Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

Do as I Say, Not What’s Best: The Perils of Philanthro-Colonialism at COP11

Michael Gwarisa

By Own Correspondent  As the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) concluded last week, experts on the sidelines raised concerns about the misuse of Article 5.3, which has increasingly hindered engagement with diverse stakeholders. The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) restrictive interpretation of this article has effectively limited meaningful dialogue between governments and non-state actors, including researchers, harm reduction advocates and industry representatives. Experts argue that this approach stifles evidence-based policymaking, prevents countries from exploring safer alternatives and reinforces a one-size-fits-all prohibitionist…

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Zimbabwe Launches Single Dose HPV Vaccine

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Umzingwane  Zimbabwe has officially launched the single-dose Human Papillomavirus vaccine, marking a major milestone in the country’s fight against cervical cancer. Although rollout of the single-dose regimen had already begun, the formal launch signals the full transition from the previous two-dose schedule, which had been associated with high dropout rates among adolescent girls. Speaking during the launch, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora said the shift to a single dose was backed by strong scientific evidence and would help close critical gaps in cervical…

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Relax, ARV Stocks Secure, Health Minister Tells People Living With HIV

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Umzingwane Health and Child Care Minister, Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, has assured the nation that Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) drugs remain fully stocked, adding that government is working toward maintaining a 12-month supply buffer at all times. The Minister was responding to concerns raised by the Zimbabwe Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) during the Candlelight Memorial Commemorations held at Umzingwane Primary School in Matabeleland South on the eve of World AIDS Day. We have already started procurement processes to make sure that at every stage we…

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When Santa Brings Joy at Christmas, Injiva Bring Infections and Unintended Pregnancies: The Hidden HIV Threat Facing Mat South Girls

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Mat South In most parts of Matabeleland South, the festive season does not only bring tinsel and holiday cheer. It brings something far more complicated. Bottle store owners and shopkeepers prepare for football tournaments that turn their businesses into instant profit zones, while a quieter and more vulnerable anticipation grows among young girls in the villages. They know the Injiva are coming. These are men returning from South Africa or Botswana with cash in hand and the confidence to spend it. For many girls, the homecoming…

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An HIV Wave Hitting Only One Side of the Market: Women in Mat South Are Bearing the Brunt

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Mat South In Matabeleland South, the burden of new HIV infections falls almost exclusively on women. The numbers are more than statistics; they depict a crisis where mothers and daughters are diagnosed one after the other, while men’s rates lag behind. This imbalance is shrinking families, disrupting livelihoods, and leaving communities to pick up the pieces. Data from the 2022 National Housing and Population Census shows that Matabeleland South has an estimated population of 760,000 people. Of these, the National AIDS Council (NAC) estimates that 93,000…

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Why Reforming the Termination of Pregnancy Act Can No Longer Wait

Michael Gwarisa

By Edinah Masiyiwa I have been closely following recent developments on access to safe abortion for women and girls in Zimbabwe. As I reflect on the Women’s Action Group’s (WAG) campaign on safe abortion in the early 1990s, I am encouraged by how far the country has come on this issue. When WAG advocated for access to safe abortion then, the organisation faced intense opposition that ultimately silenced the public campaign. Quiet, behind-the-scenes advocacy continued, eventually resulting in post-abortion care being adopted as a key component of reproductive health services—an…

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Zimbabwe Strengthens National HIV Response Ahead of World AIDS Day Commemorations

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  Zimbabwe has launched preparations for this year’s World AIDS Day commemorations, marking the beginning of a national week dedicated to reflection, mobilization and renewed commitment to ending HIV as a public health threat by 2030. The commemorations, set for Umzingwane in Matabeleland South, come at a time when the country is intensifying efforts to integrate HIV programmes with broader public health priorities, including childhood cancer care. Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, UNAIDS representative Jerry Manyika said the country…

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Zimbabwe’s Medicines Regulatory Body Registers Lencapavir

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has announced the expedited approval of Lenacapavir, an innovative long-acting medicine for pre exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV-1 infection. The MCAZ Director-General, Mr. Richard T. Rukwata, said “the rapid approval of Lenacapavir reflects the Authority’s dedication to accelerating access to trusted, high-quality health products and brings new hope for HIV prevention while reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding public health.” Lenacapavir was assessed and approved by the Registration Committee under the expedited review process, as it is considered to be…

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Sweden Shows the World That Tobacco Harm Reduction Works

Michael Gwarisa

By Munyaradzi Blessing Doma Sweden has become a global reference point for effective tobacco harm reduction, achieving some of the lowest smoking rates while many countries continue to struggle. Their success is largely attributed to a pragmatic approach that encourages smokers to switch from combustible cigarettes to significantly lower-risk alternatives such as snus and regulated nicotine products. Data shows that daily smoking rates have dropped sharply, resulting in notable improvements in public health. This discussion took centre stage on Day 4 of the Good COP 2.0, held concurrently with the…

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Inside Binga’s Herbal Sex Boosters: The Man Behind the Popular Guchu Remedy

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  Deep in the heart of Binga, in the midst of thick forests and scorching heat, the name Siposami Chuma is synonymous with the word saviour in some circles owing to his mastery of herbs. These are not ordinary herbs but Guchu, a mixture of roots and plants ground together to form a powder he claims can turn a man into a beast in the bedroom. At least that is what he says. If there is anything African men fear the most, it is discovering that their sexual…

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