Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

COVID-19 Chokes AIDS Levy Collections

Michael Gwarisa

THE prevailing COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected AIDS Levy collections at the back of job losses and diminishing incomes during the period from March 2020 to date, making it difficult to fund HIV and AIDS interventions locally. By Michael Gwarisa The AIDS Levy is derived from  3% of income tax paid by individuals and cooperates and in Zimbabwe, HIV interventions are currently funded 70% by donors (multilateral or bilateral) and 11% by public resources and the reminder by Private players. —According to ZNASP (2015-2020), the HIV funding Gap for 2020…

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Zim Married Couples Urged To Use Condoms

Michael Gwarisa

THE National AIDS Council (NAC) Monitoring and Evaluation Director, Mr Amon Mpfofu says the risk of HIV infection is equally high among married couples as evidenced by latest nationwide HIV estimates. By Michael Gwarisa recently In Chinhoyi Speaking to Editors and Station Mangers during a sensitization meeting that was organized by NAC in Chinhoyi, Mr Mpofu attributed the high number of new HIV infections in Matebelenad South to spousal separation as  married couples are either separated by work or migration into neighboring countries. In 2020, the highest HIV prevalence was…

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Media Has Contributed Towards Bending HIV Trajectory Says Dep Minister Paradza

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE  has progressed in reducing its HIV and AIDS burden at the back of increased reportage of HIV and AIDS issues which has greatly changed perceptions around the disease and reduced stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV. By Michael Gwarisa in Chinhoyi Addressing Editors and Station managers from different media organization in Chinhoyi, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister, Honorable Kindness Paradza said mentioning Zimbabwe’s HIV success without including the media would be a great injustice. Far from the belief in some quarters that HIV and AIDS…

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#LongReadAhead: Vaccines Efficacy And Effectiveness Explained

Michael Gwarisa
Dr Tinashe Gede

THE arrival of the coronavirus on our shores has to a larger extent planted an appetite for reading and commenting around health-related issues even amongst non-medical people. All of a sudden everyone is now a public health or medical analyst and this is largely due to information gaps present in our communities. By Michael Gwarisa The World Health Organisation (WHO) identified information and communication as a key pillar to the pandemic response amongst the eight pillars the world heath body has set. However, when not managed and disseminated well, information…

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Zimbabwe COVID-19 Case Fatality Among The Highest In The World-Expert

Michael Gwarisa

IN as much as Zimbabwe’s deaths from COVID-19 are relatively lower than those being recorded in other parts of the world, indications on the ground are that there is a high possibility that whoever gets infected has a greater chance of succumbing to the virus. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking to Journalists, Immunologist and Public Health expert, Dr Tinashe Gede said the country has of late been battling highly virulent COVID-19 strains, hence the high case fatality. On a relative scale, as a Continent, Africa has been relatively spared in terms…

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Vaccine Hesitancy Stands In The Way Of Zim’s Herd Immunity Target

Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) says even though numbers of people who are now taking the vaccine have increased, the hesitancy that characterized the initial stages of national vaccination program might have slowed down progress towards inoculating 60% of the population that is required to achieve herd immunity. By Michael Gwarisa Herd immunity, or community immunity, is when a large part of the population of an area is immune to a specific disease. If enough people are resistant to the cause of a disease, such as a…

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NBSZ Sets 97,000 Units Blood Collection Target For 2021

Michael Gwarisa
Epharaim Mubayi

THE National Blood Service of Zimbabwe (NBSZ) is targeting to collect an ambitious 97,500 units of blood for the year 2021 despite ongoing COVID-19 induced challenges. By Michael Gwarisa The  target also comes in the face at a time the blood bank is recovering from a dry period whereby  reserves from blood banks branches around the country had been struggling to maintain normal blood stocks  of at least least five days due to travel restrictions that saw most donors failing to access blood clinics to donate blood in the first…

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Zimbabwe COVID-19 Hospitalizations Decrease

Michael Gwarisa

CABINET has announced that COVID-19 related hospitalizations have decreased over the past few weeks, signalling a positive outlook for the country battle against COVID-19. By Michael Gwarisa According to cabinet, majority of the new cases currently being recorded have mild to moderate symptoms and they don’t require hospitalization. Generally,  hospital admissions for COVID-19 cases have decreased, resulting in institutions such as the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals reclaiming areas in the Out-Patient Department for routine service provision,” said Information and Publicity Minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa during a post cabinet media briefing.…

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Allergies Are Not Vaccine Side Effects- Dr Chivaura

Michael Gwarisa

FAMILY Practitioner and medical expert Dr Audrey Chivaura says not all reactions being experienced after getting COVID-19 jabs were side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines but could be as a result of underlying allergies. By Michael Gwarisa By definition, an allergy is a condition in which the immune system reacts abnormally to a foreign substance. At times the immune system reacts even to a substance or exposure to something that is not even harmless. Dr Chivaura said people should make an effort to know their allergic history before taking vaccines…

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Sally Mugabe Hospital Nurses Raise Victimization Alarm

Michael Gwarisa

NURSES at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital (formerly Harare Central Hospital) who participated in a job action over the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in June 2020 and another one early this year, have raised a red flag over the continued harassment at the hands of the hospital’s management, HealthTimes has learnt. By Michael Gwarisa Nurses from the institution who spoke this publication said the working environment had become toxic  as fear and uncertainty had gripped most nurses at the institution and they were being subjected to countless warnings and…

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