Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

United Nations Calls For More Support For The Girl Child In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

THE United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Zimbabwe has paid tribute to adolescent girls in the country as the world marks the International Day of the Girl Child under a global theme – “My voice, our equal future”. By Michael Gwarisa The 2020 theme calls us to reimagine a better future inspired by the ideas and innovations of adolescent girls. Girls in Zimbabwe, as in the world over, face myriad challenges, including gender-based discriminations that result in less opportunities across a range of sectors like education, training and employment, compared…

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Roots Africa Integrates COVID-19 & HIV Programs In Mazowe

Michael Gwarisa

ROOTS Africa, a young woman led organisation working towards the promotion of economic and social justice among young people in peri-urban, rural and mining communities says it  is working with the ministry of health and child care (MoHCC) to integrate COVID-19 and HIV health interventions in Mazowe district by taking health services to people’s doorsteps. By Michael Gwarisa Mazowe district in Mashonaland Central province has a high HIV incidence in young women and girls as well as a high Early Unintended Pregnancies (EUPs) rate owing to rampart uncontrolled artisanal mining…

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HER Voice Fund To Help Reduce HIV Incidence In Young Girls and Women In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

THE HER Voice Fund, a grant that has been set aside to support meaningful community engagements and leadership of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), is set to help reduce new HIV infections in AGYWs through amplifying the voices and priorities of AGYW in order to inform the decisions that affect their lives. By Michael Gwarisa In an interview with HealthTimes on the sidelines of the HER Voice Inception meeting in Zimbabwe, HER Voice Fund Ambassador, Tambudzai Magwenzi said the grants have been warded to at least six organizations to…

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Africa Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP) partners with bioMérieux to facilitate supply of high-quality COVID-19 diagnostics

Michael Gwarisa

BIOMÉRIEUX and the Africa Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP), have announced a new partnership to facilitate the supply of high-quality diagnostic solutions from the bioMérieux Pandemic Response Portfolio to African Union Member States. The AMSP portal is an online marketplace that enables the supply of COVID-19-related critical diagnostics and medical equipment and consumables in Africa and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). It was developed under the leadership of the African Union Special Envoy, Strive Masiyiwa and powered by Janngo, on behalf of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).…

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LANDMARK MOVE: South Africa & India propose no patents on COVID-19 medicines, tools during pandemic

Michael Gwarisa

IN a landmark move, India and South Africa on 2 October asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) to allow all countries to choose to neither grant nor enforce patents and other intellectual property (IP) related to COVID-19 drugs, vaccines, diagnostics and other technologies for the duration of the pandemic, until global herd immunity is achieved. This bold step is akin to efforts by governments nearly 20 years ago, which spearheaded the use of affordable generic HIV/AIDS medicines, and, if approved, could signal a major turning point in countries’ response to…

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US Government launches US$5 Mln Initiative To Expand Economic Opportunities For Zim Youth

Michael Gwarisa

THE United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the Local Works Zimbabwe Youth Program, a US$5 million economic empowerment initiative. This youth-led initiative will help create economic opportunities to address youth unemployment, increase incomes, and combat rising poverty among young people in urban and rural areas. In his remarks at the Local Works Zimbabwe Stakeholder Meeting, held on October 7, USAID/Zimbabwe Mission Director Mr. Art Brown said, “USAID would like young people to take the driver’s seat. Our approach under the Local Works program is slightly different from the…

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Zvisikana Zvidiki Zvotengesa Bonde MuChiredzi

Michael Gwarisa

INGUVA dzepfumbamwe Manheru, vazhinji muguta re Chiredzi vakugadizirira kunorara kuti vafumo bata jongwe muromo vakananga kumabasa zuva rinoteverea. Vutunga huri mubishi kuita ma press up hwakamirira kuti vanhu varare huwane kusvusvura. Na Michael Gwarisa ari Muchiredzi Nechekure, kurikunzwika Redhiyo ichidandauka zvekuti huyai muone. Miridzo nemheterwa zvirikuridzwa kuratidza kuti vanhu vari kutamba chipisi. Haungatombofungiri kuti kune Lockdown. Mukuru umwe atakataura naye akati iye mhere mhere iyi yainge ichibva kubhawa re Chigarapasi, rinova zvakare bhawa gururusa kupinda mamwe ose munyika yeZimbabwe. Tati fambe Chinhamwe takananga kwaibva neruzha, takaona mumugagwa unoenda ku Chigarapasi…

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#JUSTIN: Lancet Sets Up Lab At Vic Falls Airport To Test Visitors

Michael Gwarisa

LANCET Clinical Laboratories has established a laboratory at the Victoria Falls Airport with the aim of testing arriving tourists and the visiting public to curb the spread of the COVID-19. By Michael Gwarisa Briefing Journalists  during a Post Cabinet briefing, Information, publicity and broadcasting service, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said the move was part of  measures to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 following the easing of lockdown restrictions which have also seen restrictions on both inbound and outbound international travel being lifted. With regard to laboratory facilities, Cabinet noted that…

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#BREAKING: The Avenues Clinic Restructures, 13 Employees Laid Off

Michael Gwarisa

MEDICAl Investments Limited’s (MIL) flagship company, The Avenues Clinic says it is going through a restructuring exercise which has largely been driven by reduced operational capacity and some inefficiencies currently being experienced in certain departments. By Michael Gwarisa The exercise will likely see 13 of its employees being laid-off while the leadership of the organisation is finalising the process so as to ensure a smooth transition to the revised work structures. In an interview with HealthTimes, MIL Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Searchmore Chaparadza indicated that there has been a…

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Breaking the Cycle of Neglect: New Report Highlights the Economic Benefits of Eliminating NTDs in Africa

Michael Gwarisa

More than 1.7bn people require treatment for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) worldwide, with over 40% of the burden in Africa. Data indicate that reducing the illness and early death associated with NTDs would increase adults’ current and future economic productivity. Treating and preventing NTDs at a large scale could greatly increase the GDPs of countries that are currently burdened by disease.  OVER 560 million people across Africa remain at risk of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) – a group of parasitic and bacterial infectious diseases, such as river blindness and intestinal…

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