Author: Healthtimes

Zimbabwe Signs MoU With Swiss Pharmaceutical Giant

Healthtimes

ZIMBABWE signed a memorandum of understanding with a Swiss headquartered pharmaceutical company Novartis for patients to access medicines for non-communicable diseases at nominal prices. By Kudakwashe Pembere The signing ceremony done last week will see Zimbabwe each person get medicines for NCDs such as hypertension, diabetes and breast cancer for a dollar a month from Novartis’s unit, Sandoz DD. Speaking after the announcement of the MoU, Dr Moyo expressed confidence that the collaboration would help provide improved health care and reduce preventable deaths. “The issue of access to medicines is…

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Health CSOs Should Be Held Accountable: ZAN

Healthtimes

IT is crucial for civil society organisations dealing with health issues be socially accountable even unto themselves and Government to ensure Zimbabwe is on track of Universal Health Coverage, a Zimbabwe Aids Network official said. By Kudakwashe Pembere Recently In Kadoma At a time when CSOs are always on the state’s case regarding its progress to ensure Zimbabwe achieves UHC, ZAN National Coordinator Mr Taurai Nyandoro said social accountability was similarly important within the CSO circuits. ZAN is a national network organization comprising of AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) and other…

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Safaids Rolls Out Safe Abortion Campaign

Healthtimes

SAFAIDS has intensified efforts to promote safe abortions in the SADC region under a three year campaign dubbed “My Choice our choice”.  By HealthTimes Correspondent  The campaign comes at a time when Zimbabwe’s abortion rate stands at 18% as most women carry out unsafe terminations owing to the restrictive abortion laws in the country. Speaking on the sidelines of the Launch workshop held in Harare, Safaids  executive director Lois Chingandu said the campaign will also underscore the right of women to take control of their sexual and reproductive health. “The…

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RBZ Ignores Looming ARV Crisis

Healthtimes

THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s reluctance to release the much needed US$6 million by the National Aids Council of Zimbabwe (NAC) could plunge the nation into Antiretroviral shortage imminently. By Kudakwashe Pembere This was said by the CCM Coordinator Mr Oscar Mundida at a Civil Society Organisation workshop on Universal Health Coverage organized by UNAIDS and Zimbabwe Aids Network. Mr Mundida said NAC is yet to get their hands on the US$6 million to settle arrears they owe to ARV suppliers. The CCM Coordinator explained that Zimbabwe has nothing to…

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Health CSOs Keen On Tackling UHC Issues

Healthtimes

ZIMBABWEAN civil society organisations tackling HIV/AIDS have shown interest in ensuring that the country achieves universal health coverage ahead of the September penciled United Nations High Level Meeting on UHC. By Kudakwashe Pembere in Kadoma A consultation workshop to come up with a Civil Society Organisations’ position on UHC was organized by the UNAIDS and Zimbabwe Aids Network. This commitment comes after an observation that health CSOs have not been as pro-active as they are when advocating for sexual reproductive health and HIV/AIDS. In separate interviews on the sidelines of…

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Calls For Free Sanitary Pads Mount

Healthtimes

CALLS for government to provide free sanitary pads for Zimbabwean young girls grow at a time they are still beyond the reach of many. By Kudakwashe Pembere Despite government announcing its plans to introduce this much needed initiative, organisations dealing with menstrual health feel much can be done to improve the lives of girls. Sanitary pads are a very critical component for women and girls reproductive health requirements but owing to their exorbitant cost, most are having to look for alternatives some of which could have undesirable after effects in the long run.…

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68 Clefts Successfully Operated At Mpilo, Harare Hospital…Three Anesthetic Machines Fixed

Healthtimes

OPERATION of Hope’s 28th round in Zimbabwe saw 68 successful operations for cleft lip/palate in Harare and Bulawayo. By Kudakwashe Pembere The Bulawayo leg at Mpilo Hospital saw about 48 people getting free surgeries with 20 more done at Harare Central Hospital. In an interview, Operation of Hope chief executive officer Jennifer Trubenbach said they were pleased with the operations done. “We had 68 surgeries in total that is at Harare central hospital and Mpilo,” she said. Of the Mpilo surgeries, she said the Mpilo mission went as expected doing…

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PSI Zimbabwe Treats 10 000 Cervical Cancer Cases

Healthtimes

OVER 125 000 women have to date been screened for cervical cancer with 10 000 receiving treatment at Population Services International Zimbabwe’s New Start Centres. By Kudakwashe Pembere This was said by PSI Zimbabwe Deputy Country Representative Dr Ngonidzashe Madidi last week. “With support from DFID and the Swedish Embassy, PSI has cumulatively screened over 125,000 women to date for precancerous lesions and treated over 10,000 women with precancerous lesions through the New Start Centre Network,” he said. The organisation is looking at making women collect samples from HPV DNA screening…

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NatPharm Returns To Zimbabwe Informed Push

Healthtimes

THE National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) has temporarily shelved the Zimbabwe Assisted Push and Pull System (ZAPPS) reverting back to the Zimbabwe Informed Push hoping to improve availability of medicines in the country. By Kudakwashe Pembere This move is expected to mitigate shortages of medicines in the country where remote government health institutions are the hardest hit. Early this month, the Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo fumed at NatPharm management directing them to resolve the issue of medicines distribution. Speaking with HealthTimes, NatPharm Managing Director Mrs Florah Sifeku…

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South African Doctor Cures Deafness In World First Middle Ear Transplant Using 3D Technology

Healthtimes

A South African doctor and his team successfully pioneered a transplant of a patient’s middle ear using 3D technology to cure his deafness, making it the first in the world. This groundbreaking procedure offers hope to many of those who suffer from loss of hearing. The first patient to receive the transplant was a 35-year-old man who suffered hearing loss as a result of a car accident that damaged his inner ear, according to a press release by the South African Government. The operation was performed by Professor Mashudu Tshifularo and…

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