Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

Joe Biden diagnosed with ‘aggressive form’ of prostate cancer

Michael Gwarisa

Former US president’s office said the cancer cells had spread to the bone and Biden, 82, was reviewing treatment options with doctors Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that has metastasised to the bone, and he and his family are reviewing treatment options with doctors, his office said in a statement on Sunday. Biden, 82, was seen last week by doctors after urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule was found. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer…

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Africa CDC and Unitaid partner to strengthen equitable access to health products in Africa

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Unitaid have formed a new strategic partnership to expand the production of essential health products in Africa and improve sustainable access to medicines, diagnostics, and medical oxygen across the continent. Signed on the margins of the 78th World Health Assembly, the Memorandum of Understanding focuses on scaling up regional manufacturing as a central pillar of Africa’s health security and autonomy. Africa bears 25% of the global disease burden yet imports more than 95% of the active pharmaceutical…

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Dr. Nyaradzo Mgodi Honored for Leadership in Landmark HIV Vaccine Study

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Dr. Nyaradzo Mgodi, a renowned Zimbabwean clinician-researcher and the Site Leader for the University of Zimbabwe Clinical Trials Research Centre (UZ-CTRC) in Zengeza, has been awarded the prestigious HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) Service Award for her outstanding leadership and contribution to the groundbreaking Antibody Mediated Prevention (AMP) study. The award was announced during the recent HVTN Full Group Meeting, a global gathering of leading scientists and researchers involved in HIV vaccine development. The AMP study, one of the most ambitious HIV prevention trials ever undertaken, investigated…

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#Breaking: Tanzania’s Prof. Janabi lands WHO Africa Regional Director post

Michael Gwarisa

By Kuda Pembere Professor Mohamed Janabi from Tanzania has been elected the new World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. He succeeds Dr. Matshidiso Moeti of Botswana, who served as Regional Director from 2015 to 2025. Dr. Faustine Ndugulile, also from Tanzania, had been elected as the next Regional Director but tragically passed away before taking office. As a result, Dr. Moeti remained in the position until the new appointment. Other candidates for the post included Professor Mijiyawa Moustafa from Togo, Dr. Dramé Mohammed Lamine from Guinea, and Dr.…

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Zim Has Enough ARVs to Last Through 2025, Says Health Minister Mombeshora

Michael Gwarisa

By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe has enough antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to last through the end of 2025, Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora said Friday, allaying public concerns over a looming shortage. Speaking to HealthTimes, Mombeshora assured the nation that the country has an eight-month supply of adult ARVs, sufficient to meet the needs of more than 1.1 million people living with HIV who are on first-line treatment. We have procured and secured enough medicines for 2024,” said Mombeshora at a workshop organized by the National AIDS Council (NAC). “We…

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Africa’s Mpox Fight Faces Setback Without Urgent Delivery of 6 Million Vaccine Doses

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa As Mpox infections continue to surge in parts of Africa, health experts are sounding the alarm over a critical shortage of vaccines that threatens to derail the continent’s response efforts. Despite signs of a decline in cases in countries such as Uganda and Burundi, Africa’s stockpile of Mpox vaccines is rapidly depleting, prompting calls for urgent international support. The warning comes as Sierra Leone experiences an exponential rise in new infections. In the past three weeks alone, the country has accounted for 58.2 percent of all confirmed…

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UNFPA, WFP MoU Seeks to Integrate Food Security and Health Services

Michael Gwarisa

By Michale Gwarisa  In a landmark move that marks a deepening of collaboration between two major United Nations agencies, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will see the integration of critical health and protection services into food assistance programmes across Zimbabwe. The new MoU aims to enhance the reach and impact of both organisations by delivering sexual and reproductive health services, family planning, and gender-based violence (GBV) prevention support at WFP food distribution points. The integrated…

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Harare Demolitions Begin: Council Cracks Down on Over 160 Illegal Settlement Sites

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  In a sweeping move to restore order to Harare’s chaotic urban expansion, the City of Harare has launched a major demolition campaign targeting over 160 illegal settlements across the capital. The action follows recommendations from the Town Clerk’s Office and the City’s Regularisation Task Force, which identified more than 222 illegal developments on wetlands, school sites, and low-density areas—all falling outside the scope of the national regularisation agenda. The demolitions are part of a broader effort to align with the National Human Settlement Policy and National Development…

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Zimbabwe Commemorates International Day of the Midwife with Call for Greater Support

Michael Gwarisa

By Kuda Pembere in Chinhoyi Zimbabwe on Wednesday commemorated the 2025 International Day of the Midwife (IDM) with renewed calls to strengthen the capacity of midwives, particularly in times of crisis. Despite limited resources, midwives have played a pivotal role in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality. The IDM is traditionally held on May 5 across the globe and this year’s theme is, “Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis.” Speaking at the national commemorations in Chinhoyi, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Hon. Sleiman Kwidini emphasized the need to value and…

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WHO Unveils New Leadership Team Amid Sweeping Structural Reforms and Workforce Reductions

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a major overhaul of its leadership and internal structure, reflecting a decisive push to improve cost efficiency and sharpen its focus on core health priorities. Speaking from Geneva, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus laid out the scale of the transformation, which includes deep organizational restructuring and significant reductions in staff numbers. In short, we are leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to improve cost efficiency,” said Dr Tedros. “But even so, the hard truth is that we need…

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