Author: Healthtimes

Coronavirus Scorecard for Africa: Percentage of GDP earmarked for combating COVID-19

Healthtimes

Governments’ response to COVID-19 has in most cases involved earmarking a significant percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – the standard measure of a country’s productive wealth – towards fighting the pandemic. Although this is only part of most governments’ broad-spectrum policy response to the disease, it is an important measure as it indicates governments’ level of commitment to responding to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. It must be stressed, however, that different governments face different levels of severity of the pandemic and different projections (depending on a wide range…

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FDA Approves Dolutegravir Tablets for Oral Suspension for Children With HIV

Healthtimes

OFFICIALS with the FDA have approved dolutegravir (Tivicay PD, ViiV Healthcare) dispersible tablets for oral suspension for children who are at least 4 weeks of age and weigh at least 3 kg, according to a press release. SOURCE: DRUG TOPICS This approval marks the first ever dispersible tablet formulation of dolutegravir, which are used in combination with other antiretroviral agents for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in pediatric patients. Additionally, the approval also expands dolutegravir’s indication for the existing 50-mg film-coated tablets (Tivicay) for use in children weighing 20 kg…

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Open letter to the Minister of Health From Quarantine

Healthtimes

AFTER spending 22 days in captivity we were told that we cannot leave quarantine after testing. The standard published by the government is a maximum of 21, but I am sitting at 25 with cellmates having up to 30 and even more. The reason behind our continued detention being: of the over 100 tests conducted 4 days ago, one inmate has tested positive. We are thus supposed to stay on for another 8 days after which we shall be tested again. The rationale, according to the ministry of health which…

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The Avenues Clinic Refurbishment Enters Phase 2

Healthtimes

IN an effort to create a safe and unforgettable hospital experience for patients, The Avenues Clinic has now entered its second phase of its facility’s refurbishment project. The refurbishment project which commenced in 2018 is part of a US$10 million capital injection which was partly funded by Nedbank. The refurbishment is three phased and commenced with giving a face lift to the ablution facilities before moving to other sections of the health institution. The Avenues Clinic fosters  ideal safety standards against possible Covid-19 spread Healthcare is the backbone of any…

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Petition To Get Health Minister Fired Gets More Than 10 000 Signatures And Still Counting

Healthtimes

A petition to get Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo relived from his duties as a cabinet minister has  already attracted more than 10 000 signatures from Zimbabweans residing in the country and those in the diaspora. READ THE PETITION BELOW We, the Concerned Citizens of Zimbabwe, hereby petition you, your Excellency, to relieve and dismiss, with immediate effect, the Honourable Obadiah Moyo, from his portfolio as the Minister of Health and Child Care whose tenure at the Ministry has been an unmitigated disaster. We bring this petition…

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Government clears quarantine centres

Healthtimes

ANOTHER 285 returnees went home yesterday after testing negative for Covid-19 in mandatory quarantine facilities, with 115 more set to get their test results tomorrow. SOURCE: THE HERALD The continued quarantining of returning residents is instrumental in controlling the spread of Covid-19 as the overwhelming majority of infected Zimbabweans were infected outside the country with only a small minority being infected within the community. Yesterday, another six patients, all returning Zimbabweans, were confirmed as infected, bringing the cumulative total of confirmed infections to 320, although 49 of these have now…

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New HIV infections differ by sex and by region

Healthtimes

IN sub-Saharan Africa, where 61% of all new HIV infections occur, women are disproportionally affected by HIV, accounting for 54% of all new HIV infections in 2018. Young women aged 15–24 years were the hardest hit, accounting for 25% of new HIV infections in the region but representing only 10% of the total population. Outside of sub-Saharan Africa, however, the situation is different, with men aged 25–49 years accounting for almost half of all new HIV infections, although they represent only 18% of the total population.

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Bill & Melinda Gates Pledges US$1.6 billion To Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, To Protect The Next Generation With Vaccines

Healthtimes

THE Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today announced a five-year, US$1.6 billion commitment to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to deliver lifesaving vaccines to the world’s poorest countries. The commitment was announced at the Global Vaccine Summit 2020, hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom. Funding secured today for Gavi’s next strategic period will help the Alliance reach an additional 300 million children in the world’s most vulnerable communities and save up to eight million lives, bringing the total number of children immunized with Gavi support to more…

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Zim Opinion Leaders Support Abolition of Death Penalty-Report

Healthtimes

A report conducted by the Death Penalty Project, in partnership with a Zimbabwe NGO Veritas indicates that 90 percent of leading Opinion leaders in Zimbabwe support the abolishment of the death penalty. The report dubbed “Time to abolish the death penalty in Zimbabwe, Exploring the views of its opinion leader,” draws on in depth interviews with 42 opinion leaders on the death penalty, their knowledge of the criminal justice system, the likelihood of abolition and how that could be achieved. The opinion leaders represent the fields of politics, public service,…

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