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Zimbabwe Slashes Import Tariffs on E-Cigarettes

February 4, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Harare, Zimbabwe – The Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion, has introduced significant amendments to the customs and excise tariffs on electronic cigarettes and related devices. The changes were formalised in Statutory Instrument 11 of 2025 and are part of the government’s broader strategy to boost revenue through sin taxes on products deemed harmful to public health. The latest adjustment reduces the duty on e-cigarettes and similar personal electric vaporizing devices from the previous rate of USD 0.5 per milliliter/unit to USD 0.1 per milliliter/unit.…

Nurses Slam New Tax Clearance Rule as Unnecessary Burden, Warn of Impact on Patient Care

February 3, 2025February 3, 2025 Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwean nurses have criticized the newly introduced tax clearance requirement for renewing nurses’ practicing certificates, calling it unnecessary and cumbersome. The Zimbabwe Nurses Association warns that the policy could negatively affect patient care across the country. The controversy stems from a recent announcement by the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe (NCZ) mandating that nurses obtain a tax clearance certificate from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) before renewing their practicing certificates. Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZNA) President Enock Dongo, in an interview with HealthTimes, argued that the requirement unfairly burdens…

Delayed Maternal Care in Rural Zimbabwe Leading to Preventable Deaths

February 3, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Most women in Zimbabwe who die during childbirth do so due to delays in receiving appropriate and adequate care at health facilities. Also known in medical terms as the “Third Delay,” this delay in accessing care is the leading cause of maternal mortality in rural areas. Speaking at a recent meeting in Harare, Dr. Chipo Chimamise, the National Maternal Health Officer in the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) emphasized that poor-quality maternal care remains the primary driver of high maternal deaths in Zimbabwe. 95% of…

KidzCan Launches Orange Month to Fight Childhood Cancer

February 3, 2025February 3, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

KidzCan Zimbabwe has launched Orange Month, a nationwide campaign aimed at raising awareness and support for children battling cancer. Held every February, Orange Month seeks to highlight the challenges faced by children with cancer and mobilize communities to take action in providing medical and emotional support. KidzCan emphasized the importance of early detection and access to treatment. “Childhood cancer is treatable if detected early, and through Orange Month, we want to spread this message while also rallying support for affected families,” they said. The campaign will feature a series of…

All Set For 2025 Health Tech Connect Conference

February 3, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter The 2025 Health Tech Connect Conference, scheduled for February 27-28, is set to attract stakeholders from across the medical and technology industries. Hosted by the Entrepreneurs Network of Zimbabwe (ENZ), the event comes at a time when Zimbabwe is accelerating its adoption of digital health services, including e-learning, telemedicine, and the electronic health records system, Impilo. ENZ CEO Gillian Rusike emphasized the importance of the conference, stating, “We are at a turning point where technology is no longer an option but a necessity in the medical field.…

Zimbabwe Launches Health Insurance Proficiency Program to Elevate Industry Standards

February 3, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In an effort to enhance efficiency and professionalism within the health insurance and medical aid sectors, the Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) has launched a Certificate of Proficiency in Health Insurance in collaboration with the Insurance Institute of Zimbabwe (IIZ). Speaking at the launch event, AHFoZ Board Chairman Stanford Sisya described the partnership as a milestone in the evolution of Zimbabwe’s medical aid industry. The Certificate of Proficiency is not just another qualification; it is a transformative learning initiative designed to address the unique challenges…

Zimbabwe’s Data-to-Policy Insights Reveal Solutions to Curb Maternal Mortality, Costly Cancer Diagnoses, Unregistered Deaths & Rising GBV Cases

January 31, 2025January 31, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Amid critical gaps in key health and social indicators, findings from a four-month-long Data-to-Policy training program have underscored the urgent need for policy interventions, Health Times has learned. The Data-to-Policy program, launched by Vital Strategies in collaboration with the United States Centers for Disease Control Foundation and the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat), aims to promote evidence-based policymaking in Zimbabwe’s healthcare and social sectors. Speaking on behalf of the ZimStat Director General at the Data-to-Policy Dissemination Forum in Harare, ZimStat’s Demography and Social Statistics Director, Mr. Aluwisio…

Antibiotic Resistance is Here. Millions of People are Dying

January 30, 2025 Healthtimes

Reporters: Aline Suárez del Real, Edna Namara, Evidence Chenjerai, Gabriela Meléndez-Rivera, Lucila Pellettieri, Odonchimeg Batsukh, Sunita Neupane For years, Radha Lama bought antibiotics in bulk at a clinic near her home in Kathmandu, Nepal. She took the pills whenever she had a stomachache or headache, without talking to a doctor or nurse, says her daughter Pratikchya Lama. Now, at 57 years old, Radha Lama is on a ventilator in the intensive care unit of Nepal’s Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. She hasn’t been able to breathe on her own since August…

United States Permits Distribution of H.I.V. Medications to Resume For Now

January 29, 2025 Healthtimes

The Trump administration on Tuesday issued a waiver for lifesaving medicines and medical services, offering a reprieve for a worldwide H.I.V. treatment program that was halted last week. The waiver, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seemed to allow for the distribution of H.I.V. medications, but whether the waiver extended to preventive drugs or other services offered by the program, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, was not immediately clear. Still, PEPFAR’s future remains in jeopardy, with potential consequences for more than 20 million people — including 500,000…

MLCSCZ Warns Laboratories Against Using Expired Kits and Reagents

January 28, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter The Medical Laboratory and Clinical Scientists Council of Zimbabwe (MLCSCZ) has raised alarm over the use of expired kits and reagents in laboratories across the country, citing serious risks to patient safety and the reliability of diagnostic tests. This issue, identified during routine inspections, has prompted the council to take a firm stance to safeguard public health and ensure the integrity of laboratory services. In a statement, Ms. Agness Chogora, the Registrar of MLCSCZ, emphasized the critical need for compliance. “The use of expired kits and reagents…