Author: Healthtimes

11 800 Zimbabweans On PrEP

Healthtimes

OVER 11 800 Zimbabweans have been initiated on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis as of last month, an AVAC fellow said on Monday. By Kudakwashe Pembere Addressing an International AIDS Society Harare Scientific Symposium, AVAC Fellow-cum-Pangaea Aids Zimbabwe Trust coordinator Definate Nhamo said the number was huge. “As of May 2019, we have about 11 800 who have been initiated on on PrEP,” she said. Following the youths demand of PrEP, she said PrEP was only distributed to certain populations perceived to be at risk of contracting HIV. “So in Zimbabwe we started…

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High HIV Incidence Among Female Youths

Healthtimes

THERE is need to have programs targeting young women aged between 19 and 34 years particularly those at educational tertiary institutions to lower HIV Incidence rates in Zimbabwe. By Kudakwashe Pembere This emerged during an International Aids Society Harare Scientific Symposium which brought HIV experts from across the SADC region. AIDS and TB Director Dr Owen Mgurungi bemoaned the high incidence of HIV among young adolescent females. “The incidence is below point nine percent but its not homogenous. There are areas where we have high incidence. There are areas where…

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Gvt Announces New NatPharm Board

Healthtimes

GOVERNMENT has appointed a new National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) board consisting of five experts in a move that is set to boost the company’s corporate image professionalism. By Kudakwashe Pembere Announcing the new board on Friday, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo tasked the appointees to fill up the NatPharm warehouses currently stocked at 65 percent. “Yes at the moment there is a low stock level at NatPharm. So the challenge which is there is for you to make sure that we improve out stocks. We have moved…

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Govt Hospitals In US$32 Million Debt

Healthtimes

STATE owned hospitals have an outstanding debt of US$32 million to suppliers of medicines, equipment and utilities, Parliamentarians heard on Monday. By Kudakwashe Pembere Giving oral evidence before the Public Accounts Parliamentary Portfolio Committee, Health Ministry Finance Director Mrs Heather Machamire said they have managed to reduce arrears owed to creditors from US$70 million in 2016 to US$32 million. “We have seen a major reduction from US$70 million in 2016 that our auditor is referring to in 2016 to US$32 million currently outstanding right now. And we will continue to…

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High Hepatitis B Prevalence Among Zim Adults: WHO

Healthtimes

PREVALENCE for Hepatitis B in adults stands at 10 percent rate against a fair 4.4 percent in children. By Kudakwashe Pembere This was shown in the World Health Organisation Viral Hepatitis Scorecard released last Friday. According to the scorecard, a high prevalence rate was above five  percent in the general population. Despite the intermediate prevalence among children, Zimbabwe was placed alongside 13 African countries with over 100 000 children under five living with chronic hepatitis B. These countries include Angola, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia,…

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Zim HIV Infections Drop 44 percent: UNAIDS

Healthtimes

HIV infections in Zimbabwe have gone down 44 percent as the country eyes a 75 percent reduction by 2020. This  has been attributed  to massive multisectoral responses against the epidemic. By Kudakwashe Pembere UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Dr Shannon Hader revealed this at the launch of the Zimbabwe Health Situation Room on Friday. “We have all committed worldwide to fast track targets that are going to help us end HIV as a public health threat by 2030. And you have heard about some of these targets. Reaching 90-90-90 for treatment,…

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Zim Launches Integrated Health Situation Room

Healthtimes

ZIMBABWE on Friday, launched an Integrated Health Situation Room making it the eighth country in Africa to have real time tracking of diseases  tracking HIV testing, treatment, maternal mortality, gender based violence, and other health indicators. By Kudakwashe Pembere Health situation rooms are software platforms designed to support decision-making on countries’ health responses. Officiating the launch, Health and Child care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said having achieved notable strides against HIV, the country was lagging behind technological innovations that make access and use of data simple. “This innovation as presented…

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Nurses Down Tools…As Ultimatum Expires

Healthtimes

NURSES from all public health institutions have gone on a one week long industrial action, healthtimes has learnt. By Michael Gwarisa In a letter directed to the Health Services Board apex Council, the Zimbabwe  Nurses Association (ZNA) said the 14 day altimutim they had given the authorities to resolve their griviances had lasped, hence the strike. “It was noted in the aforementioned meeting that whilst there had been some attempts to address minor grivances, the most important grievances relating to remuneration of Health workers vis-a-vis the current economic climate have…

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#EXCLUSIVE: HPA Dismisses Corruption Claims Against Nurses Council

Healthtimes

THE Health Professions Authority has dismissed corruption allegations levelled against the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe (NCZ) board led by Dr Lillian Dodzo as baseless after finding the insinuations devoid of evidence. By Kudakwashe Pembere Some of the reported allegations include the council being fleeced of thousands of dollars by board members, ditching digitization projects, abuse of funds, among other issues. The Health Professions Authority (HPA) of Zimbabwe is a health professions regulatory body which was established following the repealing of the Medical, Dental and Allied Professions Act (Chapter 27:08) and the…

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India’s First Tranche of Medicines Arrives

Healthtimes

ZIMBABWE has started receiving medicines from the Indian Government that were pledged by the country’s Vice President Venkaiah Naidu last year. By Kudakwashe Pembere During the donation at National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) Harare warehouse, India Ambassador To Zimbabwe Mr Rungsung Masakui said this was the first tranche to arrive into the country. “This is a donation committed by my vice president during his visit here in November 2018. The medicines are critical for the population, for the people as the deputy minister has indicated. So these boxes are more than…

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