Author: Healthtimes

Zimbabwe More Prepared For Epidemics: Global Health Security Index

Healthtimes

AT a time when Zimbabweans assume the country is not prepared for the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a latest Global Health Security Index report ranked Zimbabwe among the top 10 of African countries for being ‘more prepared’.  Zimbabwe is number nine out of 54 African countries while being number 152 out of 195 on the globe. By Kudakwashe Pembere Zimbabwe’s southern neighbour South Africa is number one on the continent with Mozambique to the east number 35 in Africa where as Zambia is number 34  and Botswana to the West…

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17 Zimbabweans Contract HIV After Defaulting On PrEP

Healthtimes

ZIMBABWE currently has over 18 000 people taking Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) with 17 having seroconverted to HIV Positive. By Kudakwashe Pembere Seroconversion is the time in which a person develops antibodies to any disease-causing microorganisms (called pathogens). Antibodies are the defensive proteins produced by the immune system to neutralize a pathogen and is specific to that pathogen and that pathogen alone. When blood tests are able to detect these antibodies, a person is said to have seroconverted. In the case of HIV, seroconversion means that a person has gone from being…

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UZ College Of Health Sciences’ Lecturers Down Tools

Healthtimes

LECTURERS in the department of surgery have withdrawn their teaching services at the University Of Zimbabwe College Of Health Sciences (UZCHS) which ‘unprocedurally’ replaced their Head of Department and ill-treatment of medical students. By Kudakwashe Pembere The Senior Hospital Doctors Association (SHDA) and Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) claim the dismissal of Dr David Muchuweti and Dr David Chimuka followed by the subsequent appointment of Professor Faith Muchemwa, contravened the University’s laws. The associations say the suspension of the lecturers is detrimental to the partnership of Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals…

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AMARI’S Mental Health Documentary Premieres In Zim

Healthtimes

THE African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI) on Wednesday premiered a documentary dubbed Articulate: Filling The Gap in Harare focusing on mental health issues affecting Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Ethiopia. By Kudakwashe Pembere With subsequent premieres expected to be done in the other African countries, the documentary will first be aired on internet platforms as well as public service broadcasting corporations. The documentary features issues such as postpartum depression experienced by mothers, the uptake of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis(PrEP) among sex workers in Zimbabwe, a bipolar disorder patient, as well as…

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NBSZ Moots Solar Power For Its Centres

Healthtimes

NATIONAL Blood Services Zimbabwe is planning to power its blood collection and storage  centres on solar by December this year to mitigate the power outages affecting their operations. By Kudakwashe Pembere Speaking to HealthTimes, NBSZ board chairperson Advocate Rodgers Matsikidze said they have been taking with the Energy and Power Development Minister Advocate Fortune Chasi to be placed on their neighbor Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals’ electricity grid. My good brother Advocate Chasi said that they are looking at it and Zesa is also looking at it. What we have noted…

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#BREAKING: Suspected Coronavirus Case In Zim… Wilkins On Lockdown

Healthtimes

WILKINS Infectious Diseases Hospital is handling  and investigating a suspected coronavirus case, a visitor who came from China recently, HealthTimes has learnt. By Kudakwashe Pembere and Michael Gwarisa In an interview with HealthTimes, Harare City Health Director Dr Prosper Chonzi said they have moved all the patients to Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital (BRIDH) to pave way for the investigations. Addressing Zimbabwe’s health sector officials on Monday Dr Chonzi had said the country had a ‘scare case’ they were investigating. The Health Minister said he will be making a  presentation…

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Coronavirus Death Toll Surpass 2000

Healthtimes

THE death toll of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak as of February 19 is now 2009 with mainland China‘s number of deaths rising by 136. By HealthTimes Reporter Hong Kong reported a second death who was a 70 year old man with underlying conditions. He had visited the Chinese mainland in January. The territory has 62 confirmed cases. The National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China noted that on Feb 18,there were 1749 new confirmed cases, 1 185 suspected cases, 236 new serious cases and 1 824 patients…

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Warm Climate Could Act In Zim’s Favor In The Face Of Coronavirus

Healthtimes

A Chinese doctor in the country says Zimbabweans have nothing to panic given they have a warm climate and clean air on their side  in the event that Corona virus strikes. By Kudakwashe Pembere Dr Yuandong Jiang, a cardiologist from the 17th Chinese Cohort in the country said while this no reason to celebrate, Zimbabwe nonetheless needs to be prepared. “You see Zimbabwe is a beautiful place. The weather is good. There is enough sunshine good enough to kill the viruses and bacteria because these pathogens don’t like the sun.…

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80 Percent Of Zimbabweans Have Hypertension, Chinese Doctor Says

Healthtimes

ZIMBABWEANS are at high risk of developing coronary heart diseases with many of them having hypertension as a risk factor, a cardiologist said on Monday. By Kudakwashe Pembere Dr Yuandong Jiang, a cardiologist from the 17th Chinese Medical team in the country is of the opinion that about 80 percent of Zimbabweans suffer from hypertension. He said this at a training workshop for the country’s health sector on preparedness and response of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). He said the possible effects of the coronavirus to the cardiovascular system were hypertension,…

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Japan To Start Using ARVs To Treat Coronavirus

Healthtimes
FILE PHOTO: Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga arrives at the ceremony site where Emperor Naruhito will report the conduct of the enthronement ceremony at the Imperial Sanctuary inside the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan October 22, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Hong-ji

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan is aiming to start trials soon using an HIV treatment for the coronavirus, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Tuesday. “We’re currently preparing to start clinical trials using HIV medication on the novel coronavirus,” Suga, the government’s top spokesman, said at a daily press briefing. He added that he could not comment on how long it would take for the new drug to be approved. Japan now has seen over 500 coronavirus cases, with more than 450 of them from a cruise ship docked in…

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