Category: BREAKING NEWS

Zimbabwe’s HIV Self-Testing Initiative Makes Up 15% of New Diagnoses

Healthtimes

By Shamiso Yikoniko in Kigali, Rwanda Zimbabwe’s proactive efforts to expand HIV self-testing (HIVST) have led to 15 percent of all new HIV diagnoses in the country this year (2024), according to recent government data shared at the 13th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference in Kigali, Rwanda. The findings highlight the strategy’s success in reaching high-risk groups, especially men, who have historically been more difficult to diagnose through traditional health services. The strategy has resulted in male testing rates doubling with HIVST (39 percent) compared to facility-based testing (22 percent);…

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Global Polio Eradication Efforts Face New Challenge with Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus

Michael Gwarisa
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By Michael Gwarisa Even though the world has made remarkable progress in the fight against polio, with wild poliovirus now circulating in only two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, a new challenge has emerged: vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV), which is causing outbreaks in previously polio-free regions. The development underscores the urgent need for robust immunization programmes and global cooperation to achieve the goal of complete polio eradication by 2023, as outlined in the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030). The Polio Eradication Journey Polio, a debilitating and potentially fatal disease, has been targeted for…

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Zimbabwean Researcher Abel Mavura Wins 2025 ISSS Award for Groundbreaking Study on Migrant Resilience

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  Birmingham, UK – July 15, 2025 – Zimbabwean-born researcher Abel Mavura, currently based in the UK, has been awarded the 2025 Margaret Mead Memorial Award by the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS) for the best student paper. The award was presented during the ISSS Annual Meeting at the University of Birmingham Leadership Institute on July 14. Selected by leading systems science scholars, Mavura’s paper “Resilience Among Young Male Migrants in Paris’ Informal Housing”was recognized for its originality, analytical clarity, and commitment, collectivist, and culturally pluralistic…

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Zimbabwe Ranks Second Globally for HIV-Related Stigma, UNAIDS Report Finds

Michael Gwarisa

By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe has the second highest proportion of people who experienced HIV-related stigma while seeking HIV or other health services in the past year, according to the latest UNAIDS report. Drawing from the People Living with HIV Stigma Index 2.0 (2020–2024), the UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2025 shows that Iran tops the list with 36 percent of people living with HIV (PLHIV) reporting stigma. Zimbabwe follows with 30 percent. Sierra Leone ranks third, with 27 percent of PLHIV facing stigma, followed by Vietnam with 25 percent. In New…

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WHO Recommends Twice-Yearly Injectable Lenacapavir as Game-Changer in HIV Prevention

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a landmark move that could transform the global fight against HIV, the World Health Organization (WHO) today issued new guidelines endorsing the use of injectable lenacapavir (LEN) administered twice a year as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option. The announcement was made at the 13th International AIDS Society Conference (IAS 2025) on HIV Science, currently underway in Kigali, Rwanda. LEN is the first long-acting injectable PrEP designed to protect people at risk of HIV with just two doses annually, offering a highly effective alternative to daily…

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NAC Fears HIV Setbacks Despite Global Praise

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  Zimbabwe has earned international praise for its HIV response, with the latest UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2025 placing the country among a select group on track to meet the ambitious 2030 target of ending AIDS as a public health threat. However, health authorities at home have issued a stark warning: the next five years could undo years of progress if urgent action is not taken to counter recent funding setbacks. According to UNAIDS, Zimbabwe is one of only seven countries in Eastern and Southern Africa to have…

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Zimbabwe Faces Fertility Decline as Global Childbearing Crisis Deepens

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is experiencing a demographic shift in terms of fertility rate, in line with global trends, as more people struggle to achieve their reproductive goals. According to the 2024 State of the World Population (SWP) report by UNFPA, the world is undergoing a fertility crisis where individuals are increasingly unable to have the number of children they want, when they want, or with whom they want. Back home, the country’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has seen a steady decline from 4.3 children per woman in 1994 to…

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Civil War Worsens Cholera Crisis in Sudan, Warns Africa CDC

Michael Gwarisa
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By Michael Gwarisa Efforts to curb cholera outbreaks across Africa are facing severe challenges, with Sudan’s ongoing civil war exacerbating an already dire situation. According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the continent remains the epicenter of the global cholera burden, with Sudan standing out due to the devastating impact of conflict on public health infrastructure. As of July 10, 2025, Africa has recorded 182,506 cholera cases and 3,697 deaths across 21 member states, according to official data released during Africa CDC’s weekly media briefing.…

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Africa CDC Launches Continental Strategy to Combat Zoonotic Diseases

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Africa is stepping up its fight against zoonotic diseases with a bold new continental strategy that aims to transform how countries prevent, detect, and respond to health threats shared between humans, animals, and the environment. The Zoonotic Disease Prevention and Control Strategy 2025–2029, launched by the African Union (AU) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), marks a turning point in the continent’s public health journey. Zoonotic diseases, those transmitted between animals and humans, have become a persistent and growing threat. From Ebola…

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From Brake Fluid Manufacturer to Pharmaceutical Powerhouse: Varichem’s 40-Year Journey In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa When you walk into a pharmacy or a hospital in Zimbabwe, chances are high that the medicine you’re prescribed or dispensed is manufactured by Varichem. From its humble beginnings as a manufacturer of automobile lubricants and brake fluids, Varichem Pharmaceuticals has grown to become a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer with a footprint that spans multiple African countries. This year, Varichem marks a remarkable 40 years in the pharmaceutical manufacturing business. It is a journey shaped by visionary leadership, resilience in the face of economic and regulatory adversity, and…

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