Michael Gwarisa |

Save Life Launches Medical Aid Product for the Elderly

July 29, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

A new medical aid product called Save Life Medical Aid Fund, has introduced a cross cutting medical aid facility which will provide cover to all ages including the elderly above the of 65. By Michael Gwarisa Save Life Medical Aid director, Dr Brighton Chireka said the new product would bridge the huge health insurance gap rampart in Zimbabwe considering that only 10% of Zimbabweans have medical aid cover while the remaining 90% do not. Most medical aid products available in the country have closed doors on the elderly, making it…

Kick Out Stunting Campaign Starts On High Note

July 26, 2019July 26, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

THE Zimbabwe Civil Society Organisations Scaling Up Nutrition (ZCSOSUNA) has launched a campaign targeting adolescents with the aim of raising awareness around nutrition issues affecting young children in the country. By Michael Gwarisa The campaign dubbed “Kick out Stunting Campaign” uses sports and outdoor recreational activities to bring young people together and teach them the basics and essentials of nutrition. The campaign kicked off in Kuwadzana 6, Harare and was graced by several school pupils from schools in Kuwadzana who came to watch a football match between two of Corpus…

Zim Prepared To Deal With Ebola- Gvt

July 24, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE just like any other country in the region, is not safe from the Ebola outbreak which has already been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO), a top government official has said. By Michael Gwarisa In an interview, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), Dr Agnes Mahomva said Zimbabwe takes the WHO Ebola warning seriously. We stand very much guided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) we know they are a strong technical arm of the world…

Corruption Reigns Supreme In Zim’s Health Sector-Report

July 23, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

THE Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) has revealed shocking details of the endemic corruption which has eaten deep into Zimbabwe’s health sector. By Michael Gwarisa An assessment carried out by ACT-SA indicates that Medical practitioners in the employ of the government also operate private businesses (clinics, hospital and surgeries) and are accused of spending more time at their private businesses than at government hospitals amongst a host of other ills. Mr. David Jamali, the Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) urged the Government of Zimbabwe to…

Free Blood Initiative Hangs In Limbo…As Gvt Delays Financial Allocation

July 23, 2019July 25, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary, Dr Agnes Mahomva has professed ignorance as to how much and when they will be disbursing their 2019 allocation towards the free blood initiative, a situation which poses a threat to the continuation of the program. By Michael Gwarisa In 2018, government committed to financing the free blood initiative through funding from the health levy which was introduced in 2017 under the then minister, Dr David Parirenyatwa’s administration. However, indications on the ground are that since beginning of the year, no…

300 Mentally Ill Inmates Trapped In Zim Prisons

July 23, 2019July 23, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

A total of 300 prisoners diagnosed with mental disorders have spent more than 10 years detained inside Chikurubi Maximum prison and other correctional facilities around the country due to the absence of a mental health tribunal review board. By Michael Gwarisa This was revealed by Bulawayo Metropolitan legislator, Honourable Jasmine Toffa during an oral evidence session where Ministry of Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary, Dr Agnes Mahomva was briefing Parliament on the steps government has taken to resolve the Mental Health Tribunal Board issue. It’s not just a few outstanding…

Avenues Clinic Donates to Chipinge District Hospital

July 22, 2019July 22, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

THE Avenues Clinic has donated an assortment of hospital equipment to Chipinge District Hospital as part of its corporate social responsibility drive. By Michael Gwarisa Equipment that was donated include 10 hospital beds, a theatre table, five baby cribs ,drug trolleys and emergency trolleys. Speaking at the handover ceremony the Board Chairman, Mr James Maposa said the donation was mainly motivated by the need to better equip the hospital so that it can sustain the growing number of patients that it is now having to attend to. When the cyclone…

DRC Ebola Outbreak Could Spread Beyond DRC Boarders- WHO

July 18, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of an impending Ebola outbreak that could spread beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) boarders in what the international health organisation has described as a public health emergency of international concern. By Michael Gwarisa The declaration followed a meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee for EVD in the DRC. The Committee cited recent developments in the outbreak in making its recommendation, including the first confirmed case in Goma, a city of almost two million people on the border with Rwanda,…

Power Cuts Threaten Blood Bank Operations

July 17, 2019July 17, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

THE National Blood Service of Zimbabwe (NBSZ), says it is appealing to the national power utility (ZESA) to at least connect the blood bank to a special power grid so as to ensure blood is maintained at normal temperatures at all times By Michael Gwarisa The development comes amidst indications that the blood bank, which is a critical blood storage facility has not been spared by the prevailing power outages and should the situation continue unabated, the organisation would be forced to dispose and or burn tonnes of blood since…

Lafarge In Revolutionary Breakthrough For Breastfeeding Mothers

July 17, 2019July 17, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

BREASTFEEDING is considered a basic need for every infant of breastfeeding age and according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a baby should be exclusively breastfed for up to six months before introducing him/her to complimentary foods until at least the age of two years. By Michael Gwarisa According to nutrition experts, the first 1000 days are the most crucial for an infant’s brain development and this can only be attained through adequate and exclusive breastfeeding. In developing countries however, poverty and its attendant condition, malnutrition, weaken this foundation, leading…