Author: Kuda Pembere

Fruit Trees and Textbooks: A Community’s Dual Fight for Growth

Kuda Pembere

By Kudakwashe Pembere Under the blazing Hatcliffe sun on the outskirts of Harare, a resilient community keeps growing against all odds. Among its youngest members is Ruvimbo, a Grade 5 pupil whose dreams take root in both soil and study. For her, a brighter future begins with education. Each day, she walks to school — now closer to home after transferring from Hatcliffe 2 Primary. On this sunny Monday morning, she kneels beside a Rotary Club Msasa member to plant a tree. As they chat, she opens up about her…

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Calls Mount to Ringfence Zimbabwe’s Sugar Tax

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere With Zimbabwe introducing several taxes over the years to mobilize resources for the health sector, calls are growing to ringfence these funds to ensure they are used for their intended purposes. The recently introduced Fast Food Tax, aimed at tackling the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, follows the Sugar Tax, which was earmarked for cancer treatment. However, economists, parliamentarians, and other stakeholders at a Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) meeting on health financing held Friday have expressed concern that the Sugar Tax proceeds are yet to…

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Pharmaceutical Industry Stakeholders Warn of ‘Disaster’ After Scrapping Veterinary Product Permits

Kuda Pembere

By Kudakwashe Pembere Scrapping the permit for trading in veterinary products is akin to shooting oneself in the foot, pharmaceutical industry experts have warned. This follows Cabinet’s decision to cancel permits previously issued by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ). Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr. Jenfan Muswere announced the decision at a post-Cabinet briefing last week. “Cabinet approved the consolidation of fragmented licensing requirements into a single license, the streamlining of duplicative and overlapping licences and permits, the removal of unnecessary levies and fees, and the lowering…

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Fee Reductions Possible, but Industry Must Brace for Impact, MCAZ Boss says

Kuda Pembere

By Kudakwashe Pembere The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has responded to concerns raised by players in the pharmaceutical supply chain by agreeing to review pharmacist licensing fees and consignment verification charges for human and animal health products. Speaking during an Ease of Doing Business stakeholder meeting convened by the Authority, MCAZ Director General Mr. Richard Rukwata said the concerns raised by the industry were valid and would be addressed. “This issue is doable. I think we can definitely rationalize that to a marginal fee less than half of…

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Call for stronger regional collaboration to improve adolescent SRHR access

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere At a time when some East and Southern African (ESA) countries are reviewing their legal frameworks on the age of consent to improve access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for adolescents and young people, Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) chief executive officer Farai Machinga has called for stronger regional collaboration to ensure collective progress. Machinga made the call while officiating a two day Regional SRHR Meeting organized by Youth Advocates, Restless Development, and the Centre for the Study of Adolescence, with technical and financial…

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UNICEF and FAWEZI Launch RISE Programme to Empower 24,000 Adolescent Girls

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) commemorated the International Day of the Girl Child with the launch of the Adolescent Girls Programme, titled Resilient, Innovative, Skilled, and Empowered Girls (RISE). The initiative will be implemented by the Forum for African Women Educationalists Zimbabwe Chapter (FAWEZI). The event took place at Seke 5 High School on Saturday. UNICEF Representative to Zimbabwe, Ms. Etona Ekole, officiating the launch, emphasized the importance of amplifying girls’ voices. “As we gather today to launch this adolescent girls’ programme, we also celebrate the…

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Vaccination Campaign Gains Momentum as More Children Receive Vitamin A supplements and Measles Jabs

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere in Ruwa Health officials are upbeat about the increasing number of children being vaccinated under the ongoing vitamin A supplementation and measles rubella vaccination campaign, which began Monday. Although uptake was low on the first day, it improved in the following days after visits by Health Ambassador and Zimbabwe’s First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, the Minister of Health and Child Care Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, and his deputy Hon. Sleiman Kwidini. Journalists visited Caledonia Clinic and Ruwa Polyclinic during a tour organized by the Ministry of Health and UNICEF to assess progress in…

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Hivos Hosts High-Level SRHR Meeting in Harare to Tackle Youth Access Barriers

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere As East and Southern African (ESA) countries continue to grapple with inadequate sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services—particularly for adolescents and young people—Hivos’ Regional Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Fund convened a high-level strategic meeting in Harare on Thursday. The two-day event, held from Thursday to Friday, brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including legislators, religious leaders, advocacy groups, and members of the judiciary. Central to the discussions was the contentious issue of the “age of consent” and its impact on access to SRH services…

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UNFPA Urges Focus on Adolescents, Youth and Quality Healthcare as Zimbabwe Prepares for Ninth Country Programme

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere As the Zimbabwean Government through Treasury prepares for its ninth country programme in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the organisation has urged the country to prioritise healthcare quality and improve the livelihoods of adolescents and young people, particularly females who are disproportionately affected by teenage pregnancies, gender-based violence, and HIV. This was said by UNFPA Zimbabwe Representative Miranda Tabifor while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a consultative stakeholder workshop to develop the ninth country programme, running from 2027 to 2031. With over 60…

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Mhangura Hosts World Contraception Day as Zimbabwe Pushes for Domestic Family Planning Investment

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere in Mhangura Zimbabwe last Friday belatedly marked World Contraception Day in Mhangura with the launch of the country’s Contraceptive Cost Recovery Framework, aimed at improving domestic financing for family planning commodities and services. The commemorations, held at Mhangura Recreational Club, drew hundreds of community members and health stakeholders. Mashonaland West was selected to host the national event to raise awareness on contraception, as the province records one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancies in the country. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe’s…

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