Category: #COVID19

#BREAKING: Free Blood Initiative Under Siege As NBSZ Suspends Blood Coupons

Michael Gwarisa

PATIENTS in need of blood and blood products in both public and private health institutions will likely be forced to pay in United States Dollars (USD) or an exchange rate equivalent to the Old Mutual implied rate or other comparable exchange rates, following the suspension of the coupon facility which would see health institutions access blood and blood products on credit. By Michael Gwarisa The move also comes after the National Blood Service of Zimbabwe (NBS) has been making numerous calls for foreign currency injection from government to facilitate the…

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73 Countries Face ARVs Stock-outs Due To COVID-19 Warns WHO

Michael Gwarisa

SEVENTY-THREE countries have warned that they are at risk of stock-outs of antiretroviral (ARV) medicines as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new WHO survey conducted ahead of the International AIDS Society’s biannual conference. Twenty-four countries reported having either a critically low stock of ARVs or disruptions in the supply of these life-saving medicines.  The survey follows a modelling exercise convened by WHO and UNAIDS in May which forecasted that a six-month disruption in access to ARVs could lead to a doubling in AIDS-related deaths in sub-Saharan…

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Remain on guard: WHO …as Zim marks 100 days of lockdown

Healthtimes

‘COVID-19 is not rocket science, it is a virus, it’s predictable…’ With complacency setting in in Zimbabwe, COVID-19 cases could spike if community engagement, messaging and a correct balancing act is not attained. As the country marks 100 days under lockdown, with relaxed measures allowing some sectors to resume duty, this should not be mistaken to mean the virus has receded. COVID-19 hasn’t. It is here for some time until a vaccine is found. Vaccines take time, it’s a process and not an event. Currently there is no cure. By…

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UNFPA, Partners Call For Eradication Of Early Marriages and Other Harmful Practices In Zim

Michael Gwarisa

THE United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has called for collective effort in ending the growing burden of early marriages and other harmful practices which compromise the health and future of young people especially girls and women. By Michael Gwarisa Every year, millions of girls are subjected to practices that harm them physically and emotionally with the full knowledge and consent of their families, friends and communities, according to the State of World Population 2020, recently launched by UNFPA, the United Nations’ sexual and reproductive health agency. Findings from the State…

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Gvt Prepares Domboshawa Training Centre To Quarantine Returnee Ex-Convicts

Michael Gwarisa

GOVERNMENT is in the process of setting up Domboshawa Training center to accommodate ex-convicts returning from neighboring countries. By Michael Gwarisa In a media brief, Information, publicity and broadcasting services minister, Honorable Monica Mutsvangwa said even though there were no known ex-convicts in quarantine centers at the moment, they were planning in advance, in case the need arises. With regards to the quarantining of ex-convicts the Domboshawa Training Centre is still being prepared to accommodate these, as an alternative to Prince Edward High School. However, currently, there are no known…

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Bring It On, We Have Nothing More To Lose, Striking Nurses Tell Gvt After Arrest of Colleagues

Michael Gwarisa

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have arrested and detained  Harare Hospital nurses for allegedly planning to stage a demonstration against slave wages, a move that has sparked anger amongst nurses. By Michael Gwarisa In a statement, the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZIMA) President, Enoch Dongo condemned the act and called on authorities to release the health workers immediately. Today, July 6, 2020, we have received information that nurses have been arrested at Harare Hospital. Indications are that the arrests were done allegedly for the purposes of avoiding a demonstration at Harare…

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Zim PLHIV Situation Room Launched

Michael Gwarisa

THE People Living with HIV (PLHIV) Situation Room has been launched in Zimbabwe as a means of enhancing communication and data collection system aimed at improving PLHIV engagement, inform service providers, and foster positive change in the HIV response. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking during a virtual launch of the platform, Zimbabwe National Network Of People Living With HIV (ZNNP+) Executive Director, Mr Tatenda Makoni said the facility will boost advocacy work and facilitate communication between Civil Society Organisations and the HIV community. The program comes with a toll-free line and…

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More than half of people with Covid-19 don’t know how they got it — here’s what that means for you

Healthtimes

A new survey from the Centers for Disease Control found that 54% of people who tested positive for Covid-19 couldn’t pinpoint how they contracted the virus. The remaining 46% of respondents could recall having close contact with a person — commonly a family member or coworker — who was also diagnosed with Covid-19. These findings are “very concerning,” and suggest that people are likely contracting Covid-19 from people in their community who are asymptomatic, Dr. Joshua Barocas, infectious disease physician and assistant professor at Boston University School of Medicine, said…

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21 Year Old Lady Becomes Zim’s Latest COVID-19 Death

Michael Gwarisa

A 21 year old young lady has become the latest COVID-19 casualty in Zimbabwe, bringing the total number of deaths to eight. By Michael Gwarisa The death comes at a time Zimbabwe is experiencing a spike in daily new infections with indications that local and community transmissions could be on the rise owing to the relaxation of restrictions. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) daily COVID-19 update, the country recorded 7 new cases as at July,4 2020. “These include returnees from South Africa (55), Botswana (3),…

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