Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

ARV Stock-outs: More People Miss Doses In Chipinge

Michael Gwarisa

CHIPINGE recorded the highest number of households with members who missed Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) doses since beginning of the year 2019 at the back of drug stock outs amongst a host of other factors. By Michael Gwarisa Medicines stock-outs as for the period under review stood at 28% and was reported as the major reason for people missing ART doses while failure to access  health facilities  was at 20.9%, inadequate transport money to travel to health facilities 10.4% and forgetting to take medication by  members living with HIV 10.4%. According…

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GBV, The Evil Unfinished Business Stalking Zim

Michael Gwarisa

AFTER being confronted by her husband Tobias on countless times over her refusal to return to her parents’ home, Loveness (Not real Names) found herself at the receiving end of unrelenting abuse at the hands of her husband of four years. By Michael Gwarisa As the argument ensued one day, Tobias took an axe and without hesitation struck his wife three times on the head before fleeing the scene. By taking a glance at the oozing blood and the grisly scene of her bludgeoned head, one could conclude that Loveness…

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Pepfar partners Hpsl in HIV- AIDS campaign

Michael Gwarisa

THE United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Harare Professionals Soccer League (Hpsl) joined hands this week to launch the PEPFAR- Hpsl Test and Score Football Tournament. During the tournament, Pepfar partners will work with male professionals on HIV prevention, HIV testing and adherence to treatment. At PEPFAR, we are excited about this partnership and we will be monitoring progress as you play soccer and get to know more about smart decisions to protect yourself from acquiring HIV,” said Dr Ponesai Nyika, Public Health Specialist at…

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Save The Children Responds To Nutrition Needs In Cyclone Idai Hit Communities

Michael Gwarisa

SAVE the Children has responded to the Cyclone Idai disaster through providing food and nutrition needs to the affected communities. By Michael Gwarisa Through funding from Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC), the relief program seeks to increase access to essential health services and prevent or improve health and nutrition outcomes among the affected communities. Speaking on the development, Save The Children Zimbabwe Nutrition Manager, Mthulisi Dube said the DEC funded Phase 1 Southern Africa Cyclone Idai 2019 project is covering Health, WASH and Nutrition activities. The project aims to meet the…

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Rural Enterprise Trust Launches Ambitious Nutrition Project In Bindura

Michael Gwarisa

THE Rural Enterprise Trust of Zimbabwe (RETZ) has embarked on a project aimed at promoting nutrition consciousness amongst young people in Bindura District. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Bindura The project dubbed Goalkeepers Youth Action Accelerator is funded by the Gates Foundation and supported by CIVICUS. It will be implemented in the 15 out of the 21 wards in the district. Briefing a stakeholders meeting in Bindura, RTZ Consultant Mr Cathbert Mukora said  the project will empower young people with information around the subject of nutrition. Our purpose is to…

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Open Defecation Highest in Mat North

Michael Gwarisa

MATEBELELAND North recorded the highest number of households still practicing open defecation in the period 2018 to 2019, a Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) survey has reported. By Michael Gwarisa According to the report, 60% of households in Mat North practice open defecation against a 33% national defecation rate. Open defecation was practiced by 33% of households nationally, with the highest proportion being in Matabeleland North was 60%. Binga had the highest proportion of households was 74.3% practising open defecation. Twelve districts had more than 50% of households practising open…

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Zim Among Countries With High HIV Drug Resistance- WHO

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE is among one of the 18 countries that recorded HIV drug resistance above 10% percent amidst indications that more women showed resistance to first line regimens efavirenz/nevirapine. In the SADC region, South Africa tops the list with a 23.6% Pretreatment Drug Resistance (PDR) to efavirenz/nevirapine followed by Namibia which has  a 13.8% PDR to EFV/NVP while Zimbabwe has 10.9% PDR to EDF/NVP. However, national guidelines in all these countries have been revised to include the use of DTG as preferred first-line ART for adults and adolescents (in women and girls…

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Paediatric HIV A Neglected Disease

Michael Gwarisa

THERE are currently 1.8 million children living with HIV in Sub Saharan Africa, while 180 000 new HIV infections are recorded among children every year.  52% of these children were receiving antiretroviral therapy in 2017. By Michael Gwarisa In Zimbabwe however the number of children on ARVs has declined owing to a decline in mother to child transmission of HIV according to data released by the National Aids Council (NAC) and UNAIDS which indicates that the number of children on ART decreased from 89% in 2017 to 65% in 2018.…

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#BREAKING: Gvt Repeals Section 40 Of The Marriages Bill…Says We Cant Protect Civil Partnerships

Michael Gwarisa

GOVERNMENT has with immediate effect revoked Section 40 of the Marriages  Bill which granted civil partnerships the same rights as proper marriages. By Michael Gwarisa and Kudakwashe Pembere During the post cabinet media briefing, Information minister, Hon Monica Mutsvangwa announced their decision to remove the controversial section following its misinterpretations by the public as it contradicted the country’s religious etiquette. “Cabinet also sought clarification from the Minister of Justice Legal and Parliamentary affairs on the import of Section 40 of the Marriage Amendment Bill currently before Parliament. Following the explanation…

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Every Police Officer Should Get Victim Friendly Training To End GBV

Michael Gwarisa

PARLIAMENTARIANS have called on the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to realign its curriculum and make it compulsory for every police officer to have Victim Friendly Unit (VFU) training so as to increase efficiency in dealing with Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases. By Michael Gwarisa   Speaking during a Policy Makers Dialogue meeting in Harare organised by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Movement For Democratic Change (MDC) Vice President, Honorable Lynette Karenyi said Integrating VFU training into police training would ensure survivors of GBV get closure and comfort after…

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