Category: BREAKING NEWS

HIV Testing Now Mandatory in Zambia, Should Zim Follow Suit?

Healthtimes

By Mathew  President Edgar Lungu of Zambia yesterday announced the legalisation of HIVtesting and treatment in all hospitals without informed consent of patients. He made the announcement during the inaugural launch of a HIV campaign in the capital Lusaka. “Just the same way we don’t consult you for consent when we are testing for Malaria, we will go ahead and test you for HIV and we will counsel you and if you are positive, we will commence treatment,” he said. Just the same way we don’t consult you for consent when we…

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#BREAKING: Prophets Now Require Licences To Heal

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa PROPHETS and churches are now mandated to obtain licences to carry out deliverance and healing sessions, or administer any healing ointments or herbs to their followers, a top government official has said. The move is aimed at curbing extremism and healing malpractices obtaining in modern day churches and religious groupings which have resulted in many innocent souls losing their lives or falling victim to extreme health conditions. ALSO READ: Prophets Fueling HIV Drug resistance Briefing Journalists this afternoon(16/08/2017), Health and Child Care Deputy Ministry Hon Aldrin Musiiwa…

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USAID Avails US$20 Mln To Africaid To Scale Up Zvandiri Model

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa THE U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) has availed a US$20 million grant towards HIV treatment, care, and support services for youths in particular those living with HIV. The grant is being awarded to a Zimbabwean private voluntary organization, Africaid who are spearheading the Zvandiri model which is targeted at young people who were born HIV positive. Speaking during the signing ceremony, USAID/Zimbabwe Mission Director Stephanie Funk said “USAID is proud to partner with Africaid to help Zimbabwean children and adolescents live longer, healthier lives. The United…

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Prophets Fueling HIV Drug Resistance

Healthtimes

…As Zimbabwe Faces Worst Health Time Bomb…ART could Cost $6.5 billion in 2030 due HIV Drug Resistance!!!   By Michael Gwarisa LOCAL prophets who claim to have healing powers over AIDS should desist from doing so, as their claims have seen a number of HIV positive individuals on Anti Retro-viral Treatment (ART) stopping their  medication , hence fueling HIV drug resistance, a top health expert has said. The call comes hot on the heels of a World Health Organisation (WHO) warning over increased cases of an  HIV Drug Resistant  virus…

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Universities Ignoring Students Health Needs- NAC

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa in Kadoma  THE National Aids Council (NAC), has castigated local Universities for  embarking on expansion projects without considering issues of complimentary health care services for students. Zimbabwe has over the years seen a number of Universities expanding their operations into other localities owing to increased demand of tertiary education amongst Zimbabweans. The Midlands State University (MSU) opened a new campus in Zvishavane in 2015 and recently another one in Harare as it aims to take its services to various parts of the country. Addressing Journalists, NAC, DREAMS Director,…

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Oral Sex Spreading Tongue Cancer

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa in Kadoma  ORAL Sex has been identified as the leading driver of Tongue Cancer in the country, with a number of cases having been detected already in most parts of the country, a Cancer Association of Zimbabwe official has said. Briefing Journalists during a National Aids Council Editors Sensitisation Workshop on HIV/AIDS reporting in Kadoma,  Cancer Association of Zimbabwe Information and Evaluation Officer Lovemore Makurirofa said the same Human Papillomavirus  (HPV) which causes cervical cancer could be the reason behind the new tongue cancer cases being recorded.…

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Child Prostitution in Hopley Farm – The Vulnerability of Young Girls and the Struggle for Survival

Healthtimes

By Karen Mangwiro Antagonistic life experiences such as divorce or death of parents or caregivers, neglect and abuse by families and extended family members as well as peer pressure can leave the girl child vulnerable to various forms of self-destructive behaviour such as promiscuity among other negative behaviours. At times the girl child tries to solve the emotional pain she holds. General family problems such as broken homes, death of parents when the children are still young and the absence of a reliable guardian to care for them are the…

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Zim NGOs In Abortion Dilema…As Trump Gov Tightens Screws

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa NON governmental organisations operating in Zimbabwe are caught between a rock and a hard surface as to whether they should support safe abortion or not as they fear frustrating top donors, HealthTimes can reveal. It has emerged that the United States Government is by far the biggest donor in most if not all donor related activities in Zimbabwe, and the recent move by the Donald Trump administration to stop financing any organisation that advocates for abortion has left many NGOs in a state quandary. Briefing Journalists during…

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Churches Embrace Condoms

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa CHURCHES in Zimbabwe are gradually embracing family planning and reproductive health initiatives including condoms, as the country moves towards reducing high fertility and the high teenage pregnancies cases that have rocked the country, HealthTimes has learnt. Apostolic sects and other churches have traditionally been known for being breeding grounds for underage marriages and teenage pregnancies owing to their beliefs which allow them to marry multiple “virgin” wives. Also Read: Zim Beats Global Family Planning target  Responding to a question during a Media Sensitisation Meeting on Adolescents Sexual Reproductive…

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Gov deploys more nurses

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter GOVERNMENT has began deployment of an additional 2 000 nurses to help improve services delivery in health institutions across the country, a Cabinet minister has revealed. Health delivery in the country is reportedly being hampered by shortage of personnel, especially nurses owing to a recruitment freeze that was imposed by government during the time of the inclusive government as a way of containing the runaway wage bill. Zimbabwe’s public service wage bill currently stands at an unsustainably 91.7 percent of total budget revenue. Although there is a…

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