Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

About Time We Start Having A Serious Discussion Around Drinking and Driving

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE is currently in a state mourning following the demise of one of the country’s most prominent businessperson, Genius Kadungure famously known as Ginimbi who died early Sunday morning in a traffic accident together with three of his colleagues. By Michael Gwarisa At age 36, Ginimbi was taken away tragically from this world and just like that, a vibrant and hardworking young person is no longer in our midst. Michelle Moana Amuli’ one of the occupants of the Ginimbi’s Rolls Royce Wraith also perished in the same accident and she…

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Relying On Donor Funding Threatens UHC Attainment in Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

COMMUNITY Working Group on Health (CWGH) Executive Director, Mr. Itai Rusike says the current scenario whereby the health sector is heavily reliant on donor funding was unsustainable. By Michael Gwarisa Addressing media training of Health Budgeting reporting, Mr Rusike said the country’s vision of attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC) was hanging by a thread owing to poor funding towards the healthcare sector and should donors one day pull the plug, Zimbabwe could be found in an even worse health situation. When the Global Fund is no longer able to fund…

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Doctors Without Border (MSF) Challenges COVID-19 Myths With New Quiz Challenge App

Michael Gwarisa

A new app that encourages people to behave safely if someone in their family or community catches COVID-19 has been launched by international medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in association with software developer Pixel Impact. HealthTimes Taking the form of an interactive quiz challenge, users of the COVID Challenge app are presented with a range of colourfully illustrated scenarios and given a choice of ways to respond. The topics covered are practical and wide-ranging, including how to interact with someone with COVID symptoms, how to share a…

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WHO Director Pins Hope On Biden Presidency To Restore Relations With The US

Michael Gwarisa

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General, Dr Tedros Ghebreysus believes the United States of America (USA) President-Elect, Joe Biden’s election into office could restore relations between the health organization and the US government which soured in April, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. By Michael Gwarisa Through his official twitter account, Dr Tedros said he was looking forward to working with the newly elected leaders. Congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris. My WHO colleagues and I look forward to working with you and your…

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Bad Politics, Corruption and Decaying Sanitation Standards Could Hinder Zimbabwe’s Fight To End Neglected Tropical Diseases-Report

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE’s goal of eliminating and reducing its rates of both schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) by the year 2030 could be jeopardised by the country’s toxic political environment, decaying water and sanitation standards and decreased access to basic hygiene. By Michael Gwarisa This was revealed in a report by The Economist Intelligence Unit (The EIU)  which is the research and analysis division of The Economist Group, the sister company to The Economist newspaper through sponsorship from The End Fund. The report is titled Breaking The Cycle Of Neglect: Reducing The…

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Madzimai Akupedzwa Nzara Yebonde Ne Gym Ne Mabasa- Vana Mazvikokota

Michael Gwarisa

MUDZIMAI akagarisa  asina kunzi tokonyo zvinogona kuvhiringa zvakwanda. Zvino kunze kwaita dambudziko, madzimai akawanda haachafarire bonde nekuda kwezvikonzero zvakwanda mazuva ano. Umwe Mazvikokota pane tsvakurudzo dzakaitwa anoti iye madzimai akupedzwa simba kugym, huye nekuita mabasa akawanda zvinosangasira anoita kuti vanete pfungwa zvese nemuviri. Na Michael Gwarisa Tsvakurudzo yakaitwa ku United Kingdom ye National Survey of Sexual Attitudes inoratidza kuti vanhu havachafadzane pabonde sezvaiitwa chinyakare. Sarudzo idzi dzakaona kuti mugore ra 1990, murume nemukadzi vaigona kuita bonde kshanu pa mwedzi, mugore ra 2000, vadikani vaiita bonde kana (4 times) tozoti muna…

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Health Ministry Receives Essential NCDs Management Equipment From WHO

Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has received a consignment of essential Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) medications and sundries from the World Health Organisation (WHO) in move set to intensify the fight against the increasing NCDs burden in the country. By Michael Gwarisa The donation of essential NCDs equipment also comes at a time the ministry of health and WHO are working on a new WHO NCD Risk Factor Survey. The last survey was done in 2005 which showed that the prevalence of hypertension in Zimbabwe was around 27%,…

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Sexual Gender Based Violence Linked To High Unsafe Abortions in Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

HIGH cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) have been linked to an increase in cases of unsafe and illegal abortions by young girls and women in Zimbabwe, a top government official has said. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking at the Health and Wellness Day that was organized by the Women Action Group (WAG) in Mabvuku, Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Small and Medium Enterprise Development Provincial Development Officer Mr Ernest Chimbodza said Zimbabwe was losing lives of young women and girls to unsafe abortions every year. Ladies and gentlemen,…

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Over 1000 Zim Nurses Punished For Defying Flexi Hours Ban

Michael Gwarisa

A total 1 280 Zimbabwe nurses face disciplinary action for failure to comply with government’s ban of the flexi hours working arrangement. By Michael Gwarisa The flexi-hours regime was introduced early this year to cushion nurses who had gone on a strike owing to poor wages and high costs of living. In a pots cabinet media brief, Information and broadcasting services minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said Cabinet was briefed by Vice President Honourable C.G.D.N. Chiwenga, as the Minister of Health and Child Care, on the Withdrawal of Labour by Nurses.…

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MOZAMBIQUE: Hundreds of thousands displaced now at risk of malaria & COVID-19, urgent assistance needed

Michael Gwarisa

BY now over 400,000 people from Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado have been displaced according to government estimates announced last week. After fleeing violence from ongoing attacks by armed groups and military actions from Mozambican forces, these displaced people now face serious health risks and inadequate living conditions. “Approximately 10,000 displaced people arrived by boat to the provincial capital of Pemba last week alone,” said Joaquim Guinart, Cabo Delgado Project Coordinator for the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF). “They were dehydrated. Women gave birth at sea.…

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