have long described as one of the industry’s biggest gaps: the lack of financial literacy and structured business management among creatives.

The programme is expected to introduce an accredited Creative Entrepreneur Certificate alongside free impact workshops that demystify accounting and business fundamentals for artists, managers, and arts institutions.

NACZ chief executive Napoleon Nyanhi said the collaboration marks a turning point for the country’s creative economy.

“Creatives in Zimbabwe are powerful catalysts for national development. Yet many struggle to translate their genius into financial stability,” he said.

“The business of art has remained an elusive concept for many. This ends here, and it ends with this partnership.”

Under the agreement, NACZ and CAA will jointly design a curriculum tailored to the realities of the local creative sector.

The training will offer two pathways one for artists working in studios and another for arts administrators or managers ensuring the programme caters to different professional needs.

Graduates will receive certifications bearing both institutions’ insignia, a move Nyanhi said signals credibility to potential partners and investors.

CAA will contribute technical expertise and facilitators, while NACZ will use its national footprint to take workshops to communities and arts hubs across the country.

According to officials, the objective is to build a sector that is professionally run, financially sustainable, and equipped to engage local and global markets with confidence.

Nyanhi emphasised that the initiative extends beyond artists to arts organisations that have historically operated on fragile financial models.

“Many arts organisations survive from project to project, unable to build enduring institutions. Our goal is to equip the sector with the tools to become resilient and bankable,” he said.

The partnership signals a broader shift in Zimbabwe’s creative industry, which has grown rapidly in cultural output but continues to lag in formal business structures.

Stakeholders hope The Creative Ledger will help creatives better manage intellectual property, navigate contracts, attract investment, and build long-term enterprises.

“This is the infrastructure for your empowerment,” Nyanhi told the arts community. “Let us learn, so that we can build.”

The programme is expected to roll out its first workshops in 2026, with certificates and the full Creative Entrepreneur Certificate to follow after accreditation is finalised.

Zimbabwe has fast-tracked the approval of Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable medicine that could reshape HIV prevention efforts nationwide.

The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) announced the authorization on Saturday, completing its regulatory review in only 23 days, one of the swiftest timelines for a major public health product in the country.

The drug, submitted by Gilead Sciences on October 29, is designed for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and is administered as a six-monthly injection after an initial dose and two days of oral tablets.

It is approved for adults and adolescents weighing at least 35 kilograms who are HIV-negative and at substantial risk of infection.

Officials say its extended dosing schedule may help people who struggle with adherence to daily oral PrEP.

MCAZ Director-General Richard T. Rukwata described the decision as a major step forward in expanding prevention options.

“The rapid approval of Lenacapavir reflects MCAZ’s dedication to accelerating access to trusted, high-quality health products,” he said.

“This milestone brings new hope for HIV prevention and reinforces our commitment to safeguarding public health.”

Lenacapavir’s registration comes as Zimbabwe continues efforts to curb new HIV infections, particularly among young people and key populations where transmission rates remain high.

Health experts have long argued that more flexible prevention tools are essential to meeting global HIV targets.

To evaluate the drug, MCAZ used a regulatory reliance model, drawing on scientific assessments from the World Health Organization Prequalification Programme.

Officials said the approach allowed for an efficient but thorough review of the drug’s safety, efficacy, and quality.

Public health advocates say access to long-acting PrEP could help reduce barriers including stigma, pill fatigue, and challenges with consistent clinic visits.

The new injection, taken only twice per year after initiation, offers a discreet alternative that may reach users who have been left out of existing prevention programs.

MCAZ emphasized that the medicine must be paired with safer sex practices, including condom use and behavior-change strategies.

It also reiterated its mandate to ensure that all medical products on the market meet strict quality and safety standards.

With the approval now in place, Zimbabwe joins a growing list of countries advancing long-acting HIV prevention tools.

The Authority said updates on registration and rollout information will be shared through its public portal.