Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

Zimbabwe’s Intersex Community Fights for Birth Certificates with Third Sex Marker in High Court

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa After years of living without full legal recognition, Zimbabwe’s Intersex community has taken their fight to the High Court, demanding birth certificates that include a third sex marker. The landmark case challenges the country’s civil registry laws and could redefine how identity and rights are recognized for Intersex persons. If successful, the third marker will be reflected on all key identity documents, including birth certificates, passports, and national identity cards. Beyond the request for a third sex marker, to appear as an “I” for Intersex, the application…

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Cimas’s iGo Pedal To Wellness Raises Awareness On Cardiovascular Diseases Through Cycling

Michael Gwarisa
Zimmy Kanyemba smiles as he poses with Dr. Martina Kaome, an eye specialist who encouraged him to take up cycling.

By Michael Gwarisa As Zimbabwe grapples with a growing burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) linked to changing lifestyles and diets, Cimas iGo hosted the second edition of its annual Pedal to Wellness cycling event in Harare, drawing more than 300 participants, including men, women, and children. The initiative, held in the run-up to World Heart Day on September 29, is part of the medical aid society’s broader push to promote active lifestyles, preventive health, and wellness among Zimbabweans. Speaking at the event, Cimas iGo Head, Dr. Nicola Misi, said the…

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Health Professions Authority Shuts Down 35 Illegal Health Facilities Nationwide

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Health Professions Authority of Zimbabwe (HPA) has shut down 35 illegal health institutions across the country in a sweeping crackdown aimed at restoring order in the nation’s healthcare sector. The closures followed widespread violations, including the absence of valid operating licenses and, in some cases, unqualified individuals posing as medical professionals. These figures are not just statistics; they represent a successful effort to remove significant risks from our communities,” said HPA Secretary General, Mrs Clotilda Chimbwanda. “Unregistered facilities and bogus practitioners pose an existential threat to…

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Securing a Healthier Future: Global Leaders Target Malaria and Maternal & Child Health at UNGA80

Michael Gwarisa

New York, 24 September 2025 — On the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), world leaders and heads of state convened for a landmark event titled “Uniting for Global Health Security.” The gathering was jointly hosted by the Global Leaders Network (GLN) for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (WCAH) and the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA). The meeting came at a time when overlapping global crises are testing fragile health systems. From conflict and displacement to climate emergencies and economic shocks, resources are being diverted away from…

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Silent Crisis: Cardiac Diseases Leading Cause of Death Among Zimbabwean Men in the UK

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Data on human remains repatriated through Robert Mugabe International Airport (RGM) from the United Kingdom shows that men account for the majority of deaths in the diaspora, with cardiac diseases emerging as the leading cause of death among them, HealthTimes can exclusively reveal. A study conducted by the Port Health Department at RGM between January 2024 and June 2025 found that cancer was the leading cause of death among women, while men, particularly those over the age of 50, were primarily succumbing to cardiac-related complications. The findings…

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Zimbabwe Steps Up Disease Surveillance at Borders Through Epidemiologist Training

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has strengthened its frontline disease surveillance capacity with the graduation of 44 health workers from the Zimbabwe Field Epidemiology Training Programme (ZimFETP). The three-month training targeted officers stationed at ports of entry and epidemiologists working within city health departments, equipping them with practical skills to detect, investigate, and respond swiftly to outbreaks. Of the graduates, 20 were drawn from land borders and international airports while 24 came from city health departments across the country. The training was designed to close gaps in disease detection and response…

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Africa CDC to boost NCD Surveillance across 10 countries in East and Southern Africa

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has partnered with the Novo Nordisk Foundation, a Danish enterprise Foundation, to strengthening public health workforce capacity for Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) surveillance across ten African Union (AU) Member States. The Novo Nordisk Foundation has awarded a grant of USD 2.65m towards the initiative, and the Africa Public Health Foundation (APHF) will act as fund manager for the grant. The two-year initiative (June 2025–May 2027) aims to develop a scalable training program with a plan to expand across…

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United Nations Proposes Shutting Down UNAIDS In 2026

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  The United Nations (UN) agency focusing on the HIV/AIDS pandemic could close by the end of next year as the UN restructures in the face of a funding crisis, according to a UN document published online. UNAIDS will “sunset” by the end of 2026, the document published on Thursday reads, part of a set of proposals from the UN to member states which they will have to decide on. It adds that UNAIDS’ expertise should be shifted into the wider UN system in the following year. The…

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Zimbabwe Selected Among Ten Countries to Roll Out Breakthrough HIV Prevention Drug, Lenacapavir

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  Zimbabwe has been selected as one of ten countries globally to roll out lenacapavir, a revolutionary new HIV prevention drug that is being hailed as a game-changer in the global fight against HIV. The announcement was made on the official U.S. Embassy Zimbabwe Facebook page, marking a historic milestone in the country’s decades-long battle to curb new HIV infections. Lenacapavir, developed by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences in partnership with the Global Fund, is the world’s first twice-yearly HIV prevention medicine. Clinical trial data shows that more than 99%…

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1 in 3 Zimbabwean Women Could Be Obese by 2030

Michael Gwarisa
An obese Zimbabwean woman standing outdoors, representing obesity trends in Zimbabwe. Data projects that 1 in 3 Zimbabwean women will be obese by 2030.

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is facing a rapidly escalating public health emergency as new projects indicate that 4.2 million adults will be overweight or obese by 2030 with women being the hardest hit group. An analysis of data from the 2025 World Obesity Atlas scoreboard shows that women are bearing the brunt of this epidemic, with their rates of obesity far surpassing those of men. The projections show a steady climb in high Body Mass Index (BMI) over the past two decades, a trend set to accelerate. By 2030, an…

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