Category: BREAKING NEWS

New Data Shows COVID-19 Combined With Funding Shortfalls Are Devastating Efforts To End TB By 2030

Healthtimes

NEW data released by the Stop TB Partnership today released new data showing how the COVID-19 pandemic and dismally low levels of funding represent the main barriers to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of ending TB by 2030. Own Correspondent The data from 2021 shows that the impact of COVID-19 on the TB response has continued to be profound: 1.2 million fewer people have been diagnosed and treated for TB in in 2021 with four months still left in the calendar year. Currently, only US$6.5 billion per annum…

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Safe Abortion Care: self-managed abortion pills could open up access and hold up autonomy

Healthtimes

I became an abortion provider almost 10 years ago. Since then, I have helped countless people around the world access safe abortion care. I’ve also witnessed the devastating complications from unsafe abortion when people do not have access to this essential health care. Unsafe abortion is one of the main causes of maternal death and suffering worldwide, and the only one that is almost entirely preventable. Own Correspondent An abortion with pills is a game-changer. The simple regimen, taken over 24 hours, has the power to completely revolutionise access to…

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UN Agencies, Partners Hold GBV, HIV Training For Interfaith Organisations

Michael Gwarisa

THE Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) together with the UN Women, UNESCO and the National Aids Council (NAC) are hosting a tow day Virtual Capacity Training for Interfaith Network Members and Faith Based Organizations on Male Engagement for Training on Gender Based Violence and HIV. By Michael Gwarisa The training marks the third such event the organizations have jointly hosted in 2021 in a  move meant to equip leaders from various religious and interfaith groups with knowledge around GBV and HIV issues so as to reduce…

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Zimbabwe To Launch Mental Health Investment Case Report

Healthtimes

ZIMBABWE is set to launch the Mental Health Investment case report in October which will be used mainly as an advocacy tool providing quantified evidence of the long-term health, social and economic benefits of investment in mental health. By Patricia Mashiri Speaking during a mental health case investment case inception virtual meeting, Mr Gwati Gwati, the  Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) Health Economist said the Mental health case investment case provides quantification of the costs of mental health conditions to the health sector and to the national economy…

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Protect Corruption Whistleblowers- UN Urges Zim Gvt

Michael Gwarisa

THE United Nations (UN) Zimbabwe country representative, Ms. Maria Ribeiro’s has on called government and all organisations dealing with corruption to ensure the safety and protection of whistle blowers so as to encourage the culture of reporting corruption in the country. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking at the opening event of a two day National Workshop on Whistleblower protection in Harare, Ms Ribeiro said whistleblowers play a pivotal in the exposing of corrupt activities in the public and private sector. We all need to acknowledge that information about acts of corruption…

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Ignore Zoonotic Diseases At Own Peril- Dr Marume

Michael Gwarisa

ONE of Zimbabwe’s leading Veterinary Pharmacist, Dr Amos Marume has called on government and the health sector at large to invest heavily towards Zoonotic disease surveillance and early detection in order to avoid and contain future diseases outbreaks. By Michael Gwarisa Zoonotic Diseases are disease transmitted from animals to humans and Dr Marume’s call comes in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic that is also believed to have originated from bats and other wild animals. Addressing delegates at the just ended Retail Pharmacists Association conference in Harare, Dr Marume said…

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WHO Recommends Newest COVID-19 Treatment…As MSF Calls For Equal Access To The Medications

Healthtimes

THE World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the two-drug treatment cocktail, casirivimab/imdevimab, for people with COVID-19. HealthTimes Reporter The development comes in the midst of calls by the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) on the US pharmaceutical corporation Regeneron, the manufacturer and patent holder of these drugs, to take immediate actions to ensure the medications are affordable and accessible for everyone who needs them and forego any monopoly on these new treatments. Given the massive need for COVID-19 medicines around the world, Regeneron should make casirivimab and imdevimab available at a reasonable…

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2021 SRHR Activism Awards Winners Honored

Michael Gwarisa

THE Sexual Reproductive Health and Right Africa Trust (SAT), has awarded young people who excelled in advancing work around SRHR in communities throughout the year 2021 despite challenges that were brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. By Michael Gwarisa The SRHR Activism awards are amongst other reasons aimed at motivating young people to advocate for their Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in their respective communities. Officiating at the awards event, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Zimbabwe Country Director, Ms Sophia Mukasa Monico said young people have a…

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Zim’s Forex Auction System Backlog Chokes Pharmaceutical Operations

Michael Gwarisa

DELAYS in the disbursement of foreign currency by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) foreign exchange auction system is threatening the existence of Zimbabwe’s pharmaceutical sector amidst indications that pharmaceutical operators are in some instances going for two and half months without getting any disbursement from the auction system. By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe adopted the Dutch Foreign Exchange System in June 2020 whereby business can access foreign currency at an RBZ set exchange rate in a move that was meant to stabilize and tame the peripatetic parallel market rate. Speaking…

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Lockdown Sees Spike In Unsafe Abortions In Guruve

Michael Gwarisa

RECURRING COVID-19 lockdown measures and a prolonged period outside learning institutions has resulted in increased Early Unintended Pregnancies (EUPs) in young adolescent girls, leading to a record spike in unsafe abortions amongst the 12- to 24-year-old age groups in Guruve, Mashonaland Central. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Guruve In Zimbabwe, abortion or termination of pregnancy is only permissible if the pregnancy poses a risk or threat to the life and health of the mother and child and also if the pregnancy is as a result of rape or incest. However,…

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