Michael Gwarisa |

Lois Chingandu Joins Frontline AIDS

July 2, 2019July 2, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

RENOWNED HIV and sexual reproductive health rights expert, Lois Chingandu has joined Frontline AIDS, a leading HIV and AIDS response organisation as its new Director of Evidence and Influence . By Michael Gwarisa Lois joins Frontline AIDS at a pivotal time for the organisation after serving at the helm of SAFAIDS Zimbabwe as Executive Director. The organisation, Frontline rebranded in February 2019 and is set to launch a new Global Plan of Action later this year and Lois together with her new team will play a central role in generating…

People Living With HIV To March Against ARV Stock outs

July 2, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

CIVIC Society Organisations (CSOs) together with people living with HIV will this Thursday, July 4, 2019, march and petition parliament over the obtaining shortage of Anteretroviral (ARVs) drugs and drug stock outs. The march is being organised by Zimbabwe Aids Network (ZAN), Zimbabwe Positive Youths (ZY+), Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) and will see various other pressure groups aligned to the HIV cause joining in.

Only 134 Ambulances Functioning Countrywide

June 29, 2019July 1, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE only has 134 operational ambulances out of 282 vehicles, a situation which has affected the sector’s capacity to respond to health emergencies. This was revealed by Auditor General, Mildred Chiri during her submission of the Report on the Audit of Appropriation Accounts, Finance and Revenue Statements and Fund Accounts of Zimbabwe for the year ended December 31, 2018. “In order for the Ministry to promote public health it requires ambulances to provide transport to patients. My examination of the asset register for the Ministry however, revealed a constraint in…

Zim Annual TB Incidence Falls By 8%

June 28, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

CASES of new Tuberculosis (TB) infections have declined by 8% at the back of improved access to TB screening treatment and care at community level. By Michael Gwarisa The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) is defined as the number of new TB cases in one year per 100,000 population whereas prevalence of tuberculosis is defined as the number of TB cases in a population at a given point in time (sometimes referred to as “point prevalence”) per 100,000 population Speaking at the Mid Term Review of the Zimbabwe National TB program,…

Zim Abortion Law Drives Girls Into Early Marriages

June 27, 2019June 27, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE’S current Termination of Pregnancy Act which criminalises abortion, opens room for uncontrolled early child marriages, a top legal expert has said. By Michael Gwarisa The Termination of Pregnancy Act (ToP) 1977 only permits abortion if the pregnancy poses a threat to the life of the unborn child or the mother or if the pregnancy is as a result of incest or rape. According to the law, termination of pregnancy cannot happen anywhere else besides a designated institution in this case a public hospital and at least two medical practitioners…

ZIMRA Scraps Sanitary Wear Duty

June 22, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has scrapped duty on sanitary wear products for women in a bid to cushion girls and women against the skyrocketing prices of sanitary wear products. By Michael Gwarisa In an interview with HealthTimes, ZIMRA Head Corporate Communications, Mr Francis Chimhanda said the initiative was effected in December last year and importations which occurred on or after 7 December 2018 to 20 November 2019 do not attract duty. Duty and VAT are not payable on sanitary wear, being tampons, sanitary towels and other sanitary wear products…

Stop Discriminating Against People With Albinism- Corporates Warned

June 22, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

INFORMATION, Publicity and Broadcasting Services deputy minister, Honorable Energy Mutodi says government will not tolerate any form of discrimination against people living with albinism and warned corporates against denying people with albinism employment opportunities. By Michael Gwarisa Officiating at the second edition of the Albinism health fair that was hosted by Global Aid Missions (GAM) in partnership with the Population Services International (PSI) and Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC), Minister Mutodi said it was high time the country moves away from traditional beliefs which used to discriminate against people…

Gvt Urged To Increase Funding Towards Nutrition…As Malnutrition Stalks Zimbabwe

June 21, 2019June 21, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE continues to be trailed by long episodes of malnutrition amidst indications that one in every four children under the age of five years is experiencing malnutrition within their 1000 days from birth up to two years. By Michael Gwarisa Briefing journalists in the capital Harare, Zimbabwe Civil Society Organisations Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (ZCSOSUNA) National Coordinator, Kudakwashe Zombe said there was need for government and partners to mobilise domestic financial resources towards supporting nutrition interventions in the country. “We are however deeply concerned that despite progress made in reducing…

Global Aid To Host 2nd Annual Albinism Health Fair

June 20, 2019June 20, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

GLOBAL Aid Missions Zimbabwe (GAM), a non-governmental organization that supports people with Albinism will be hosting its 2nd Annual Albinism Health Fair on Saturday 22nd of June at the Harare Gardens. By Michael Gwarisa The health fair is a celebration of the International Albinism Awareness Day (I.A.A.D) which was declared by the U.N on 13 June 2015 to end harmful practices, ostracization, discrimination, stigmatization and vile attacks against people with Albinism. In a statement, GAM said the fair would go a long way in addressing issues affecting living albinism in…

Study for a child-friendly HIV treatment begins in Uganda

June 20, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

THE first patients have been enrolled in a potentially ground-breaking trial in Uganda for a capsule of granules containing four HIV drugs that can be easily administered to young children. Known as the ‘4-in-1,’ this sweet-tasting ‘fixed-dose combination’ could constitute a quantum leap in care for kids living with HIV, replacing a generation of sub-optimal HIV treatments that are difficult to give to children, or no longer recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The phase I/II study, called LOLIPOP, will provide clinical data on the 4-in-1 in infants and…