Category: BREAKING NEWS

Gilead’s Secrecy Over HIV Prevention Shot Sparks Global Outrage

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  Gilead Sciences has come under fire after announcing a secretive deal to supply its long-acting injectable HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir (LEN-LA), to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The agreement—shrouded in indefinite price secrecy—has been widely condemned by civil society organisations, health advocates, and global health experts who warn it undermines transparency, accountability, and equitable access. The Global Fund, financed by public money, has invited nine African countries—South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria—to participate in the agreement. However, the…

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WCoZ Launches Indigenous Women Forum to Amplify Voices and Shape Policy

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) has officially launched the Indigenous Women’s Forum, a landmark platform that seeks to empower indigenous women and girls across Zimbabwe by addressing their unique challenges and fostering leadership, advocacy and inclusion. The forum was unveiled at a vibrant gathering attended by women from various indigenous communities, traditional leaders and civil society actors. It aims to create a safe, inclusive environment for indigenous women to share experiences, shape policy and drive change at both national and global levels. WCoZ National Coordinating Committee…

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UK partners with Gavi to help save up to 8 million lives by 2030

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  The United Kingdom (UK) has pledged £1.25 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, reaffirming its position as a leading global investor in vaccinations aimed at protecting millions of children from life-threatening diseases between 2026 and 2030. The announcement was made by Foreign Secretary David Lammy at Gavi’s global summit in Brussels, where he hailed the 25-year partnership between the UK and Gavi as a lifesaving collaboration that has vaccinated over 1 billion children and saved more than 18 million lives. Gavi’s global impact is undeniable,” said Lammy.…

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Malawi Launches Second Edition of Pathogen Genomic Surveillance Strategy and Implementation Plan

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter The Malawi Ministry of Health, launched its updated plan for the implementation of its Genomic Surveillance Strategy that was produced with technical support from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention – Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative (Africa PGI) on 3 July. As pathogen genomics provides a powerful approach towards the investigation, management, and surveillance of infectious diseases, the plan is geared to include integration of multi-pathogen genomic surveillance into existing public health systems, research and development. The second version of the plan is aligned to Africa…

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Renovated Mutawatawa Hospital To Boost Maternal Health Outcomes

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a significant step towards improving maternal and neonatal health in Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe (UMP), Mutawatawa District Hospital has completed extensive renovations of its theatre department and waiting mothers’ shelter, with financial support from the World Bank, Cordaid and the Government of Zimbabwe. The refurbished hospital now boasts a fully equipped and modernised theatre capable of handling two operations simultaneously, a new radiography unit with a digital X-ray machine, and upgraded waiting mothers’ facilities designed to offer dignified shelter to expecting mothers. The renovations were undertaken by…

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Zimbabwe’s Medicines Regulator MCAZ Eyes WHO Maturity Level 4 Certification

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe’s medicines regulator, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ), is working towards achieving Maturity Level 4 under the World Health Organization’s Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT), a prestigious certification that would place the country among a select group of nations with advanced regulatory systems. Having attained Maturity Level 3 in June 2024, MCAZ is now recognised by the WHO as a stable, well-functioning regulatory authority. The move to Maturity Level 4 signals the Authority’s ambition to continuously improve regulatory oversight, enhance transparency, and adopt globally accepted best…

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Pharmaceutical Industry Grapples with Regulation, Border Smuggling, and Workforce Underuse, Appeals for Government Support

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe’s pharmaceutical sector is buckling under the weight of multiple systemic challenges, ranging from excessive regulation and porous borders enabling black market medicine sales, to the underutilisation of qualified professionals in public health facilities. Speaking at the third annual Community Pharmacists Association and Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Association Conference, Mr. Stephen Banda, representing the Ministry of Health and Child Care, said the government was deeply concerned about the diversion of medicines from public facilities to the black market, which is undermining both health outcomes and trust in the system.…

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Study Validates Impact of International Teams in Africa’s Outbreak Response

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  A new study conducted by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in collaboration with the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST) has confirmed the critical role international health teams have played in strengthening outbreak response across the African continent. The study also underscores the need for more strategic and context-specific support models to ensure long-term sustainability and resilience in national health systems. Presented and validated during a high-level virtual workshop held from 23 to 24 June 2025, the study offers one of…

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WHO Report launched last week warrants stronger measures to save lives from deadly tobacco and nicotine products and hold industry liable

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  The WCTC Declaration calls upon the governments of the world to accelerate the implementation of all measures under the WHO FCTC in order to end the tobacco epidemic. Among other actions, it urges countries to: “Recognise the tobacco industry as the biggest barrier to global progress in tobacco control. Reject engagements with organisations working with, or funded by, the tobacco industry. Hold the tobacco industry liable for the harms it causes, including seeking compensation through legal actions” Tobacco industry’s so-called ‘Techno-innovation’ is just another tactic to push…

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National AIDS Council Holds 2023 AGM, Sets Sights on 2030 HIV Targets

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The National AIDS Council (NAC) on Thursday held its long-awaited Annual General Meeting (AGM) for 2023, following a year-long hiatus after the dissolution of the previous board. The AGM, which had been delayed throughout 2024, marked a significant turning point in NAC’s operations as the newly appointed board seeks to restore momentum in the country’s HIV response and scale up efforts toward ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Now that the board is in place, NAC is not only catching up on pending statutory…

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