Author: Healthtimes

Outcry Over Mandatory Registration Examination for Social Work Graduates

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter The Council of Social Workers’ recent announcement introducing a mandatory registration examination for social work graduates has sparked significant backlash, particularly on social media. A Facebook post bearing the announcement attracted numerous comments, with many stakeholders expressing dissatisfaction over the communication and the policy itself. The Council declared that, starting in 2025, all prospective social work professionals holding qualifications such as the Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Social Work, Diploma, or Postgraduate Diploma must pass a registration exam before licensing. This move aligns with the Social…

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VP Mohadi, Dr. Mombeshora Pledge Hospital Rehabilitation After Bulawayo Tour

Healthtimes

By Rukudzo Gota Top Zimbabwean Government officials toured hospital facilities in Bulawayo to assess the provision of services in the metropolitan province. Vice President Kembo Mohadi and Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora last week visited Cowdray Park Mini-Hospital, United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), Mpilo Central Hospital, and Ingutsheni Central Hospital. The tour followed a series of visits to central hospitals in Harare Metropolitan Province by the Health Minister. President Emmerson Mnangagwa had earlier made impromptu visits to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Sally Mugabe Central Hospital. The visits…

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More Than Baby Blues: Zimbabwean Women Speak Out on Postnatal Depression

Healthtimes

By Rukudzo Gota Motherhood is often described as a national duty, with mothers expected to give birth to future leaders, scientists, economists, doctors, and more. The birth of a first child marks a woman’s initiation into motherhood, a journey that demands emotional strength and resilience. For 28-year-old Sekai Mhurudzwa (not real name), her first experience of childbirth was blissful and free of complications. One might assume that having gone through one childbirth, a mother is prepared for what comes next. But each pregnancy and postpartum period presents its own set…

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Zimbabwe Faces Malaria Crisis as Suspected Cases Top 112,000

Healthtimes

By Rukudzo Gota As Zimbabwe grapples with a staggering rise in malaria cases, health experts are sounding the alarm over nearly 112,000 suspected infections in the first half of 2025, spotlighting the country’s looming public health crisis and the challenges posed by regional outbreaks across southern Africa.  The alarming statistics, released by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), highlight a troubling increase from the previous year and raise significant concerns about the efficacy of current mitigation efforts. The latest data reveals that from the beginning of…

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Nurses Council Faces Lawsuit Threat Over Accusations Against HIPH

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By Rukudzo Gota and Kuda Pembere The Harare Institute of Public Health (HIPH) has threatened to take legal action against the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe (NCZ) over a public notice that HIPH says defamed and misrepresented its legitimacy as a training institution. Through its legal representative, Professor Lovemore Madhuku, HIPH issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the NCZ to retract and delete the statements posted on social media platforms, which it argues falsely accuse the institution of fraudulently offering nursing education. According to Madhuku, the NCZ’s statement portrays HIPH as illegitimate,…

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MCAZ Issues Urgent Warning on Falsified Cloxacillin Capsules in Zimbabwe

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By Rukudzo Gota The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has flagged falsified and unregistered Cloxacillin capsules on the market. With falsified medicines posing a significant threat to public health, in statement, MCAZ these capsules were identified as originating from Gartas Investments. These counterfeit capsules according to the medicines regulator lack the safety and efficacy assurances of the genuine product manufactured by Varichem Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd. MCAZ highlighted distinctive features that differentiate the falsified product from its legitimate counterpart. While the authentic Cloxacillin capsules are marked with “V-CLOX 250” and…

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Kwidini Hails Milestone as Parents No Longer Need to Fly Abroad for Heart Surgeries

Healthtimes

By Rukudzo Gota and Kuda Pembere The high cost of open heart surgeries for children has long placed a heavy burden on Zimbabwean families. However, local collaboration on these procedures is now easing the pressure on parents and guardians who would otherwise be expected to fork out between US$15 000to US$20 000 for treatment in countries like India, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Hon. Sleiman Kwidini, has said. Kwidini said this while addressing journalists during a medical camp at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, where a team of Egyptian…

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One Visit, One Test, Three Results: The Triple Elimination Test Steps Up Global MTCT Fight

Healthtimes
Photo of Dr. Angela Mushavi addressing delegates at the International AIDS Conference in Kigali.

By Shamiso Yikoniko in Kigali, Rwanda A groundbreaking diagnostic tool recently prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO) is set to revolutionize efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of three major infections: HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B. Dubbed the “Triple Elimination Test,” the innovative tool adopts a ‘one visit, one test, three results’ approach, allowing healthcare providers to screen for all three infections using just one blood sample — with results available within 20 to 30 minutes. Previously, expectant mothers in many low-resource settings had to return to clinics multiple…

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Zimbabwe’s HIV Self-Testing Initiative Makes Up 15% of New Diagnoses

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By Shamiso Yikoniko in Kigali, Rwanda Zimbabwe’s proactive efforts to expand HIV self-testing (HIVST) have led to 15 percent of all new HIV diagnoses in the country this year (2024), according to recent government data shared at the 13th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference in Kigali, Rwanda. The findings highlight the strategy’s success in reaching high-risk groups, especially men, who have historically been more difficult to diagnose through traditional health services. The strategy has resulted in male testing rates doubling with HIVST (39 percent) compared to facility-based testing (22 percent);…

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The Erosion of a Sacred Bond: Understanding Divorce in Zimbabwe from a Biblical Perspective

Healthtimes

By Pastor Simbarashe Chenjerai Marriage is a sacred and God-ordained institution — a profound symbol of the divine union between Christ and the Church. This holy covenant, formed between a man and a woman, is founded on love, trust, and mutual respect. Yet, in today’s world where spiritual warfare rages, this sacred bond is under siege. The devil, ever determined to dismantle God’s order, relentlessly attacks the family unit by eroding the institution of marriage. Divorce in Zimbabwe: A Growing Concern As a Pastor, Chaplain, and Marriage Therapist, I have…

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