Author: Healthtimes

Russia unveils coronavirus vaccine, claiming victory in global race before final testing is complete

Healthtimes

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Tuesday that the country has become the first to approve a coronavirus vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya Institute in Moscow, with production and tens of thousands of inoculations to follow. SOURCE: Washington Post Officials have pledged to vaccinate millions of people, including teachers and front line health-care workers, with the experimental coronavirus vaccine beginning this month, raising global alarm that the country is jumping dangerously ahead of critical, large scale testing that is essential to determine if it is safe and effective. Russian officials…

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Zimnat Launches SMEs LifeAID Group Life Cover

Healthtimes

ZIMNAT Life Assurance has launched a new group life insurance cover for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to enable them to provide life insurance for their employees. HealthTimes Reporter The new product, which is called Zimnat SMEs LifeAID, comes at a time when life assurance has become particularly important given the continuing sharp rise in the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases and deaths. It is the latest in a series of new products launched by the Zimnat group over the past six months, as the financial services giant continues to…

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DeepEye Initiative: A new innovation to reduce child pneumonia deaths in Zimbabwe

Healthtimes
Esau Mhandu and Ronald Tumuhairwe with their Social Venture Challenge awards at the Mastercard Foundation Baobab Summit in Kigali, Rwanda

PNEUMONIA can be deadly for children under the age of five, but it can be treated with the right diagnosis and medical intervention. However, the cost of such tests is beyond the reach of many families in Zimbabwe. Now, two students from Ashesi University have designed a low-cost solution that could lead to better diagnoses and save lives. By Pius Sawa Murefu The DeepEye Initiative was started by 24-year-old Esau Mhandu from Murewa, Zimbabwe and his Ugandan partner Ronald Tumuhairwe, also 24. The two recent graduates met while studying in…

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26 ZANU PF HQ Staffers Test Positive For COVID-19

Healthtimes

ZANU-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity and Party Spokesperson, Mr Patrick Chinamasa has confirmed that 26 ZANU PF employees have tested positive for COVID-19. HealthTimes Reporter In a statement, Mr Chinamsa said the affected have since been quarantined in compliance with the World Health Organisation (WHO) requirements. In compliance with the WHO protocols requiring institutions and individuals to be tested for COVID-19, ZANU PF directed that its staff members working at the Headquarters be tested for COVID-19. “The total number of personnel who underwent mandatory testing on 28 July 2020…

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“COVID-19 Haitapurirwe Nekupihwa Ropa Muchipatara”-NBSZ

Healthtimes

Hakuna mukana wekuti utachiona uhwu hungawanikwe muropa raungagamuchire kubva kuNBSZ” MUSABATIRE hana mumaoko muchizeza kuti zvino shuramatongo yatekeshera pasi rese yeCoronavirus yemhando yeCOVID-19, haiwanikwe yakahwanda muropa rinopiwa varwere vanoda ropa here? Iyi inhau iri pamiromo pevanhu vazhinji. Woti dambudziko rekuda kuwedzerwa ropa nekuda kwenjodzi, kana icho chakupa ronda chati nhunzi dzikudye here, wanikwe ropa racho rinendereka, zvinozofamba sei? NaCatherine Murombedzi Aiwa, zorodzai henyu pfungwa, izvi hazviitike, sangano guru rehomwe yeropa, iro rinoferefeta ropa  zvakare, reNational Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) rakazivisa. COVID-19 yakasiyana neutachiona hweHIV. HIV inorarama uye inogara nekukura muropa…

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‘No USD Salary, No Work,’ Nurses Dig-In Despite VP Chiwenga’s Appointment As Health Minister

Healthtimes

ZIMBABWEAN nurses who downed tools 48 days ago have indicated that their position has not changed despite the recent appointment of retired army general and Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga as the new minister of health and child care. HealthTimes Reporter In a statement, the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) said they welcomed the appointment of Vice President Chiwenga as the new health minister but would only return to work after their demands have been met. Today marks 48 days since we withdrew our labour. As ZINA, we welcome the appointees to…

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Zimbabwe Patients ‘Dying In Hospital Car Park’, As Healthcare Workers Strike Persists

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DOCTORS in Zimbabwe say the country is facing a crisis from a shortage of healthcare workers as the number of Covid- 19 infections begins to rise. SOURCE: BBC Dr Rashida Ferrand, an epidemiologist at the main public hospital in the capital Harare told the BBC there are too few doctors and nurses because of a health workers’ strike, which began before the pandemic, and a shortage of protective equipment. She told the BBC’s Newsday programme: Quote Message: As a result of that, many wards, including the Covid centre, do not…

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UNFPA Zimbabwe continues to invest in safe motherhood in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic

Healthtimes

RECENTLY Zimbabwe successfully conducted the delivery of its  first case for a pregnant mother who tested positive for COVID 19. The baby was delivered through a caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia at Gweru Provincial Hospital. The operation went on well with full adherence to standard IPC guidelines, announced the Acting Secretary for Health and Child Care, Dr. Gibson Mhlanga. SOURCE: UNFPA Communication Department As Zimbabwe and the rest of the world battle the COVID-19 pandemic the safe delivery and management of this delivery is a culmination of the critical investments…

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Remdesivir Reduces Time to Recovery in Adults Hospitalized With COVID-19: A Meaningful Step in Therapeutic Discovery

Healthtimes

Main results. A total of 1107 patients were assessed for eligibility, of whom 1063 underwent randomization, with 541 assigned to remdesivir and 522 to placebo. Results were unblinded early at the recommendation of DSMB due to findings from the interim analysis that showed reduced time to recovery in the group that received remdesivir. As of April 28, 2020, a total of 391 participants in the remdesivir group and 340 participants in the placebo group had completed the trial (day 29), recovered, or died. SOURCE: mdedge.com The mean age of participants…

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#MentalHealth: At the COVID-19 crossroads; Lockdown Fatigue

Healthtimes

WHEN COVID-19 started to spread across the continent a lot of people thought it would be over in a few months. In no time the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a pandemic. Countries started implementing WHO guidelines to “flatten the curve.” By Dr Kudakwashe Muchena Five months after Zimbabwe recorded its first positive case resulting in a lockdown in March to try and manage the pandemic, we are still not yet at the peak. Several people thought that getting through the COVID-19 pandemic would be a sprint and not…

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