Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

770K People Died of AIDS Globally in 2018

Michael Gwarisa

A total of 770 000 people died of AIDS in 2019 according to latest statistics released in the UNAIDS Global Aids Update today in Eshowe South Africa. By Michael Gwairsa Responding to the statistics, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders said  the annual number of deaths due to AIDS has declined only minimally since 2014 and such a catastrophe could be avoided through timely use of effective diagnostic tools and medicines to treat HIV/AIDS and  prevent most deaths. While an additional 2 million people are reported on antiretroviral therapy (ART), more…

Read More

Medicines For Votes: Health Minister Under Fire

Michael Gwarisa

CIVIL society have come out guns blazing against embattled Health and Child Care minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo for abusing state resources to settle personal political deals. By Michael Gwarisa Dr Moyo, a losing ZANU PF 2018 political candidate is in the eye of a storm following a leaked letter between him and the War Veterans leader, Victor Matemadanda where the minister is directing National Pharmaceutical Companies of Zimbabwe (NATPHARM) to release medicines into Lupane health institutions ahead of the Lupane bi-election to be held on August 3, 2019. Speaking to…

Read More

Why You Should Never Use Your Boyfriend’s Towel

Michael Gwarisa

DID you know that boys or young men before they marry or settle down, are the filthiest creatures on this planet? Yes you heard right. Women have some hard work panel beating other people’s sons out there. By Michael Gwarisa Unlike women, men do not keep a journal or list of what they should wear throughout the week. It just happens. Beneath every men are hidden filthy secrets most ladies will die without even knowing. It is public secret that men can go for a week without changing their underwear.…

Read More

Taking Selfies A Sign Of Mental Illness- Study

Michael Gwarisa

THERE is absolutely nothing wrong  with self-love and the love for photos. Did you know however that constantly taking selfies could be a sign of mental illness? According to a study dubbed “An Exploratory Study of Selfitis and the Development of the Selfitis Behavior Scale,” that was conducted by two psychologists Banarthanan Balakrishnan and Mark D. Griffiths, there was a strong link between taking countless selfies and mental illness. The term Selfie according to the Oxford Dictionary, refers to a self-portrait photography of oneself (or oneself with other people), taken…

Read More

Gvt To Declare Missing Cyclone Idai Victims Dead

Michael Gwarisa

GOVERNMENT is in the process of declaring missing Cyclone Idai persons dead, amidst numerous futile efforts by government and rescue teams to locate the missing individuals’ whereabouts,  a government official has said. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Chimanimani This was said by the Acting Provincial Development coordinator for Manicaland, Mr Edgars Seenza during the belated World Blood Donor Day commemorations at Biriri High School in Chimanimani. Let me extend my condolences to the people of Chimanimani for having gone through such a tragic time where several lives were lost and…

Read More

Gvt Seeks To Maintain Blood Subsidy

Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) says it is working to boost domestic financial resources to complement the health levy in a bid to finance the free blood subsidy which was initiated by government in 2018. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Chimanimani The development comes at the back of indications that the health levy has racked in not less than ZW$63 million since inception in 2017. Speaking at the belated World Blood Donor Day (WBD) 2019 commemorations in Chimanimani, Manicaland Provincial Medical Director (PMD), Dr Patron Mafaune said…

Read More

Brazil Extends US$50 000 To Cyclone Idai Hit Communities

Michael Gwarisa

THE World Food Program (WFP) has received a US$50 000 Cyclone Idai recovery financial injection from the government of Brazil, which will go towards addressing the cyclone affected communities’ health and nutrition needs. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking at the signing ceremony of the financial contribution from Brazil, WFP Representative, Mr  Eddie Rowe applauded Brazil for their gesture and hinted that they will be rolling out phase 3 of their resilience support program in August which targets to reach not less than 15 000 households and will focus on early recovery…

Read More

Parliament Petitioned Over ARV Shortages

Michael Gwarisa

PEOPLE Living With HIV (PLHIV) have handed over a petition to the Parliament of Zimbabwe in a bid to push government to urgently allocate financial resources to arrest the prevailing drug shortage before the situation goes out of hand. By Michael Gwarisa The development comes at the back of indications that the National Aids Council (NAC) is sitting on a cash pile of RTGS$20 million which they are failing to convert to United States (US) dollars needed to procure drugs from source markets. In an interview on the side-lines of…

Read More

Is NAC On Autopilot?

Michael Gwarisa

IT’S been three months since Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo dismissed the whole National Aids Council (NAC) board over its failure to turn around fortunes of the organisation. By Michael Gwarisa Not only is NAC running without a board but the organisation has no substantive Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in place. Currently, Mr Raymond Yekeye the Operations Director has been CEO on an acting capacity  for the past six months now. As a news publication, we have made countless efforts to contact the Minster regarding the NAC…

Read More

List of 48 Countries That Still Bar HIV+ People From Entering Their Borders

Michael Gwarisa

THE UNAIDS has released a list of countries which still deport or bar people living with HIV from residing or accessing life opportunities within their boarders. By Michael Gwarisa According to the UNAIDS study dubbed Still not Welcome, in 2019, around 48 countries and territories still maintain some form of HIV-related travel restriction even though it has been noted and agreed that mandatory HIV testing and bans on entry, stay and residence based on HIV status not only do not protect public health but undermine HIV prevention and treatment efforts.…

Read More