Category: #COVID19

Air Commodore Chimedza Appointed New Health Ministry Perm Sec

Michael Gwarisa

GOVERNMENT has appointed with immediate effect, Air Commodore Jasper Chimedza as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC). HealthTimes Reporter  This was confirmed by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda who indicated that the appointment has been made by President Emerson Mnangagwa in accordance with Section 205 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act 2013. A medical doctor by profession, Air Commodore Chimedza studied Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Degrees at the University of Zimbabwe before…

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Zimbabwe Patients ‘Dying In Hospital Car Park’, As Healthcare Workers Strike Persists

Healthtimes

DOCTORS in Zimbabwe say the country is facing a crisis from a shortage of healthcare workers as the number of Covid- 19 infections begins to rise. SOURCE: BBC Dr Rashida Ferrand, an epidemiologist at the main public hospital in the capital Harare told the BBC there are too few doctors and nurses because of a health workers’ strike, which began before the pandemic, and a shortage of protective equipment. She told the BBC’s Newsday programme: Quote Message: As a result of that, many wards, including the Covid centre, do not…

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UNFPA Zimbabwe continues to invest in safe motherhood in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic

Healthtimes

RECENTLY Zimbabwe successfully conducted the delivery of its  first case for a pregnant mother who tested positive for COVID 19. The baby was delivered through a caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia at Gweru Provincial Hospital. The operation went on well with full adherence to standard IPC guidelines, announced the Acting Secretary for Health and Child Care, Dr. Gibson Mhlanga. SOURCE: UNFPA Communication Department As Zimbabwe and the rest of the world battle the COVID-19 pandemic the safe delivery and management of this delivery is a culmination of the critical investments…

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Avenues Clinic Reopens Casualty Facility After Brief Lockdown

Michael Gwarisa

THE Avenues Clinic has re-opened its casualty center after a brief haitus following a COVID-19 incident which had occurred in the accident and emergency unit  towards the of July, 2020. By Michael Gwarisa In a statement, The Avenues Clinic management said they had followed strict health precautions regarding the disinfection of the facility as well as isolating infected employees ahead of its re-opening Following the communication of 24July 2020regarding temporary closure of the Accident and Emergency (Casualty) Unit, the hospital would like to advise that the unit will be re-opening…

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Children Under 5 Could Spread Coronavirus More Than Adults- New Study

Michael Gwarisa

CHILDREN below the age of five could be major carriers of the coronavirus as compared to adults, a new study has found. By Michael Gwarisa According to the study “Age-Related Differences in Nasopharyngeal Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Levels in Patients With Mild to Moderate Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19),” which was  published in JAMA Pediatrics and led by Dr. Taylor Heald-Sargent, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, children are susceptible to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2…

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Remdesivir Reduces Time to Recovery in Adults Hospitalized With COVID-19: A Meaningful Step in Therapeutic Discovery

Healthtimes

Main results. A total of 1107 patients were assessed for eligibility, of whom 1063 underwent randomization, with 541 assigned to remdesivir and 522 to placebo. Results were unblinded early at the recommendation of DSMB due to findings from the interim analysis that showed reduced time to recovery in the group that received remdesivir. As of April 28, 2020, a total of 391 participants in the remdesivir group and 340 participants in the placebo group had completed the trial (day 29), recovered, or died. SOURCE: mdedge.com The mean age of participants…

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#MentalHealth: At the COVID-19 crossroads; Lockdown Fatigue

Healthtimes

WHEN COVID-19 started to spread across the continent a lot of people thought it would be over in a few months. In no time the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a pandemic. Countries started implementing WHO guidelines to “flatten the curve.” By Dr Kudakwashe Muchena Five months after Zimbabwe recorded its first positive case resulting in a lockdown in March to try and manage the pandemic, we are still not yet at the peak. Several people thought that getting through the COVID-19 pandemic would be a sprint and not…

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Ministry of Health To Present Grant Proposals For NBSZ Recapitalisation

Michael Gwarisa
Dr Gibson Mhlanga

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) says it is working on presenting a grant proposal to treasury for the recapitalisation of the national blood bank in a bid to strengthen the organization’s operations and effectiveness, HealthTimes has learnt. By Michael Gwarisa The NBSZ has over the past few years been making numerous calls for recapitalisation so that they could invest in latest technologies and equipment to ensure smooth operations go uninterrupted. Addressing participants during a Zoom Webinar conference to mark the end of the World Blood Donor day…

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#TalkingCOVID-19WithDrGant: Zimbabweans, We Must Take The COVID-19 Pandemic Seriously, And Stop Looking For Reasons To Justify Complacency!

Healthtimes
Dr Grant Murewanhema

THE COVID-19 pandemic is  hitting hard on Zimbabwe, and growing very fast. All ten provinces in the country are reporting cases, and local transmission far outweighs imported disease. Community transmission implies many cases in society whose epidemiological origins are difficult to trace, with multiple unrelated clusters. By Dr Grant Murewanhema Human behavior is critical in controlling the epidemic. I find it unacceptable that there are still some individuals who justify complacency and lack of responsibility on their part. Its a known fact that Zimbabwe has resource limitations, and has limited…

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Post Mortem Confirms Minister Shiri Died Of COVID-19

Michael Gwarisa

PRESIDENT Emerson Mnangagwa has confirmed that retired Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) Commander, and Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement, Air Chief Marshal Perrance Shiri, died of Covid-19. Briefing mourners at the late minister’s Borrowdale home, President Mnangagwa said post mortem results which came in today confirmed that minister Shiri succumbed to COVID-19. “Now that it is confirmed that Minister Shiri died of Covid 19, we will follow World Health Organisation regulations on how the funeral should proceed.” Minister Shiri died early yesterday at the age of 65.

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