Category: BREAKING NEWS

Zimbabwe Steps Up Disease Surveillance at Borders Through Epidemiologist Training

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has strengthened its frontline disease surveillance capacity with the graduation of 44 health workers from the Zimbabwe Field Epidemiology Training Programme (ZimFETP). The three-month training targeted officers stationed at ports of entry and epidemiologists working within city health departments, equipping them with practical skills to detect, investigate, and respond swiftly to outbreaks. Of the graduates, 20 were drawn from land borders and international airports while 24 came from city health departments across the country. The training was designed to close gaps in disease detection and response…

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Africa CDC to boost NCD Surveillance across 10 countries in East and Southern Africa

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has partnered with the Novo Nordisk Foundation, a Danish enterprise Foundation, to strengthening public health workforce capacity for Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) surveillance across ten African Union (AU) Member States. The Novo Nordisk Foundation has awarded a grant of USD 2.65m towards the initiative, and the Africa Public Health Foundation (APHF) will act as fund manager for the grant. The two-year initiative (June 2025–May 2027) aims to develop a scalable training program with a plan to expand across…

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United Nations Proposes Shutting Down UNAIDS In 2026

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  The United Nations (UN) agency focusing on the HIV/AIDS pandemic could close by the end of next year as the UN restructures in the face of a funding crisis, according to a UN document published online. UNAIDS will “sunset” by the end of 2026, the document published on Thursday reads, part of a set of proposals from the UN to member states which they will have to decide on. It adds that UNAIDS’ expertise should be shifted into the wider UN system in the following year. The…

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Zimbabwe Selected Among Ten Countries to Roll Out Breakthrough HIV Prevention Drug, Lenacapavir

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  Zimbabwe has been selected as one of ten countries globally to roll out lenacapavir, a revolutionary new HIV prevention drug that is being hailed as a game-changer in the global fight against HIV. The announcement was made on the official U.S. Embassy Zimbabwe Facebook page, marking a historic milestone in the country’s decades-long battle to curb new HIV infections. Lenacapavir, developed by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences in partnership with the Global Fund, is the world’s first twice-yearly HIV prevention medicine. Clinical trial data shows that more than 99%…

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1 in 3 Zimbabwean Women Could Be Obese by 2030

Michael Gwarisa
An obese Zimbabwean woman standing outdoors, representing obesity trends in Zimbabwe. Data projects that 1 in 3 Zimbabwean women will be obese by 2030.

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is facing a rapidly escalating public health emergency as new projects indicate that 4.2 million adults will be overweight or obese by 2030 with women being the hardest hit group. An analysis of data from the 2025 World Obesity Atlas scoreboard shows that women are bearing the brunt of this epidemic, with their rates of obesity far surpassing those of men. The projections show a steady climb in high Body Mass Index (BMI) over the past two decades, a trend set to accelerate. By 2030, an…

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Study Uncovers Reservoirs of Antimicrobial Resistance in Food Processing Environments

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa A new study has identified food processing environments, particularly wastewater and sludge, as significant reservoirs for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, including several high-risk variants that pose a threat to human health. The research, led by Thorben Reiche from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), highlights the potential for these facilities to contribute to the environmental spread of AMR. The study, conducted by a team of researchers from NTNU and SINTEF Industry in Norway, alongside the University of Life Sciences in Iași, Romania, investigated the prevalence…

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Door-to-Door Mobilisation Under SLL Brings Healthcare Closer to Children and Elderly in Gokwe

Michael Gwarisa
Gogo Bhunu, a sprightly woman in her early 90s, warmly welcomes a door-to-door health mobilisation team at her homestead in Bhunu Village, Gokwe North, as part of the Saving Lives and Livelihoods program bringing healthcare services closer to children and the elderly.

By Michael Gwarisa in Gokwe For years, healthcare in Gokwe North has been beyond the reach of many. The terrain is unforgiving, rocky, bumpy, and scorched by a relentless sun. Narrow footpaths snake through thorny bushes and jagged rocks, leading to scattered homesteads perched in places so remote you can’t help but wonder how anyone managed to settle there. Clinics are few and far between, with some as distant as 25 or even 30 kilometres away. In such an environment, seeking healthcare often means risking dehydration, exhaustion, or worse. It…

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Guchu Linked To Rise In Prostate Problems For Gokwe Men

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Gokwe A sizable number of men in Gokwe are now facing serious prostate health issues, a condition locally known as Ku Blocker. Health authorities believe this troubling rise may be tied to the widespread use of Guchu, a traditional sex-enhancing concoction used by many men to improve sexual performance. Gokwe is known for its polygamous traditions, largely shaped by cultural and religious beliefs. Polygamy is also common in neighbouring districts like Kariba and Binga. To keep up with demanding sex in polygamous settings, men in these…

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WCOZ Hosts Indaba to Unpack Climate Change Management Bill

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ) last week convened a high-level indaba in Harare to deliberate on the proposed Climate Change Management Bill, a piece of legislation that seeks to provide a comprehensive framework for Zimbabwe’s response to climate change. The gathering brought together civil society, legal experts, government stakeholders and grassroots representatives to scrutinise the bill with a particular focus on its gender implications. Speaking at the indaba, Caroline Mutimbanyoka said the coalition’s interest in the bill was rooted in the reality that women and girls…

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Zimbabwe Red Cross Marks World First Aid Day with Chinhoyi March, Competitions

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe – September 14, 2025 — The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) on Saturday joined the global Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in commemorating World First Aid Day with a colourful march and first aid competitions in Chinhoyi, under the theme “First Aid and Climate Change.” The commemorations, held at Chinhoyi High School, drew hundreds of participants including students, corporate teams, volunteers and community members. A spirited march through the town centre set the tone for the day, attracting onlookers and raising awareness on the…

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