Category: BREAKING NEWS

Trump Suspends Funding WHO For Mishandling COVID-19

Healthtimes

UNITED States President Donald Trump announced Tuesday a suspension of US funding to the World Health Organization because he said it had covered up the seriousness of the COVID-19 outbreak in China before it spread around the world. Trump told a press conference that  he was instructing his administration to halt funding while “a review is conducted to assess the World Health Organization’s role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus.” According to Trump, the WHO prevented transparency over the outbreak and the United States —…

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Young People Struggle To Access ARVs During Lockdown

Michael Gwarisa

YOUNG People Living with HIV have raised alarm over their struggle to access life saving Antiretroviral drugs and other key sexual reproductive health (SRH) services from health institutions during the lockdown period. By Michael Gwarisa A number of young people living with HIV told this publication that children and youths living with HIV risk defaulting on medication as they are struggling to access health institutions or get clearance past police checkpoints owing to the strict measures government adopted during the lockdown period. In most cases, police are not considering hospital…

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Consult Before Extending Lockdwon, Health Experts Warn

Michael Gwarisa

PUBLIC health experts have called on President Emerson Mnangagwa to consult various stakeholders from all sectors before instituting a lockdown extension. By Michael Gwarisa Even though President Emmerson Mnangagwa has not announced any plans to extend the Lockdown, various sections of the economy believe an extension should not be a copy and paste scenario. Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) Executive Director, Mr Itai Rusike said the lockdown extension needs extensive consultations lest innocent lives will be endangered especially those who rely heavily on the informal sector. The lockdown extension…

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#BREAKING: Bulawayo Records Increase In Community Transmissions Of COVID-19

Michael Gwarisa

FOLLOWING government’s decentralisation of COVID-19 testing, Bulawayo seem to be recording an increased number of community transmissions mostly among contacts to the late case number 11. By Michael Gwarisa According to statistics from the Ministry of Health’s National Tuberculosis (TB) Reference Laboratory in Bulawayo, out of the six samples that were collected for testing, three turned out positive.  The total number of COVID-19 cases in Zimbabwe now stand at 17. Case number 15 is a 34-year-old female resident of Bulawayo. She has no recent history of travel or known contact…

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#COVID-19: Top ED Advisor Wants Health Minister Fired

Michael Gwarisa

DEPUTY Chairman to Zimbabwe’s Presidential Advisory Council (PAC), Mr Trevor Ncube has called for health and Child care minister Dr Obadiah Moyo’s immediate resignation for exhibiting gross incopempetence in the face of a raging COVID-19 pandemic. By Michael Gwarisa The Covid-19 has already infected more than 1 million people globally and claimed close to 100 000 lives. In Zimbabwe, 13 confirmed cases have been recorded including three deaths. No complete recoveries have been reported as yet. Through his micro-blogging site, Mr Ncube said the health minister had failed the nation…

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ZAN Calls For Strong COVID-19 Response Coordination

Healthtimes

ZIMBABWE AIDS Network says nothing is being said of people with pre-existing health conditions being described as most vulnerable to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). By Kudakwashe Pembere The Country’s Treasury boss, the Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said they are looking at vulnerable populations to hunger, poverty, with Government committing a ZWL$200 million kitty for one million vulnerable persons which is yet to be disbursed. Despite this move coming with noble intentions, nothing was said of securing the lives of the high risk population of COVID-19, people with underlying illnesses…

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Dr Benard Madzima Appointed NAC CEO

Healthtimes

Family health director in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Bernard Madzima is now the new National Aids Council (NAC) chief executive officer. Source: The Herald Dr Madzima was appointed yesterday by the Ministry of Health and Child Care in consultation with President Mnangagwa. He replaces Dr Tapuwa Magure who left the organisation in 2018. Since then, NAC has been operating without a substantive chief executive. Government is yet to appoint a board of directors for NAC, which was dissolved early last year.

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Merck Foundation Launches ‘Stay At Home’ Media Awards

Healthtimes

MERK Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany together with African First Ladies  have announced the call for applications for their ‘Stay at Home” Media Recognition Awards for African countries. By Kudakwashe Pembere The organisation is working with First ladies from Ghana, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC ), Malawi, Namibia, Niger, Guinea Conakry, Burundi, Central African Republic (C.A.R.), Chad, Zimbabwe, Zambia, The Gambia, Liberia and Congo Brazzaville on the media awards initiative. The theme of the awards is ‘Raising Awareness on how to Stay Safe and keep Physically…

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UK Scales Up Support For The Vulnerable In The Midst Of COVID-19 In Zim

Michael Gwarisa

THE United Kingdom (UK) has pledged its commitment to help combat  COVID19  in Zimbabwe through offering technical and financial assistance to various partners as part of its humanitarian efforts and mission to improve health conditions for vulnerable communities. By Michael Gwarisa  To date, the UK has pledged £544 million to support vaccine and treatments research, protecting fragile economies and helping organisations like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF to slow the spread of the disease. In Zimbabwe, the Department for International Development (DFID) is supporting partners UNICEF, WHO, UNDP…

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#JUSTIN: Ramaphosa Sends Minister On Forced Leave For Violating COVID-19 Protocol

Healthtimes

SOUTH Africa President, Cyril Ramaphosa has placed Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Ms Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams on special leave for two months – one month of which will be unpaid. As to allegations that the Minister violated the lockdown regulations, the law should take its course. This follows the revelation on social media that the Minister had recently visited the home of a friend who hosted a lunch, contrary to the lockdown regulations. The President summoned the Minister yesterday, Tuesday 07 April 2020. The President expressed his disapproval of the…

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