Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

Zimbabwean Doctor Amongst The Team Designing the Gavi Hepatitis B Birth Dose Vaccine Programme

Michael Gwarisa

Renowned Zimbabwean Medical Doctor, Simbarashe Mabaya who is now stationed in Geneva at the Gavi Vaccine Alliance Headquarters, is part of the team that is designing a programme for the delivery of a vaccine to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the Hepatitis B virus in 55 Gavi- eligible countries across the globe. By Michael Gwarisa The Hepatitis B Birth dose vaccine programme is a new addition to the portfolio of vaccines support by Gavi. Gavi has been supporting the delivery of the Hepatitis B vaccine primary course excluding the birth dose…

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Zimbabwe Won’t Meet 2030 ENAP Target Of Reducing Stillbirths To Below 12 Per 1000-Report

Michael Gwarisa

Zimbabwe is among the Seven countries in the SADC region that might fail to meet the Every New-born Action Plan Targets (ENAP) target of reducing the prevalence of stillbirths to less than 12 per 1,000 births. By Michael Gwarisa According to a Report of the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, titled A Neglected Tragedy The Global Burden of Stillbirth, about half of all stillbirths occur in six countries namely India, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, China, Pakistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and with current trends, more than…

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630,000 People Died From AIDS-related Illnesses In 2022-Global Fund

Michael Gwarisa

Even though HIV programs registered strong recoveries from the impact of COVID-19 in 2022, the number of people who continue to die from AIDS-related illnesses every year threatens to derail efforts to end AIDS by 2030. By Michael Gwarisa This was revealed by the Global Fund 2022 Results report which indicates that AIDS continues to be a major public health threat, with at least one person dying from an AIDS-related cause every minute. The disease has killed 40.4 million people to date. HIV continues to affect every region of the…

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Leprosy Resurgence in Zimbabwe…Government calls for more funding to control biblical disease

Michael Gwarisa

The Ministry of Health’s National Tuberculosis (TB) and Leprosy Control Unit has appealed for more financial resources to capacitate healthcare workers and health systems to detect and prevent the spread of Leprosy across the country. By Michael Gwarisa The re-emergence of Leprosy in Zimbabwe was first made aware to the media and other attendees of the 13th ECHO Session virtual meeting in 2022, where it was revealed that only 12 cases had been reported in Matabeleland North from 2016 to 2021. Responding to a community member in Mutare during the…

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Zimbabwe to roll-out fourth round Polio Vaccination

Michael Gwarisa

The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) and its partners will be rolling out the fourth round of Polio Vaccination from 10 to 13 October 2023 across the country’s 10 provinces. By Staff Reporter The move follows the discovery of Cases of Poliomyelitis disease that were detected among children in countries neighboring Zimbabwe in 2022. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), children under 5 years of age in Zimbabwe remain at high risk of getting this disease. According to the Ministry of Health E Programme on Immunisation (EPI),…

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ICASA Preparations In Final Lap

Michael Gwarisa

Stakeholders to the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), gathered in Harare, Zimbabwe for the last planning meeting, also dubbed the Marathon meeting to discuss and plan around the state of preparedness ahead of the conference to be held in Harare. By Michael Gwarisa The ICASA conference will be held from December 4 to 9, 2023, at the Rainbow Towers Hotel and is set to attract not less than 8,000 delegates from across the continent and beyond. Speaking during the meeting’s official ceremony, Minister of Health and…

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New Health Minister Hits the Ground Running, Promises To Prioritize Healthcare Skills Retention

Michael Gwarisa

Newly appointed Health and Childcare Minister, Dr Douglas Mombeshora has commenced consultations with stakeholders in the healthcare sector to get their feedback and expectations with the aim of reviving the country’s health sector. By Michael Gwarisa Top on his priority list is the revival of the country’s healthcare sector through retaining skilled health personnel as well as improving the living and working conditions for workers. In an interview with HealthTimes on the side-lines of the ICASA Marathon Meeting in Harare, Dr. Mombeshora said while the issue of skills flight is…

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Love Shouldn’t Hurt campaign partners Mutare sports tourney for weekend jamboree

Michael Gwarisa

The Love Shouldn’t Hurt campaign crusades into Manicaland this weekend, where it is partnering an annual sports tournament to bring both entertainment and the serious business of sexual and reproductive health services to the doorsteps of people in the eastern border city. By Staff Reporter Population Solutions for Health (PSH), which is behind the campaign, has this year partnered with organizers of the annual Mai Hondo youth memorial junior soccer tournament as part of its quest to use sports as a vehicle to promote anti-Gender Based Violence (GBV) messages. The…

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Stop TB Partnership Zimbabwe Concludes Regional stakeholders Consultation meetings on UNHLM 2023

Michael Gwarisa

The Stop TB Partnership in Zimbabwe has just concluded a series of regional consultative meetings on the UNHLM 2023, in a bit to enhance the participation of communities and to sensitize, engage, and consult stakeholders in preparation for the UNHLM on TB to be held from September20 to  22, 2023. By Michael Gwarisa A total of three regional meetings were held in Harare (covering Harare Metropolitan, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, and Mashonaland Central Provinces), Bulawayo (covering Bulawayo Metropolitan, Masvingo, Matebeleland North, Matebeleland South, and Midlands Provinces) and Mutare (covering Manicaland…

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#BREAKING: Dr Mombeshora Appointed New Minister Of Health and Child Care

Michael Gwarisa

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed prominent urologogist, Dr Douglas Mombeshora as the Health and Child Minister. During the GNU period, Mombeshora was the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Welfare. Following the collapse of the GNU, Dr Mombeshora was elected as Member of Parliament for Mhangura and appointed Minister of Lands and Rural Settlement in September 2013 by former President, Robert Mugabe. …More Details To Follow  

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