Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

Zimbabwe Doctor Uses Social Media To Dispel Vaccine Fears

Michael Gwarisa

A local medical doctor, epidemiologist and Public Health experts, Dr Grant Murewanehma has taken it upon himself to use his social media presence to raise awareness around the ongoing COVID-19 national vaccination drive in a bid to dispel myths and conspiracies around the vaccine. By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe received its first consignment of 200 000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine a fortnight ago and according to the Zimbabwean government, the first phase of the vaccination program is targeting frontline workers such as health care workers, educators, customs and clearance personnel,…

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NAC Donates PPE And Face Masks That Enable Lip Reading To Zim’s Deaf Community

Michael Gwarisa

THE National AIDS Council (NAC) has handed over a donation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the deaf community in Zimbabwe. By Michael Gawarisa The donation also includes 5000 special user-friendly face masks that were handed over to the Sunrise Academy of Sign Language on behalf of the deaf community which enables lip reading, which is essential in sign language communication. Speaking at the handover ceremony in Harare, NAC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Bernard Madzima said there was approximately 700 000 people who have been classified as deaf in…

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Zim Journalists Lead From The Front In National Vaccination Drive

Michael Gwarisa
abi

IT’s already 10:00 o’clock in the morning at Wilkins Hospital in Harare and journalists from both local and foreign media stables are waiting for the arrival of the Vice President of Zimbabwe who also doubles as the minister of health, VP Constantino Chiwenga to arrive and launch the national vaccination rollout drive. By Michael Gwarisa An hour later, the Vice President is yet to arrive and the Journalists are visibly growing impatient. A few minutes later, the VP Caravan pulls in and he heads straight for a debriefing before emerging…

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Of Isolation and Substance and Drug Abuse In Zimdancehall… Addressing The Elephant in the Room

Michael Gwarisa

WE don’t know how far true it is but a certain individual who is an avid follower of the Zimdancehall movement in Zimbabwe once told us that whenever the late Zimbdancehall icon Saul “Saul Jah Love”  Musaka would chant “Television Tings!” “High Definition” in his songs, he would be indirectly referring to a drug called Mutoriro or Dombo which is the Zimbabwean version of Crystal meth which is made from a substance called Phosphorous that is extracted from disused Television sets and discarded fluorescent bulbs and mixed with other substances.…

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Compensation For COVAX Vaccine Recipients Who Develop Serious Reactions

Michael Gwarisa

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has signed a no -fault compensation deal which will see  a lump-sum payment being made to recipients of the the COVAX vaccine who would have developed serious side effects and reaction getting paid for damages that would have occurred. By Michael Gwarisa The World Health Organization (WHO) and Chubb Limited (NYSE: CB), through ESIS Inc., a Chubb company, signed an agreement on behalf of the COVAX Facility on 17 February 2021 for the administration of a no-fault compensation programme for the 92 low- and middle-income…

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National Vaccination Drive Could Worsen Already Depressed Blood Stocks

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE’s blood bank which is currently running at less than a day’s supply of blood could experience a further decline in blood stocks during the forthcoming mass COVID-19 vaccination drive as donors who receive jabs are recommended to wait for at least 28 days before donating blood after receiving their shot. By Michael Gwarisa According to the Food and Drug and Drug Administration (FDA), individuals who get jabs from vaccines such as the AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and the  Sinopharm which are replication defective virus vaccines must wait two weeks…

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We Are Confident In The Sinopharm Vaccine Says VP Chiwenga

Michael Gwarisa

HEALTH and Child Care Minister (MoHCC), Vice President Constantino Chiwenga says government was confident the Sinopharm vaccine would do no harm to the people of Zimbabwe as they have done their homework before rolling out the dosses. By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe received an initial consignment of 200 000 doses of the Sinopharm Vaccine on February, 15 2021. The other batches are set to arrive from different suppliers and governments in the coming weeks in a move that is likely to see at 10 Million Citizens being vaccinated. Speaking at the…

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#JUSTIN: Blood Stocks Critically Low, NBSZ Appeals For Blood Donations

Michael Gwarisa

THE National Blood Service of Zimbabwe (NBSZ) is appealing for blood eligible blood donors to come forward and donate blood amidst indications that the blood bank is running low on blood stocks. By Michael Gwarisa The blood bank is currently running on a hand to mouth basis and is sitting on less than a day’s supply, whilst a healthy bank should have at least five days supply. In a statement, the NBSZ Communications Officer, Mr Ephraim Mubayi said the blood stocks levels have been affected by the prevailing COVID-19 induced…

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Misinformation Could Hinder Vaccine Acceptance In Zim Communities-Experts

Michael Gwarisa

Even some health experts are still unsure of the vaccine HEALTH experts have warned that rolling out the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination program without adequately engaging communities would hinder uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. By Michael Gwarisa The call comes in the wake of numerous conspiracy theories making rounds in communities which if not dispelled, would derail the nationwide vaccination process. At the forefront of covid-19 vaccine conspiracy theories in Zimbabwe are renowned religious leaders, some politicians and opinion leaders in communities. Public Health Expert and Epidemiologist, Dr Grant Murewanhema said as…

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