Author: Healthtimes

Free Sanitary Pads For Zim Women…As Government Contracts Local Manufacturer

Healthtimes

By Daniel Phiri WOMEN’S Affairs, Gender and Community Development Ministry says it is has contracted two companies in the country to manufacture sanitary pads that will be distributed for free or sold at low cost. 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 after effects in the long run. Rural women and girls are said to be the most affected to the extent that some of…

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Drug Resistant TB Treatment Efforts Under Threat says MSF

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) says limited access to to new drug delamanid reduces promising treatment options available for those with drug-resistant tuberculosis. According to MSF, almost three quarters (74%) of patients receiving a combination of these drugs for six months achieved ‘culture conversion’, an early indicator that treatment might ultimately be successful. “The WHO endorses delamanid to replace the injectable agent for children and adolescents with DR-TB in cases of intolerance or resistance to some drugs, giving this group an option that is more effective and…

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Parliament To Boycott 2018 Budget Unless It Meets Abuja Target

Healthtimes

By Kudakwashe Pembere The Parliamentary Portfolio committee on Health  says it will not entertain a flimsy allocation of funds to the health sector in the forthcoming 2018 budget presentation unless the 15% Abuja target is met. This was said by Matabeleland North senator Sibusisiwe Budha-Masara at the Pre-budget review workshop organized by the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) held on Wednesday in Harare. “I think as a country, this is something that I would want Zimbabweans to consider even though there is little time for you to put your…

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People Living With Albinism Want Free Sunscreens

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa  PEOPLE living with Albinism should be given free access to Sunscreens and lotions at all health facilities so to increase accessibility of the products and reduce skin cancers among people with albinism, Zimbabwe Albino Association director Mercy Maunganidze has said. Briefing delegates at the launch of the 2017 People Living With Albinism Awareness Campaign, Maunganidze said the  average cost of a Sunscreen tube and lotion costs between $8 and $20 and was beyond the reach of many adding that a person living with albinism requires four to five…

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MSF Establishes Effective Community Mental Health Model

Healthtimes

HealthTimes Correspondent  MEDICAL humanitarian organisation, Medecins Sans Frontieres/ Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have established an effective community mental health model of care in 12 polyclinics and one satellite clinic in Harare to enhance the provision of mental health care in the community. The community mental health care model is a pilot programme that was started by MSF in April 2016 in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), the City of Harare health department and the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences, Department of Psychiatry. It involves…

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Prof Moyo Under Fire Over HIV Comments

Healthtimes

HealthTimes Correspondent Higher and Tertiary education minister Professor Jonathan Moyo is under fire from local medical practitioners following his recent Twitter post in which he insinuated that intake of ARVs and other life saving drugs could lead to vomiting and diarrhea. Moyo’s Twitter remarks comes as a response to the ongoing drama within ZANU PF where by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is allegedly being roasted for saying he was poisoned during a Gwanda ZANU PF rally which resulted in him being airlifted to South Africa for urgent medical attention. In a statement, Zimbabwe…

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How I Survived Breast Cancer…The Story Of Sally Westwood

Healthtimes

 By Sally Westwood “You have a Lobular Carcinoma, and it’s a nasty one.” My stomach dropped to the floor in shock. That can’t be right. There’s no cancer in my family. “But the good news is”, my doctor continued “it’s a stage 1, at a very early stage.” Twelve years previously I had had breast reduction surgery and ever since my annual mammograms had shown up several ‘fatty necrosis’, which are common lumps after breast surgery or trauma of any kind. My mammogram in April had shown these up again…

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SAZ Celebrates World Standards Day

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa THE Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) will join the rest of the world in commemorating the World Standards Day on October, 17, 2017 which will also coincide with the SAZ 60th Anniversary celebrations to be held in Harare. The celebrations will be running under the theme, “Standards make Cities Smarter” and will draw participants and attendance from various stakeholders. Speaking to HealthTimes, SAZ Director General who is also President of the African Organisation for Standardisation, Dr Eve Gadzikwa said the celebrations have come at a time when…

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Adequate ARVs available, says Govt

Healthtimes

Joyce Mukucha Herald Reporter ZIMBABWE has enough anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs to cover a 12-month period, Government has said. In a statement, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said drug shortages that had plagued areas such as Manicaland were as a result of “delayed shipments”. Patients, Government said, continue to receive free ARVs at their designated health facilities. “As a ministry, we would like to reassure all the people, who are currently on ART (anti-retroviral therapy) that the nation has sufficient stocks of the medicines, which are available for free at our…

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Malaria Kills 436 Since January

Healthtimes

Malaria has claimed 436 lives since January 2017 with the highest cases being recorded in Mashonaland Central and Mash East provinces. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care weekly disease surveillance report , 3 402 malaria cases and 2 deaths were reported during the week ending 24 September 2017. “The deaths were reported from Guruve district in Mashonaland Central province (1) and Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe district of Mashonaland East province (1). Of the reported cases 532 (15.6%) and no deaths were from the under five of age.  “The…

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