Category: BREAKING NEWS

Outgoing Chinese Medical Team Treats 14,000 Zimbabweans

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere The China-Zimbabwe Medical Exchange Program marks four decades, with the 21st China Medical Team honored for its contributions to medical treatment and training in the country. Over 14,000 Zimbabweans received medical care from this team, while 1,000 healthcare workers underwent training. Speaking at a reception ceremony for the incoming 22nd China Medical Team, Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Hon. Sleiman Kwidini praised the outgoing 21st team for its efforts in strengthening Zimbabwe’s healthcare system. Often working in the most remote and underserved areas, the 21st China…

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South African Legislator Proposes Denying Foreigners Access to ARVs After PEPFAR Funding Halt

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa  Controversial South African Member of Parliament Gayton McKenzie has proposed an immediate halt to all medical assistance, including Antiretroviral Treatment (ART), in response to the gap left by the cessation of aid from the United States government. In the final week of February, PEPFAR-funded HIV organizations in South Africa, which receive funding through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), were notified that their PEPFAR grants had been permanently ended. PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, was launched in 2003 to help combat AIDS…

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Hon Kwidini Urges Parliamentarians To Develop Maternity Waiting Homes

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere As Zimbabwe continues to face a high number of maternal mortalities due to complications like hypertension, parliamentarians have been urged to use the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and Devolution Fund to support the construction and maintenance of maternity waiting homes. Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Hon. Sleiman Kwidini made the call in the National Assembly while responding to a question from Hon. Tsitsi Murombedzi, who had expressed concern over the neglect of maternity waiting rooms. The Zimbabwean Parliamentary Constituency Development Fund (CDF), introduced in 2010, was…

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Zimbabwean Legislators Lay Groundwork for Private Member’s Bill on Abortion

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health have begun preparations for a Private Member’s Bill seeking amendments to the Termination of Pregnancy Act (ToP). The proposed changes aim to broaden the legal grounds for abortion, allowing for greater access under specific circumstances. A Private Member’s Bill is a proposed law introduced by a legislator who is not part of the executive (government or cabinet). In Zimbabwe, this means a Member of Parliament (MP) who is not a minister or deputy minister can introduce a bill to…

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#BREAKING: Braids Worn By Black Women Contain Cancer Causing Toxins

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  The NBC news has reported that Ingredients that can cause cancer were found in 10 synthetic hair products used in braids, extensions and other hairstyles popular with Black women, including artificial hair from popular brands such as Magic Fingers, Sensationnel and Shake-N-Go, according to a Consumer Reports study published Thursday. Lead, which can cause serious health and developmental problems, was also found in nine of the 10 packs of synthetic hair surveyed, including one package of braiding hair that exceeded the maximum allowed dose of lead by…

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UNAIDS Estimates 6.3M AIDS-Related Deaths, 8.7M New Infections from 2025-2029 Amid U.S. Aid Freeze

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Estimates from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) warn of a surge in HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths over the next four years if the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) permanently shuts down. The forecast follows the partial suspension of PEPFAR projects and the closure of USAID-funded HIV and AIDS programs worldwide. Responding to a question during a virtual meeting, Mary Mahy, UNAIDS Director of Data for Impact, confirmed that an additional 6.3 million AIDS-related deaths could occur over the next four…

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Zimbabwean Women Urge Government to Uphold Beijing Declaration on Women’s Health

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa As the world marks 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, women’s rights organizations in Zimbabwe are urging the government to honor its pledge to improve healthcare access for women and girls. This call follows tragic reports that Zimbabwe has lost approximately 54 women to maternal deaths and 299 babies during childbirth since the beginning of 2025. Speaking at a multi-stakeholder meeting in Harare on “Beijing +30: Women and Girls’ Access to Health Services in Zimbabwe,” hosted by the Women’s Coalition…

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US Aid Cuts Jeopardize HIV and TB Programs in East and Southern Africa

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter  The AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA) and its regional partners have strongly condemned the recent cuts in United States (US) funding for HIV and tuberculosis (TB) programs, warning of catastrophic consequences for millions of vulnerable people across East and Southern Africa. In January 2025, the US government implemented a blanket freeze on foreign aid, halting funding for crucial HIV and TB prevention, treatment, and care programs. Despite a waiver issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the…

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African health leaders call for stronger health systems amid shrinking financial support

Michael Gwarisa

 The 6th edition of the Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC) 2025 commenced with a powerful call to action, urging African nations to unite in strengthening health systems amid growing challenges. At the kick-off press briefing, held at the Kigali Convention Centre, global and African health leaders underscored the urgency of tackling pandemics, climate-driven health threats, and declining health aid through homegrown solutions and strategic investments. Jointly convened by Amref Health Africa, the Ministry of Health Rwanda, WHO Regional Office for Africa, and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC),…

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Hypertension Emerges as Leading Killer of Pregnant Women in Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa A surge in hypertensive disorders during childbirth has led to an increase in maternal deaths across Zimbabwe’s health facilities over the past 60 days, HealthTimes has learned. Data presented by the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), Honourable Sleiman Kwidini, during a Parliamentary Question and Answer session yesterday, revealed that Harare recorded the highest number of maternal deaths since the beginning of the year. The maternal deaths from January 2025 to date stand at 54. The leading cause of death was hypertensive disorders and their…

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