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Innovative Insurance Policy Purchased To Protect Up To 800,000 People In Zimbabwe From Drought Risk

January 11, 2022January 11, 2022 Healthtimes

A global network of humanitarian agencies has today announced the purchase of an innovative insurance policy in partnership with African Risk Capacity (ARC) and the Government of Zimbabwe. The policy is to protect more than 800,000 people in Zimbabwe from drought risk during the 2021/2022 agricultural season. Own Correspondent The $2.5 million USD policy purchased by Start Network and provided by African Risk Capacity, is built on parametric insurance. This means it pays out before a crisis, according to pre-agreed scientific triggers, based for example on rainfall data. Unlike the…

Dont Forget Leprosy! Cries WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination

January 11, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination, Yohei Sasakawa says there has been massive disruption to treatment and case detection of Leprosy since the year 2020 as majority of resources were channeled towards fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. By Michael Gwarisa Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosal surfaces of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes. Leprosy is known to occur at all ages ranging from early infancy to…

Man With Terminal Heart Disease Gets A Transplant Of Genetically Modified Pig Heart

January 11, 2022 Healthtimes

(CNN) A 57-year-old Maryland man is doing well three days after receiving a genetically modified pig heart in a first-of-its-kind transplant surgery, University of Maryland Medicine said in a news release Monday. David Bennett had terminal heart disease, and the pig heart was “the only currently available option,” according to the release. Bennett was deemed ineligible for a conventional heart transplant or an artificial heart pump after reviews of his medical records. It was either die or do this transplant. I want to live. I know it’s a shot in…

Hybrid Variant, The DeltaCron Discovered In Cyprus

January 10, 2022 Healthtimes

A strain of Covid-19 that combines delta and omicron was found in Cyprus, according to Leondios Kostrikis, professor of biological sciences at the University of Cyprus and head of the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Virology. SOURCE: Bloomberg There are currently omicron and delta co-infections and we found this strain that is a combination of these two,” Kostrikis said in an interview with Sigma TV Friday. The discovery was named “deltacron” due to the identification of omicron-like genetic signatures within the delta genomes,” he said. Kostrikis and his team have…

CDC Reports Increase in Human Rabies Cases Linked to Bats

January 10, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

THE Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is raising awareness of the risks of rabies from bats in the U.S. after three people, including one child, died from rabies between late September and early November 2021. The three cases, described in the January 6, 2022, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, bring the total number of cases in 2021 to five, compared to no reported rabies cases in people during 2019 and 2020. Over a five-week period between September 28, and November 3, 2021, three people— one each in Idaho,…

How Threatening Is The New ‘IHU’ Variant Of Coronavirus?

January 4, 2022 Healthtimes

This strain of the SARS-CoV-2 carries the N501Y mutation While the world is pulling in resources to fight back against the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, scientists have detected a relatively new strain. Called the IHU variant, or B.1.640.2, it was first detected in southern France last month but has now begun catching the attention of global experts. Detected by researchers at the Marseille-based Mediterranee Infection University Hospital Institute (IHU), the variant has 46 mutations. This is leading to the fear that IHU could be more resistant to existing vaccines.…

NHS struggles as sickness takes out 1 in 10 staff

January 3, 2022 Healthtimes

More than 110,000 NHS staff — nearly one in 10 — were absent on New Year’s Eve, according to figures showing that Covid is hitting healthcare far harder than previously thought. SOURCE: The Times Uk Of them, almost 50,000 were at home sick or self-isolating because of Covid-19 while patients faced 40-hour waits at A&E, late operations, closed wards and long ambulance delays. Boris Johnson has told ministers to test emergency contingency plans to minimise the disruption to services such as hospitals, schools and social care. Public sector leaders have…

UNAIDS Mourns Archbishop Desmond Tutu

January 3, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

UNAIDS says it is saddened at the passing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu who fought against apartheid in South Africa and combated racism and injustice worldwide and was also a powerful voice in the fight against AIDS, combating denial, demanding access to treatment for all, calling out against discrimination of people living with HIV, and championing the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, women, and children. A giant has fallen. Archbishop Tutu was a freedom fighter, a holy man, a great hero who played a history-shaping role in…

ZAN and Partners Move To Address Structural Barriers Facing Key Populations In Accessing Health Services

January 3, 2022January 3, 2022 Healthtimes

A consortium running under the banner ZIZIWAZI, which comprise of the Zimbabwe AIDS Network (ZAN), the National AIDS Council (NAC), Health Foundation Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Rainbow Community and others, has embarked on a five year engagement program with the aim of addressing challenges faced by populations at higher risk of HIV in accessing health services. By Patricia Mashiri Key populations or groups at high risk of HIV in Zimbabwe include Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) and other members making up the Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ)…

#JUSTIN: Gvt Postpones Schools Opening For 2022 First Term

December 31, 2021 Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE President, Emerson Mnangagwa has announced that only examination classes will resume classes as announced by the Ministry while the general school calendar has hereby been delayed until further notice. By Michael Gwarisa In a Televeised address, President Mnanagwa said the move was in line with the Lockdown level two which has been extended by a further 2 weeks, after which an appropriate review will be announced, guided by a scientific appreciation of the situation. “Examination Classes exempt from this delay are however expected to strictly comply with preventive measures.…