Category: COMMUNITY RESPONSE

Health Act Should Legalise Health Centre Committees- CWGH

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa  COMMUNITY Working Group on Health (CWGH) Executive Director Itai Josh Rusike says the new Public Health Act (PHA) should recognise Health Centre Committees (HCCs) as legal entities as they are a critical tool in enhancing Primary Health Care services. In an interview with HealthTimes on the sidelines of a Media Engagement of the PHA, Rusike said it was worrying that HCCs were operating as illegal entities despite their positive contribution to the national health sector. Also Read: Minister Parirenyatwa Explains Public Health Bill Delay  “Health Centre Committees…

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53 000 Benefit from US Nutrition and Sanitation Project

Healthtimes

Staff Reporter NOT less than 53 000 Zimbabwean citizens have benefited from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) driven Community Water Supply, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Natural Resources Management project (C-WASH). The project is being Implemented by Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) Zimbabwe and  C-WASH worked with communities to provide sustainable access to clean and safe drinking water sources and improved sanitation facilities. ALSO READ: US government allocates US$150 million towards HIV prevention  Speaking during the celebrations at Sherukuru Secondary School in Mutasa District, USAID/Zimabwe Acting Deputy Mission…

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UNFPA Donates Reproductive Health Kits To Flood Victims

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter UNITED Nations Family Population Fund (UNFPA) has handed over reproductive health and dignity kits valued at US$189 000 to women and girls affected by Cyclone Dineo in Tsholotsho, Muzarabani and Mbire districts. Some parts of the country were affected by floods which came as a result of high rainfall and the situation was further worsened by the tropical Cyclone Dineo in March this year forcing government to appeal for assistance from development partners.   Addressing delegates at the official handover ceremony of the kits, UNFPA Assistant Representative…

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Traditional Leaders Driving Primary Health Care

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa recently in Mapanzure TRADITIONAL leaders have always been key figures in the upholding of societal standards and effecting laws that guide and protect citizens since time immemorial. Under the African setup, traditional leaders in this case, chiefs, village headmen, district officers, Councillors among others play a pivotal role in determining the fate of their people. In Zimbabwe, traditional leaders hold key functions even at top political levels as the constitution of Zimbabwe recognises the role of traditional chiefs and leaders. It is through their influence that traditional…

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Kenya’s schoolgirls to get free sanitary pads from government

Healthtimes

SOURCE:BBC All Kenyan schoolgirls are to get free sanitary pads, the government has said. It is hoped the move will improve access to education in a country where many cannot afford sanitary products like pads and tampons. According to the UN’s education agency, one in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa misses school during their period. Some girls reportedly lose 20% of their education for this reason, making them more likely to drop out of school altogether. The amendment to the education act, signed into law by President Uhuru Kenyatta this…

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Home Birth Delivery Cases Drop

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa recently in Guruve  THE number of home deliveries by pregnant mothers has largely dropped over the past few years owing to the extensive roll out of Health Centre Committees (HCCs) around the country. The initiative which is being spearheaded by Save the Children Zimbabwe in collaboration with its funding partners DFID and EC through a program dubbed “Strengthening Community Participation In Health,” has seen at least 21 districts around the country’s 10 provinces benefiting as witnessed by the massive increase in community members participation in primary health…

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Men Critical in promoting gender equality- US Embassy

Healthtimes

Staff Reporter MEN have a critical role to play in facilitating gender equality in the media as the situation benefits both sexes, a United States Embassy official has said. Briefing a discussion session facilitated by Paradoka a woman’s initiative established to provide a platform for women journalists, Sizani Weza a Media Specialist with the United States Embassy said, “Gender relations are about power and gender equality is a key policy objective of the United States in Zimbabwe in all sectors, no less the media. “Our support to empowerment programs for…

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Hundreds Turn Out for Cleft Lip Surgeries

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa  MORE than 200 children turned for Cleft lip screening underway at Harare Hospital while another 47 surgeries were conducted at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo last week courtesy of Operation of Hope. Operation of Hope is an American Non-Profit organisation focused on empowering marginalised and undeserved communities. In an interview, Operation of Hope president Jennifer Trubenbach said the response to their call for free cleft lip screening and surgeries was an indication that the need for Reconstruction surgeries was a huge need amongst Zimbabweans. “Operation of Hope was at Mpilo…

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U.S. to promote art & health at HIFA

Healthtimes

By Health Times Reporter THE United States Embassy has announced that it will continue with its partnership with the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) as a way of promoting arts and health. The partnership will see the US Embassy providing a platform for its partners to reach out to the public through a feature film, music and health infotainment at the HIFA’s PEPFAR First Street Stage at the junction of First Street and George Silundika Avenue. In a statement US Embassy public affairs officer     David McGuire said…

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Council Must Do More To Contain Typhoid: Experts

Healthtimes

SOURCE: The Herald  Failure by Harare City Council to provide basic water and sanitation services to its residents is fuelling the outbreak of water borne diseases such as typhoid and cholera, health experts have said. Water-borne diseases, the experts said, were primitive in this era. As such, the specialists called for the city to venture into private partnerships with developmental partners in order to resuscitate infrastructure which is failing to cope with the growing population. The sentiments by the experts come after the death toll from typhoid in Harare has…

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