Category: BREAKING NEWS

Study finds 20% of Zimbabwean Youth have STIs

Michael Gwarisa

Epidemiologist and Sexual Reproductive Health Expert, Dr Chido Dziva Chikwari has warned of a high prevalence of three Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Trichomonas amongst Zimbabwe’s young and youthful population. By Michael Gwarisa The data was revealed during a door-to-door Population Based Prevalence Survey that was conducted between 2020 and 22 in 16 communities around Zimbabwe where young people were tested for STIs. Speaking in an interview recently, Dr Chikwari said it can’t be business as usual and there is need to adopt new methods of screening for…

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Ministry of Health Reads Riot Act To Pharmacies Dispensing Antibiotics Without Prescriptions

Michael Gwarisa
Antibiotics

To curb to the proliferation of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) related infections, the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has warned pharmacies to stop the selling or dispensing antibiotics to patients without prescriptions. By Michael Gwarisa This follows scientific data which affirms that Antibiotic dispensing without prescriptions is a major determinant of the emergence of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) which has impact on population health and cost of healthcare delivery. Speaking at the Inaugural Joint Community Pharmacies Association (CPA) and Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Association (PWA) Joint Conference in Harare, Health and Child…

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Three Neglected Tropical Diseases Pose Health Threat To Over 5 Million Zimbabweans

Michael Gwarisa

The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) Principal Director Public Health, Dr Munyaradzi Dobbie says Zimbabwe is still saddled with the burden of three Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs, namely Schistosomiasis (SCH) & Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH) and lymphatic filariasis. By Michael Gwarisa This was revealed during a Results dissemination Workshop for the 2021 National Geospatial mapping for the three NTD’s, namely Schistosomiasis (SCH) & Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH) and 2023 Confirmatory Mapping of lymphatic filariasis in Zimbabwe in the Capital, Harare where it was revealed that 35 percent of…

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MCAZ Quality Management Systems charm Rwanda FDA

Kuda Pembere

A delegation of the Rwanda Food and Drug Authority (Rwanda FDA), is in the country to learn and share notes with the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) quality management systems. By Kuda Pembere The Rwanda FDA Quality Assurance Analyst, Mr Theodene Ndayambaje said MCAZ quality management system is enviable. The Rwanda FDA was established in 2018. I first of all thank you on behalf of RWANDA FDA for the warm welcome. Rwanda FDA having a similar mandate with the MCAZ, and being a new authority established in Rwanda, it…

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Robin Gorna Appointed Frontline AIDS Substantive Executive Director

Healthtimes

Frontline AIDS has appointed Ms Robin Gorna its new Executive Director. By Staff Reporter Robin Gorna brings substantial leadership experience to Frontline AIDS, having been Executive Director of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations, the International AIDS Society, and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. She is currently Vice-Chair of the Technical Review Panel for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Robin’s work as an AIDS activist, a writer and a leader began in the mid-1980s, when she volunteered with UK community groups, the Terrence…

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Journalists Urged To Lead Social Media Discourse On Health Issues To End Misinformation

Healthtimes

FOLLOWING the rise in misinformation and disinformation around health issues on Social Media, Digital Media trainer, media and gender consultant, Buhlenkosi Tshabangu-Moyo has called on heath Journalists to take charge and lead the conversati0n on health issues online. By Nthokozo Gudu Addressing journalists at a half day training on digital and social media skills that was hosted by the Health Communicators Forum (HCF) in Harare, Buhle said Journalists need to connect the dots to conversations happening online around health issues and probe further to come up with factual, verified and…

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CATALYST HIV Research Study Launched In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

THE Maximizing Options to Advance Informed Choice for HIV Prevention (MOSAIC) consortium, has launched CATALYST, a research study that evaluates delivery of HIV prevention methods in women and girls at greater risk oF new HIV infections. By Michael Gwarisa The three-year, multi-country implementation study builds on decades of research related to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention and is aimed at assessing the delivery of multiple PrEP methods to women in real-world settings in five African countries, including Zimbabwe. The study will deliver choice among three PrEP methods — daily…

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People with Vitiligo bemoan exorbitant sunscreen cost

Kuda Pembere

THE huge cost of sunscreens and other body creams used by people with skin conditions such as vitiligo is preventing many from accessing the essential commodities, exposing them to skin diseases including skin cancers. By Kudakwashe Pembere In some instances, people have to folk out not less US$20 every month for a bottle of sunscreen. This emerged during a vitiligo commemoration organized by Lancet Laboratories on Thursday where people with vitiligo said sunscreen products are expensive. Lancet, can we please have affordable sunscreen because sunscreen is very expensive and affordable…

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Ministry of Health to deploy advanced AI Tool for TB detection

Michael Gwarisa

AT a time the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare has grown across the globe, the Ministry of Health and Child (MoHCC) is set to launch a Computer-Aided Detection Artificial Intelligence tool (CAD AI), to screen for Tuberculosis (TB). By Michael Gwarisa The move comes at a time Zimbabwe is making headway towards addressing the TB burden as evidenced by the country’s removal from the world’s top 30 list of countries heavily burdened by TB. Zimbabwe now has a double burden of TB/HIV and MDR-TB. In an interview with…

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