Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

Harare Door to Door HIV Survey Launched

Michael Gwarisa

THE team conducting the 2019-2020 Zimbabwe Population HIV Based Assessment (ZIMPHIA) survey will be leading a door to door gathering and collating of HIV related data with the aim of assessing the progress as well as identifying gaps that could hinder the realisation of the 2030 goal of ending AIDS. By Michael Gwarisa The Harare launch follows the successful commencement of Phase 2 which kicked off after a short festive season sabbatical. Phase one to the survey was completed in December where a community response rate of at least 95…

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ZADHR Elects New Board Of Directors

Michael Gwarisa

THE Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) has announced the election of new seven member board of directors which is set to provide oversight of the organization’s operations for the next three years. By Michael Gwarisa In a statement, ZADHR Executive Director  Dr Calvin Fambirai said the appointment was in line with the organization’s mandate and observation of  good corporate governance. “Following the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on the 21st of December 2019 at ZiMA House, and a subsequent inception board meeting held on the 11th of…

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CSOs Pressure Gvt To Appoint New NAC Board and CEO

Michael Gwarisa

THE National AIDS Council (NAC) which has gone for more than 365 days with neither a  substantive board nor Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has come under fire from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) who believe the development was impacting negatively on the national HIV response. By Michael Gwarisa Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo dissolved the NAC board a year ago a few weeks after former NAC CEO, Dr Tapuwa Magure had resigned. Since January 2019, Mr Raymond Yekeye the NAC Operations Manager and Mr Alfred Manenji the Finance…

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Y+ Receives HER Voice Grant To Advance HIV Response In Young Girls

Michael Gwarisa

YOUNG Global Network for Young People Living With HIV (Y+ Network) has received the HER Voice Fund, a Global Fund and ViiV Healthcare initiative to ensure young women and girls have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their health. By Michael Gwarisa The HER Voice initiative was created in recognition of the vital role adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) have in driving and shaping the HIV response. Speaking on the development, Y+ Global Programmes Manager, Cedric Nininahazwe said it was time for action. The message is now shut your…

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One In Every Four Children Not Registered- UNICEF

Michael Gwarisa

DATA released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) indicate that one in four children under the age 5 (166 million), on average, are not registered in the world today. By Michael Gwarisa According to a publication by UNICEF called “Birth Registration for Every Child by 2030: Are we on track?” children under five fail to get registration owing to a plethora of barriers which range from poverty, long distance to health facilities among others. And even when they are, they may not have proof of registration. The reasons are…

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Medical aid fees increases challenged

Michael Gwarisa

SOURCE: THE HERALD AS private hospitals, doctors and laboratories continue pushing up their fees faster than inflation, medical aid societies are following suit forcing many out of private health care and private health insurance as they can no longer afford the fees and subscriptions. The Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) issued new pricing guidelines in November last year to cushion members against huge co-payments and shortfalls. The adjusted rates have prompted  members to either downgrade packages or drop health insurance completely. AHFoZ chief executive officer Ms Shylet Sanyanga…

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Frontline AIDS Booklet Tackles HIV Status Disclosure

Michael Gwarisa

FRONTLINE AIDS has developed a pamphlet which seeks to address the issue of HIV status disclosure amongst children and caregivers in a bid to increase relations between the two groups. By Michael Gwarisa According to Frontline AIDS, the booklet has been developed from the stories of young people and families in the READY+ programme. Stories have been gathered from eSwatini, Tanzania and Zimbabwe to share the experiences of caregivers caring for children and young people living with HIV. “We hope it provides parents and caregivers with information  and ideas to…

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EMA Moves To Ban Diapers

Michael Gwarisa

  SOURCE: THE HERALD Disposable diapers could soon be banned for posing a serious hazard to the environment as they create enormous amounts of toxic trash that takes 500 years to decompose in landfills while their improper disposal allows excrement to be washed into rivers. While many Zimbabweans who have stopped using traditional washable cloth nappies are against the proposed ban, as they say disposables provide convenience and save on time, soap and water, the Environment Management Agency (EMA) is already lobbying Government to ban them. EMA argues that disposable…

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Health Ministry Sets New Interview Dates For Nursing Candidates

Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has set aside January 9 and 10 as new dates for Nursing training interviews in order to accommodate those who missed the first interviews held from January 2 to 3 2020. By Michael Gwarisa In a statement on their Facebook page, the health ministry said the initial call for interviews was done on short notice hence the new arrangement. We have noted that some of the shortlisted candidates could not manage to attend the interviews on short notice and due to internet…

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Massive Response To HIV Survey

Michael Gwarisa

PHASE one to the ongoing Zimbabwe Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (ZIMPHIA) 2020 has ended on a high note amidst indications that the survey has witnessed a response rate above 95 percent from communities. By Michael Gwarisa In an interview with HealthTimes, ZIMPHIA Communications person, Blessed Gumbi said the first phase to the survey has already covered vast ground and phase two which commences today will focus on the remaining communities. We have done phase one of the survey and covered about 25 percent of the intended survey respondents. We did…

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