Author: Michael Gwarisa

Editor for HealthTimes, Zimbabwe's leading online health news publication

New Report Sounds Alarm On Global Shortage Of 900,000 Midwives

Michael Gwarisa

THE world is grappling with massive shortage of midwives, exposing  lives of women and newborns to the risk of death, ill health or injury, a new report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has revealed. By Michael Gwarisa According to the 20201 State of Midwifrey Report by UNFPA, WHO and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and partners, the world is facing a shortage of 900,000 midwives, which represents a third of the required global midwifery workforce and the COVID-19 crisis has only exacerbated these problems, with the health…

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Cabinet Approves IPEC’S Request To Host Insurance Regulators Indaba Under Strict COVID-19 Regulations

Michael Gwarisa

THE Insurance and Pension Commission’s (IPEC) request to host a conference of insurance regulators has been approved by cabinet under strict World Health Organisation (WHO) measures. By Michael Gwarisa Briefing Journalists , Information, Publicity Minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said IPEC has to choose a bigger venue to ensure COVID-19 protocols can be observed. Furthermore, Cabinet approved a request made by the Insurance and Pensions Commission (IPEC) for the Organization of Eastern and Southern Africa Insurers (OESI) to host a meeting of Insurance regulators. The approval was made on the following…

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#JUSTIN: Flush Toilet Systems For Rural Communities To End Open Defecation

Michael Gwarisa

THE Zimbabwe Cabinet has approved the implementation of Eaziflush Sanitation Technology for Waste Management in Peri-urban and Rural Communities, which was presented by the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, as the Acting Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Social Services and Poverty Eradication. Staff Reporter Briefing Journalists during a post cabinet media briefing, Information minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said, “Government wishes to get rid of open pit latrines, implement alternative innovations suitable for transforming rural communities with respect to the provision of clean water and improved sanitation.…

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There Is Nothing Fishy About ZNNP+ Coordinating MIPA Says Dr Madzima

Michael Gwarisa

NATIONAL AIDS Council Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Benard Madzima has indicated that the Zimbabwe National Network of People Living With HIV (ZNNP+) was the right platform through which the People Living With HIV (PLHIV) sector should be coordinated. By Michael Gwarisa His response comes hot on the heels of a letter that has since gone viral on social media and was penned by HIV activist and National AIDS Council (NAC) board member, Mrs Tendayi Westerhof where she expressed displeasure in the manner the NAC board was granting the ZNNP+…

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Zim Gvt Should Issue COVID-19 Travel Ban To And From India As Deadly Second Wave Wrecks Havoc In India

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE’S health sector could crush to its knees if the mutant COVID-19 variant in India finds its way into the country, a Public Health Expert has warned. By Michael Gwarisa India is currently grappling with a second wave of the Coronavirus  and for the first times, India recorded more than 400,000 new COVID-19 cases over a period of 24 hours on Saturday while the country’s massive new vaccination drive was hampered in some areas by shortages of the shots. However, other countries such as Australia and Nigeria have already issued…

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Sinopharm Suits Zimbabwe’s Cold Chain Capacity

Michael Gwarisa

UNLIKE other COVID-19 vaccines that were developed using  the Messenger Ribonucleic Acids (M-RNA) technology, vaccines manufactured using a killed/inactivated virus such as the Sinopharm, Sinovac and COVAXIN currently being administered in Zimbabwe do not require expensive subzero cold-chain infrastructure. By Michael Gwarisa The messenger RNA technology was deployed in the Pfizer, Mordena and other vaccines, making such vaccines unsuitable for hot climatic conditions such as the one in Zimbabwean unless the country installs a costly deep freeze airport warehouse, procures and modifies refrigerated vehicles and inoculation points to ensure the…

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Zimbabwe Launches Private Sector COVID-19 Vaccination Program

Michael Gwarisa

A Private Sector COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, an initiative to assist Government in its mass vaccination drive, has been launched in Zimbabwe. By Michael Gwarisa The program will assist in halting the rapid spread of COVID-19 by achieving herd immunity through having at least 60% of the population vaccinated against COVID-19. Under Zimbabwe’s Private Sector COVID-19 Vaccination initiative, the vaccines were acquired through government and will be dispensed through Cimas clinics countrywide. Officiating at launch of the Private Sector COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, Health and Child Care Deputy Ministry, Dr John Mangwiro…

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COVID-19 Leads To Spike In Respiratory And Spectacles Medical Aid Claims In Zim

Michael Gwarisa

THE Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ), which is the umbrella body for all medical aid companies in Zimbabwe says there has been an upsurge in respiratory and Eye related medical aid claims during the COVID-19 period. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking during a virtual meeting recently, AHFoZ Chief Executive Officer, Ms Shylet Sanyanga said, “In terms of the impact of COVID-19, we noticed that since the beginning of the pandemic and since the first case was diagnosed here in Zimbabwe, there has been an increase of respiratory related claims…

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Zim COVID-19 Epidemic Curve Flattening – Dr Grant

Michael Gwarisa
Dr Grant Murewanhema

LOCAL Public Health Expert and Epidemiologist, Dr Grant Murewanhema has hinted that Zimbabwe’s epidemic curve was at the verge of flattening even though clustered sections of infections were still reported at community level. By Michael Gwarisa An epidemic curve, also known as an epi curve or epidemiological curve, is a statistical chart used to visualize the onset and progression of a disease outbreak. Presenting during an editors workshop that was organized by the National AIDS Council, Dr Grant said there was need to scale-up COVID-19 prevention interventions in  a bid…

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95% Of Deaf Persons In Zim Don’t Understand Shona, Face Communication Challenges During COVID-19

Michael Gwarisa

COMPREHENDING and interpreting COVID-19 information has not been a walk in the park for  deaf persons amidst indications that 98% of of the deaf community do not understand the vernacular Shona language. By Michael Gwarisa Sign Language Interpreters Association of Zimbabwe (SLIAZ) Chairperson, Professor Lincoln Hlatsyawo told editors and station managers in Chinhoyi recently that the deaf community had been lagging behind in terms of access to COVID-19 and HIV information. Inaccessible Information Education and Communication (IEC) material has been an issue and in respect of COVID-19 and HIV and…

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