Author: Healthtimes

A Well-Resourced Health System Essential For Zimbabwe to Attain Reproductive Justice

Healthtimes

By Edinah Masiyiwa, Executive Director Women’s Action Group Attending a recent workshop organized by the Community Working Group on Health on “reproductive justice” reminded me how much the core values of reproductive justice are being violated in Zimbabwe and how much we need to protect girls and young women from injustice. The term reproductive justice has a history in feminist ideology and has three core values: the right to have a child, the right to not have a child, and the right to parent a child or children in safe…

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Birth control pills may increase the risk of depression

Healthtimes

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses and can have several debilitating symptoms. Researchers are still learning what factors contribute to depression risk. A recent study found that oral contraceptives may increase depression risk among adolescent and adult women, particularly in the first two years of use. By Jessica Norris on June 17, 2023 — Fact checked by Alexandra Sanfins, Ph.D. Research is ongoing about what factors influence a person’s risk for depression. Often depression risk involves a combination of internal and external factors. Modifying certain risk factors…

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CIRAD sets up Zoonotic diseases lab for Zim

Healthtimes

The French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development, (CIRAD) recently launched a €1million (USD1,084,070) state of the art biometric laboratory at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) for researching on animal and zoonotic diseases. By Staff Reporter Speaking to the press after the launch, CIRAD Zimbabwe CEO, Dr Mathieu Bourgarel said he was proud that the Zimbabwean lab mirrors CIRAD’s lab in France. The biometric platform was a long term project. The PACMAN project and the CAZCOM project put in more than €1million in setting up the equipment and renovating the…

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CHWs boost trachoma prevention programme in Chiwundura

Healthtimes

Villagers in Chiwundura district in Midlands province have finally embraced a trachoma prevention programme after a massive awareness campaign by community health workers (CHWs) and local traditional leaders. By Caiphas Chimhete & Mandy Mathias The villagers had initially being suspicious of the government-driven programme following rumours and misinformation that trachoma prevention tablets caused serious side-effects. Trachoma is a preventable disease that affect the eyes, cause loss of vision and blindness and is most common in poor rural communities. Rumours were awash in the midlands district that the tablets caused blindness…

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Zimbabwe Government Scraps Mandatory Wearing of Masks…Visitors No Longer Require Proof Of Vaccination

Healthtimes

Zimbabwe has officially scrapped most of the COVID-19 mandatory measures such as mask wearing and others following an announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) that the disease was no longer a public health emergency of international concern. By Staff Reporter In the Statutory Instrument 102 of 2023, the Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Constantine Chiwenga directed a lift on the mandatory wearing of masks. Further, tourists are no longer mandated to produce COVID-19 vaccination certificates nor should they have negative PCR tests at the…

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Youth involvement in agriculture is key to accelerating climate action in Africa

Healthtimes

By Dickson Naftali Africa is one of the world’s most vulnerable regions to climate shocks. The continent’s overdependence on rain-fed agriculture and pastoralism exposes it to the vagaries of climate change. As a result, hunger affects 282 million Africans, a number that will grow to 350 million by 2050. Many of these victims are young people who are increasingly jobless on account of the failing farms and other enterprises across the agricultural value chain. This large youth population is constantly entering the labour market requiring African economies, which are predominantly…

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Zimbabwe ‘s High Road Carnage Worrisome

Healthtimes

Zimbabwe has some of the most dangerous roads in the world and the number of road accidents continues to increase, putting the successful attainment of sustainable development goals by 2030 at risk. By Staff Reporter Annual road traffic collision related fatalities are projected to increase significantly if urgent action is not taken by all stakeholders to curb their occurrence. Speaking at a media conference in Harare on Wednesday, RoadSafe Zimbabwe director, Sam Nyaude said government needs to urgently prioritise road safety and step up the implementation of the Global Plan…

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Zimbabwe Gvt Bans Use Of Cancer Causing John & Johnson Baby Powder

Healthtimes

FOLLOWING findings from a study which unearthed that a chemical used in the manufacturing of Johnson and Johnson baby power causes cancer, Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has ordered retailers and pharmacies to destroy or immediately stop selling the J&J baby powder products to the public. By Staff Reporter Research by the American Academy of Paediatrics gathered that the talc used in the production of the baby powder was highly toxic due to contamination with carcinogen asbestos. Tanzania Bureau of Standards on the 19th of April 2023,…

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Predictive Science: the frontier in healthcare

Healthtimes

By Retlaw Matatu Matorwa Cholera has been a major public health concern in Zimbabwe for decades. Despite various efforts to stem the tide of the disease, outbreaks continue to occur, posing a threat to people’s health and economic development. However, recent advancements in predictive science have begun to offer hope in the fight against diseases such as Cholera and Malaria to mention, but a few, demonstrating how new analytical techniques and methodologies can be utilized to prevent or reduce the spread of disease. Predictive science has the advantage of gathering…

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Police Worried Over Increasing GBV Related Murders In Zimbabwe

Healthtimes

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has raised concern over the number of murder cases being recorded throughout the country on weekly basis with most of these cases are mainly attributed to domestic violence (GBV) arising from accusations of infidelity on the part of couples. By Staff Reporter In a statement, police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said three women weree murdered on three separate occasions within  a space of three days. In one of the murder cases, Nyarai Masauso (41) died on 28™ May 2023 whilst admitted at Parirenyatwa Group…

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