Category: BREAKING NEWS

UNICEF Raises Alarm Over Surge in Vaccine Hesitancy Among Zimbabwe’s Urban Elite

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa While vaccine resistance has traditionally been associated with impoverished communities and apostolic sects, Zimbabwe is now experiencing a concerning rise in vaccine hesitancy among affluent urban populations. Recent data from the WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC), 2024, shows that approximately 34,000 children in Zimbabwe go without basic vaccinations each year. Speaking at a Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians symposium in Harare, Dr. Lucia Takundwa Gumbo, a Health Specialist with UNICEF Zimbabwe, highlighted the shifting landscape of vaccine objectors in the country. I believe there…

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Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians Poised to Strengthen Health System through Data-Driven Collaboration

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa HARARE – Zimbabwe’s ongoing efforts to improve public health outcomes could receive a major boost through strengthened collaboration with expert institutions such as the Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians (ZCPHP), government officials and experts have said. Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians Winter Symposium in Harare, Dr. Agnes Mahomva, the Public Health Advisor to the President and Cabinet, said the ZCPHP’s renewed commitment to supporting the national health agenda comes at a critical time when the country…

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Over 120,000 Litres of Zimbabwean Milk Rejected for Export Due to Antibiotic Residues and Adulteration

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere More than 120,000 litres of milk intended for export were rejected by mid-2025, a sharp rise from 39,000 litres in the previous year. The increase has been attributed to high traces of antibiotics and adulteration, particularly the addition of water. This was revealed by Dr. Lawrance Dengenya, Director of Veterinary and Technical Services in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, during the 11th Annual General Meeting of the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF), held recently. Trade facilitation is one of our mainstays,…

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#BREAKING: Zimbabwe to Roll Out Revolutionary Contraceptive Ring for Women

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has launched the Contraceptive Acceptability Research (CARE), a pioneering study that will assess the acceptability, feasibility, and uptake of the Annovera contraceptive ring among women and adolescent girls in the country. The study, introduced this week, marks a significant step towards enhancing access to a wider range of contraceptive options, aligning with both national and global goals to empower women and girls to take greater control of their sexual and reproductive health. The Annovera ring is a user-controlled, long-acting, and reversible contraceptive method. Designed for use…

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Cimas Health Group Backs Life-Saving Paediatric Heart Surgeries

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  As Zimbabwe pushes for greater private sector involvement in public healthcare revitalisation, leading healthcare provider Cimas Health Group has once again stepped up to support a critical national health intervention — the recently concluded Egypt–Zimbabwe Paediatric Cardiac Surgery Mission, also known as Open Heart Camp 2. Held at Parirenyatwa Hospital, the week-long surgical camp was led by a team of Egyptian cardiac specialists working in collaboration with Zimbabwean medical professionals. The initiative successfully delivered life-saving open-heart surgeries to 10 children, aged between six months and ten years,…

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World Breastfeeding Week: Urgent Call as Just 1 in 5 Zimbabwean Infants Receive Exclusive Breastfeeding

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa As the world observes World Breastfeeding Week from August 1 to 7, Nutrition Action Zimbabwe (NAZ) is calling for urgent action to reverse a sharp decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates and address the deeply rooted cultural, economic, and systemic challenges threatening infant health across the country. According to Chisichawo Mutendadzamera, Nutrition Manager at NAZ, World Breastfeeding Week presents a strategic opportunity to galvanize action. Breast milk is the ultimate natural vaccine. It provides the perfect balance of nutrients, is easy to digest, and protects against common childhood…

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Zimbabwe’s 2025 Mid-Term Budget Falls Short of Abuja Health Target Despite Modest Gains

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe’s 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review has once again underscored the country’s persistent failure to meet the Abuja Declaration target of allocating at least 15 percent of the national budget to health, despite a modest improvement in the sector’s share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) following a rebasing exercise. According to the review presented by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, the Ministry of Health and Child Care was allocated ZiG27.8 billion for the year, translating to approximately US$1.039 billion using the official exchange rate of US$1 to ZiG26.7654. While…

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Zimbabwe Faces Malaria Crisis as Suspected Cases Top 112,000

Healthtimes

By Rukudzo Gota As Zimbabwe grapples with a staggering rise in malaria cases, health experts are sounding the alarm over nearly 112,000 suspected infections in the first half of 2025, spotlighting the country’s looming public health crisis and the challenges posed by regional outbreaks across southern Africa.  The alarming statistics, released by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), highlight a troubling increase from the previous year and raise significant concerns about the efficacy of current mitigation efforts. The latest data reveals that from the beginning of…

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Zimbabwe Among 14 African Nations Facing Alarming Rise in Drug-Resistant Infections

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  Results from a newly published study highlight the growing spread of drug resistance across 14 African countries, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen laboratory testing, data systems, and health planning to tackle hard-to-treat infections. The study, known as the Mapping Antimicrobial Resistance and Antimicrobial Use Partnership (MAAP), is the largest of its kind ever conducted in Africa. It was led by a coalition including the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), One Health Trust, and other regional partners.…

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Nurses Council Faces Lawsuit Threat Over Accusations Against HIPH

Healthtimes

By Rukudzo Gota and Kuda Pembere The Harare Institute of Public Health (HIPH) has threatened to take legal action against the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe (NCZ) over a public notice that HIPH says defamed and misrepresented its legitimacy as a training institution. Through its legal representative, Professor Lovemore Madhuku, HIPH issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the NCZ to retract and delete the statements posted on social media platforms, which it argues falsely accuse the institution of fraudulently offering nursing education. According to Madhuku, the NCZ’s statement portrays HIPH as illegitimate,…

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