Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

#BREAKING: Zimbabwe Receives Over 800k Cholera Vaccines

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has taken delivery of 892 286 doses of Oral Cholera Vaccines to complement ongoing efforts to contain the Cholera outbreak. The country is set to receive over two million doses in the coming weeks to vaccinate people in 28 hardest hit districts by Cholera. Cholera has since been reported in 60 districts countrywide. Speaking soon after the arrival of the Vaccines at Robert Mugabe International Airport, Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Douglas Mombeshora said the vaccines have come at a critical time. Cases have been going…

Read More

Save The Children, IOM, FST In Partnership to Boost Uptake of SRHR and HIV Services In Zimbabwe’s Migration Corridors

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa A tripartite partnership that includes the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Save the Children and Family Support Trust (FST), has been formed in a bid to promote the uptake of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), HIV services as well as reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of young people, migrants and individuals living in migration-affected communities. The initiative dubbed SRHR –HIV Knows No Boarders (KNB) project is being implemented in Zimbabwe’s Beitbridge district. The project will run from 2024 to 2026 and is set to reach…

Read More

Major Boost For Harare Cholera Fight As Red Cross Donates Aqua Safe Water Quality Testing Kits and Gadgets

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The City of Harare health department has received five Aqua Safe Water Quality Testing Kits and gadgets from the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS), to strengthen the City’s water testing capacity and Diarrhoeal disease surveillance in Harare, HealthTimes has learnt. The donation is a brainchild of the  “Integrated Strategy for Cholera Risk Elimination and Mitigation” project funded by the Finnish Red Cross and the European Union (DG ECHO). The water quality test kits and gadgets will be used to strengthen water quality surveillance in the project target…

Read More

Albert Nyathi, Adiona Chidzonga Appointed Family Planning Brand Ambassadors

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Renowned poet and musician Albert Nyathi and Songstress, Adiona Chidzonga, have been re-appointed brand ambassadors for the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC), in a move that is set to boost the uptake of Family planning services in Zimbabwe. Nyathi and Adiona’s contracts will run for one year with the possibility of renewal. Adiona’s role as ZNFPC brand ambassador commenced in 2018 and the council has been renewing it over years. Nyathi’s role involves being a Male Motivator, whose sole mandate is to raise awareness on Family…

Read More

MOZAMBIQUE: MSF expands access to safe abortion care in Beira

Michael Gwarisa

By Health Reporter Tuesday, January 23, 2024 — In Beira, a city on Mozambique’s central coast, Doctors Without Borders/MSF is connecting hard-to-reach communities with safe abortion care and other sexual and reproductive health services. Mozambique has one of Africa’s most liberal abortion laws, allowing abortion on request during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and up to 24 weeks in limited circumstances, including fetal abnormality. Though abortion has been legal since 2014, many people still face obstacles to accessing this care, including stigma, misinformation, and corruption, such as charging for…

Read More

Cameroon Introduces Malaria Vaccine Into Routine Vaccination

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Cameroon has become the first of many countries to introduce the RTS,S malaria vaccine into its routine immunisation programme. Cameroon’s move comes hot on the heels of a malaria vaccine pilot programme that was carried out in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. The introduction comes as efforts gather pace to scale up vaccination against the disease in high risk areas in Africa. The vaccine is being rolled out across 42 health districts in the country’s 10 regions in public and private health facilities. The launch comes after Cameroon…

Read More

Zimbabwe prepares for Cholera Vaccines arrival

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe will soon take delivery of Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) doses following the recent approval for delivery of the consignment by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Zimbabwe is among Southern African countries experiencing a surge in Cholera case due as a result of deteriorating water and sanitation infrastructure, climate change among a host of other factors. Speaking an interview with HealthTimes, Dr Aspect Maunganidze, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) said all was set for the arrival of Cholera Vaccine doses…

Read More

Zimbabwean Men Shun Vasectomy

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Uptake of Vasectomy as a contraceptive, and Family Planning method remains depressed among Zimbabwean men, HealthTimes has learnt. A vasectomy (male sterilisation), is a surgical procedure to cut or seal the tubes that carry a man’s sperm to permanently prevent pregnancy. Speaking during an event to mark the renewal of contracts for Zimbabwe Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) brand Ambassador and Male Motivator, ZNFPC Executive Director, Mr Farai Machinga said more females were now taking up Tubal Ligation (a surgical procedure for female sterilization which involves severing and…

Read More

Zimbabwe Developer Launches Whatsapp Chatbot To Connect Zimbabweans To Pharmacies

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a move that is set to ease hurdles associated with accessing medicines and other essential drugs at community level, a Zimbabwean Chatbot Engineer, Blessing Museki and his team, have developed Cloomi, a Whatsapp Chatbot that is set to link millions of Zimbabweans to pharmacies. To date, 60 pharmacies across Harare have already partnered with the developers. HealthTimes had the opportunity to interact with a convenient platform which allows one to quickly check the availability of drugs and compare prices. The Chatbot’s user-friendly interface simplifies the process,…

Read More

362 Million Adults Use Smokeless Tobacco-WHO Report

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Latest data on the prevalence of smokeless tobacco use and several users aged 15 years and older from 89 countries between 2012 and 2022 shows a 6.3 percent – 9.0 percent prevalence among males and 3.5% among females. Smokeless tobacco is a tobacco product that is used by means other than smoking. Their use involves chewing, sniffing, or placing the product between gum and the cheek or lip. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) global report on trends in the prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030, the…

Read More