Author: Healthtimes

Why COP11 Should Be Livestreamed and Open to the Press

Healthtimes

By Munyaradzi Blessing Doma The 11th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), scheduled to take place at the Geneva International Conference Centre in Switzerland from November 17 to 22, has faced growing criticism for its lack of transparency during meetings. While the WHO FCTC does not outright ban media attendance at COP sessions, it imposes strict accreditation and vetting procedures that significantly limit press participation. Members of the media may only attend if they have been…

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WHO Clings to Outdated Dogma

Healthtimes

By Munyaradzi Blessing Doma  When it came into effect in 2005, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was hailed as a landmark global health treaty. Two decades later, however, health experts say the treaty has largely failed to deliver on its promise to significantly reduce global smoking rates. The FCTC urged governments to adopt taxation, advertising bans, and other restrictive measures to curb smoking. Yet, despite widespread adoption, global tobacco use remains stubbornly high. Studies indicate that the FCTC has struggled to keep pace with…

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Zimbabwe Joins Global #MedSafetyWeek Campaign to Promote Safer Use of Medicines

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter Zimbabwe has joined 129 other partner organisations worldwide to mark the 10th anniversary of the #MedSafetyWeek campaign, which promotes the safe use of medicines through increased public reporting of side effects. Running from 3–9 November 2025, the campaign seeks to encourage patients, families, and healthcare professionals to report any suspected side effects of medicines to improve global drug safety. The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) is spearheading the local awareness efforts, highlighting that reporting even minor side effects can help protect others and strengthen regulatory oversight.…

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Insurance Compensation Activated for Bindura-Mt Darwin Highway Accident Victims

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By Staff Reporter  The Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ) has announced the immediate activation of insurance cover to provide compensation and support for the victims of the fatal bus accident that occurred on the Bindura-Mt Darwin Highway on Wednesday, 29 October 2025. The tragic incident claimed six lives and left several others injured, prompting an outpouring of national grief. In a press statement released on Thursday, the ICZ, which represents non-life insurers and reinsurers in the country, extended its “profound and heartfelt condolences” to the bereaved families and the nation.…

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PHD Church Leader Walter Magaya Arrested Over Rape and Fraud Allegations

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter  The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has confirmed the arrest of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries leader, Walter Magaya, in connection with multiple reports of rape and fraud. According to a statement released by ZRP spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi, Magaya was taken into custody early Saturday morning in Harare by a police crack team. Authorities said investigations are underway, and more details will be released in due course. The high-profile arrest has sparked widespread public interest, given Magaya’s prominence in Zimbabwe’s religious and social circles. HealthTimes will…

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The Tobacco Tax Dilemma: Can Governments Protect Both Health and Revenue?

Healthtimes

By Munyaradzi Blessing Doma Several governments find themselves in a conundrum. On one hand, they depend on tobacco tax revenues to fund public programs and services, while on the other, they aim to reduce the health risks associated with tobacco consumption. This dilemma is particularly evident in countries with significant tobacco industries. In Zimbabwe, for example, the country recorded an all-time high output of 355 million kilograms of tobacco this year, earning close to US$1.2 billion in revenue. The tobacco industry contributes significantly to Zimbabwe’s economy, accounting for about 10…

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DNA reveals the real killers that brought down Napoleon’s army

Healthtimes

By Linda Gedde Napoleon’s march on Moscow remains one of history’s most catastrophic military retreats. As his army withdrew, tens of thousands perished. But what killed them? There was hunger and cold, but also a mysterious illness that was long thought to be typhus. Now, more than two centuries later, DNA from the soldiers’ teeth is rewriting that history, suggesting the answer instead could be bacteria that cause enteric and relapsing fevers. “It’s very exciting to use a technology we have today, to detect and diagnose something that was buried for…

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Gambling: The New Mental Health Crisis Stalking Zimbabwe

Healthtimes

By Method Moyo (Counselling Psychology Intern) Gambling, while often viewed as a form of entertainment, can lead to addiction and devastating consequences. Take, for example, Tawanda (not his real name), a 32-year-old man from the Makoni area of Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. Initially a promising professional, Tawanda’s casual gambling evolved into a compulsive behavior fueled by cognitive distortions such as the illusion of control and the gambler’s fallacy. Despite warnings from family and friends, he continued to gamble, ultimately losing his job due to absenteeism and poor performance. Financial instability followed, and…

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Oncologists Should Lead the Tobacco Harm Reduction Discourse

Healthtimes
Nicotine Isn’t the Enemy: World Expert Corrects a Century of Misconception

By Munyaradzi Blessing Doma A leading French oncologist has called on cancer specialists worldwide to take an active role in Tobacco Harm Reduction and help correct misconceptions about nicotine and its link to cancer. Speaking on the sidelines of the 2025 Technovation Summit in Dubai, Professor David Khayat, an oncologist at Pierre et Marie University in Paris, said oncologists have a duty to promote science-based communication around smoking and nicotine use. We as oncologists have to trust science, and science says nicotine does not cause cancer, so let’s stick to…

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PMI Strengthens Measures to Curb Youth Access to Smoke-Free Products

Healthtimes

By Munyaradzi Blessing Doma Philip Morris International (PMI) says it is taking concrete steps to ensure its smoke-free products remain out of reach for minors, reaffirming its commitment to youth access prevention as global concerns around youth vaping grow. Speaking during the 2025 Technovation Summit in Dubai, Tomoko Iida, PMI’s Director of Scientific Engagement for South and Southeast Asia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Middle East, and Africa, said the company’s smoke-free portfolio, which includes heated tobacco, e-vapour, and oral smokeless products, is designed exclusively for adult smokers. Youth…

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