Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

Almost 10 million children may never return to school following Covid-19 lockdown- Save The Children Warns

Michael Gwarisa

DEEP budget cuts to education and rising poverty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could force at least 9.7 million children out of school forever by the end of this year, with millions more falling behind in learning, Save the Children warns in a new report launched today. Girls are likely to be much worse affected than boys, with many forced into early marriage. As the impacts of the recession triggered by COVID-19 hits families, many children may be forced out of school and into labour markets. In its report, Save…

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#JUSTIN: Cross Boarder Trucks Reversing Zim COVID-19 Containment Efforts

Michael Gwarisa

CROSS boarder vehicles are making it difficult for Zimbabwe to combat the raging COVID-19 amidst indications that truckers and other cross boarder vehicles operators are smuggling returnees into the country, in the process evading mandatory quarantine which allows health workers to monitor them for any possible symptoms of infection. By Michael Gwarisa In a media brief, Information, Publicity and broadcasting services minister, Honorable Monica Mutsvangwa said even though the country appears to be suffering from lockdown fatigue does s not give Citizens  immunity from infections. Enforcement has been intensified to…

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NCD Alliance Launches New Civil Society Solidarity Fund In Response To COVID19

Michael Gwarisa
NCD ALLIANCE

TWENTY Civil Society Alliances from Africa, Asia, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean and Latin America will be awarded grants to accelerate the response to the coronavirus pandemic through the first Civil Society Solidarity Fund on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and COVID-19, which was announced today by the NCD Alliance during a high-level online event. HealthTimes Reporter Todd Harper, President of the NCD Alliance, said: “The coronavirus pandemic shows many intersections between COVID-19 and NCDs. People living with NCDs are more vulnerable to COVID-19, with a substantially higher risk of becoming severely ill or…

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#BREAKING: Gvt Hospitals Bosses Fired, HSB Says Its Restructuring

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE’S public health institutions could be running on auto pilot amidst indications that all Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in government hospitals have been dismissed under what the Health Services Board (HSB) has described as a restructuring exercise. By Michael Gwarisa In an interview with HealthTimes, HSB Board Chair Paulinos Sikhosana said the restructuring was meant to bring sanity in all public health institutions. There is a  restructuring going to improve efficiency effectiveness and integrity, so that’s the only statement that I can tell you,” said Dr Sikhosana before he hung…

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#JUSTIN: Two Parirenyatwa Hospital Employees Test Positive For COVID-19

Michael Gwarisa

TWO out of 26 members of staff at Parirenyatwa Hospital, who had just completed their shifts in the institution’s COVID-19 center have tested positive for COVID-19, HealthTimes has learnt. By Michael Gwarisa In a statement, the institution said those who tested positive were immediately quarantined to avoid further spreading the disease. Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals would like to inform the public that two out of 26 staff members who had completed one of their shifts in our COVID-19 Centre tested positive for SARS-Cov-2. “Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals has three teams…

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#JUSTIN: Many Could Die, As Zimbabweans Fail To Access Health Services

Michael Gwarisa

THOUSANDS of desperate Zimbabweans were this week left without public health services for the third week as health care workers continued striking, amid growing fears that many will be left to die as a worsening crisis in the health care sector takes its toll, warns Citizens Heath Watch (CHW). By HealthTimes Correspondent  This week, 18 health care workers at the government run, referral hospital United Bulawayo Hospitals tested positive for Covid 19, as nurses at public institutions countrywide continue to withhold their services making the plight of Zimbabweans more challenging,…

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Dark Week For Zimbabwe, As COVID-19 Kills 5 Within A Few Days

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE has recorded another COVID-19 fatality, this time a 63 year old woman from Matabeleland North Province , bringing the total number of coranavirus deaths recorded this week to five, the highest weekly death toll the country has recorded since the pandemic was recorded in the country. By Michael Gwarisa The cumulative total number of deaths in Zimbabwe currently stands at 13 with majority of the cases having been recorded during the period July 6 to 10, 2020. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) daily COVID-19…

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FDA Authorizes Marketing of IQOS Tobacco Heating System with ‘Reduced Exposure’ Information

Michael Gwarisa

THE U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the marketing of Philip Morris Products S.A.’s “IQOS Tobacco Heating System” as modified risk tobacco products (MRTPs). By Michael Gwarisa This marks the second set of products ever to be authorized as MRTPs and the first tobacco products to receive “exposure modification” orders, which permits the marketing of a product as containing a reduced level of or presenting a reduced exposure to a substance or as being free of a substance when the issuance of the order is expected to benefit the health…

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#JUSTIN: Mnangagwa Hints On Lockdown Review

Michael Gwarisa

PRESIDENT Emerson says there is need for a review of lockdown measures in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19. By Michael Gwarisa The announcement comes after the country has recorded its darkest week since the COVID-19 was reported in the country. Speaking during a Politburo Meeting, President Mnangagwa said, “The recent rapid spike of infections requires that we make another review of the COVID-19 Lockdown measures.”    

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Being A Sex Worker Under Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 Induced Lockdwon

Michael Gwarisa

ACCORDING to Zimbabwe’s law, Prostitution is not a crime. However, loitering for the purposes of soliciting for sex is regarded a criminal offense. What is also criminalised is the act of offering one’s services in a public place. By Michael Gwarisa In as much as the law provides some form of relief to sex workers, it however makes it difficult for them to operate since majority of their clients frequent public spots such as roads, intersections, clubs etc and for them to get business, they need to be available physically…

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