Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

Zimbabwe-China Partnership Launches Pilot Project To Eliminate Bilharzia

Michael Gwarisa

A new China-Zimbabwe cooperation pilot project for the control and elimination of Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) could fast-track Zimbabwe’s efforts to eliminate the disease, HealthTimes has learned. By Michael Gwarisa in Shamva The project follows the successful signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which has seen Zimbabwe become the first country on the continent to benefit from the China-Africa Corporation Initiative for the elimination of Schistosomiasis. The study has been jointly initiated by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) in Zimbabwe, and…

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New WHO guidance on HIV viral suppression and scientific updates released at IAS 2023

Michael Gwarisa

BRISBANE, 23 July 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) is releasing new scientific and normative guidance on HIV at the 12th International IAS (the International AIDS Society) Conference on HIV Science. New WHO guidance and an accompanying Lancet systematic review released today describe the role of HIV viral suppression and undetectable levels of virus in both improving individual health and halting onward HIV transmission. The guidance describes key HIV viral load thresholds and the approaches to measure levels of virus against these thresholds; for example, people living with HIV…

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When Communities Take Up Leading Role In Improving Maternal and Child Health

Michael Gwarisa

When the world locked down in 2020 at the back of a COVID-19 pandemic, all health services left for COVID-19-related interventions were heavily disrupted.  Maternal and Child Health were among some of the most affected services as health facilities offering services continued to face significant challenges compromising the quality of care By Michael Gwarisa Even though data points to an increase in institutional deliveries since the year 2016 in Zimbabwe, a decline was noted during the COVID-19 era. This was largely attributed to the disruption in maternal health services and…

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Inequalities In Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Could Trigger A Zombie Apocalypse In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

While the world is slowly recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zimbabwe seems to be entering a dark phase, where a drug and substance abuse epidemic has hit the country, largely affecting the youthful and productive population. By Michael Gwarisa This has been pushed mainly by the availability of new psychoactive substances on the Zimbabwean market, with anecdotal evidence pointing to broncleer, ecstasy, cocaine, injectable pethidine, ketamine, marijuana, and crystal meth use. Also, the non-performance of the Zimbabwean economy, which led to idleness amongst the youthful populations, COVID-19…

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Study finds 20% of Zimbabwean Youth have STIs

Michael Gwarisa

Epidemiologist and Sexual Reproductive Health Expert, Dr Chido Dziva Chikwari has warned of a high prevalence of three Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Trichomonas amongst Zimbabwe’s young and youthful population. By Michael Gwarisa The data was revealed during a door-to-door Population Based Prevalence Survey that was conducted between 2020 and 22 in 16 communities around Zimbabwe where young people were tested for STIs. Speaking in an interview recently, Dr Chikwari said it can’t be business as usual and there is need to adopt new methods of screening for…

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Ministry of Health Reads Riot Act To Pharmacies Dispensing Antibiotics Without Prescriptions

Michael Gwarisa
Antibiotics

To curb to the proliferation of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) related infections, the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has warned pharmacies to stop the selling or dispensing antibiotics to patients without prescriptions. By Michael Gwarisa This follows scientific data which affirms that Antibiotic dispensing without prescriptions is a major determinant of the emergence of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) which has impact on population health and cost of healthcare delivery. Speaking at the Inaugural Joint Community Pharmacies Association (CPA) and Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Association (PWA) Joint Conference in Harare, Health and Child…

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Three Neglected Tropical Diseases Pose Health Threat To Over 5 Million Zimbabweans

Michael Gwarisa

The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) Principal Director Public Health, Dr Munyaradzi Dobbie says Zimbabwe is still saddled with the burden of three Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs, namely Schistosomiasis (SCH) & Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH) and lymphatic filariasis. By Michael Gwarisa This was revealed during a Results dissemination Workshop for the 2021 National Geospatial mapping for the three NTD’s, namely Schistosomiasis (SCH) & Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH) and 2023 Confirmatory Mapping of lymphatic filariasis in Zimbabwe in the Capital, Harare where it was revealed that 35 percent of…

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CATALYST HIV Research Study Launched In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

THE Maximizing Options to Advance Informed Choice for HIV Prevention (MOSAIC) consortium, has launched CATALYST, a research study that evaluates delivery of HIV prevention methods in women and girls at greater risk oF new HIV infections. By Michael Gwarisa The three-year, multi-country implementation study builds on decades of research related to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention and is aimed at assessing the delivery of multiple PrEP methods to women in real-world settings in five African countries, including Zimbabwe. The study will deliver choice among three PrEP methods — daily…

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Zimbabwe at risk of Zoonotic TB in humans

Michael Gwarisa

THE removal and vandalism of perimeter fences separating wildlife reserves from grazing areas for domestic animals as well as human habitats in most communal areas in Zimbabwe, poses a risk of transmission for Bovine Tuberculosis, a renowned Veterinary expert has said. In 2019, President Emmerson Mnangwga announced that government would erect perimeter fences around national parks as part of measures to reduce human-wildlife conflict which if left unchecked, could lead to the uncontrolled spread of Zoonotic diseases such as Bovine Tuberculosis also known as Zoonotic TB. A Zoonotic disease or…

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