Category: #COVID19

OPHID Intensifies Fight Against Double Burden of HIV & COVID-19 In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

THE Organisation for Public Health Inventions and Development (OPHID) has ramped up efforts to combat the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Zimbabwe through provision of Protective Personal Equipment (PPE) as well as Antiretroviral Treatment drugs reshipments  for those living with HIV inside COVID-19 isolation centres. By Michael Gwarisa OPHID is one of the three clinical partners that have been selected by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to implement CIVID-19 related interventions from the recent US$150 000 PEPFAR grant. OPHID has also set up satellite…

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COVID-19 Pandemic Could Leave 47 Million Women Without Access To Contraceptives Says UNFPA

Michael Gwarisa
Young Preganant Women

THE United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) a United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency has predicted a calamitous impact on women’s health as COVID-19 pandemic continues amidst indications that globally, more than 47 million women could lose access to contraception, leading to 7 million unintended pregnancies in the coming months. By Michael Gwarisa As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, the number of women unable to access family planning, facing unintended pregnancies, gender-based violence and other harmful practices could skyrocket by millions of cases in the months ahead, according to data…

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COVID-19 Is For Those In Cities Says Buhera Villagers

Healthtimes

VILLAGERS in Buhera central have turned a deaf ear to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s call for a 35 days national lockdown citing that the disease was not a poor man’s problem but that of the rich and urban dwellers. By Edson Mapani In Bhuhera President Mnanagwa announced a national lockdown which commenced on March 30, 2020 to curb the spread of the virus which has already claimed four lives and infected 32 people in Zimbabwe. However, villagers in Buhera Central Constituency are defying lockdown measures as they publicly gather imbibing traditional…

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Gvt Warns Unregistered Covid-19 Testing Facilities

Healthtimes

Government has warned unregistered health institutions testing for Covid-19 and operating unapproved isolation centres to stop the practice and follow laid down procedures in line with provisions of the Public Health Act.   Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Agnes Mahomva, said some private health institutions had already declared themselves Covid-19 testing and isolation centres without approval from the Ministry of Health.  She advised such institutions to follow the process of approval first. “The Ministry has learned and noticed that some private facilities that have…

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SA Lockdown Leaves 1800 Zimbabweans Near Starvation

Michael Gwarisa

ABOUT 1800 Zimbabweans in South Africa are on the brink of starvation amidst the country’s lockdown meant to curb the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), a survey has found. By Kudakwashe Pembere The survey, an on-going was initiated by a South Africa based non-profit organisation Zimbabwe Exiles Forum seeks to assess the vulnerability of the respondents looking at whether they were sick, disabled, the number of children and their ages. The organisation has begun raising food aid funds  for these Zimbabweans. Now since the beginning of the lockdown I…

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#BREAKING: Zimbabwe Records Rural Transmissions Of Covid-19

Michael Gwarisa

THE Coronavirus (COVID-19) seem not to be respecter of boundaries or Geography. Zimbabwe has recorded two new cases of rural community transmission of COVID-19, both contacts to the late 82-year-old Gogo Nguni who died at a private health facility in Harare last week. By Michael Gwarisa The two new cases number 29 and 30 which were reported on Saturday, April 25 2020 were amongst the 65 samples that were collected from contacts to the late case number 27 (Gogo Nguni). According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC),…

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Respecting The Dignity Of Disabled Persons During Pandemics…A Closer Look At UNESCO’S Interventions In The Zim COVID-19 Battle

Michael Gwarisa

ACCORDING to the World Health Organisation (WHO), close to three million confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been recorded globally. To date, more than a hundred thousand deaths have also been reported on a global scale. As at 26 April 2020, Zimbabwe had recorded 31 COVID-19 cases including four deaths and two recoveries.  By Michael Gwarisa As the world grapples with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, governments are absorbed with containing and minimising further spread of the virus. Various governments including Zimbabwe have instituted national Lockdowns as a precautionary measure against the…

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Maternal & Newborn Care In The time of COVID-19

Michael Gwarisa

MATERNAL health needs should be prioritized and safeguarded at all cost in the face of a pandemic, USAID maternal, newborn and child health program (MCHIP) Director, Dr Koki Agarwal has said. By Michael Gwarisa Dr Agarwal said despite the ongoing ravaging pandemic, maternal health needs have not gone away, instead they have increased. Now more than ever, the health needs of women must be safeguarded. In the three decades that I’ve worked to ensure high-quality, equitable health care for women and their children across the globe, this fact holds true: The…

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Protective Equipment For Village Health Workers

Healthtimes

HEALTH and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo says his ministry will be distributing personal protective equipment for village health workers for protection against the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) when screening and or monitoring patients with malaria. By Kudakwashe Pembere He said this as Zimbabwe commemorates World Malaria Day themed ‘Zero Malaria Begins With Me’. Malaria has similar signs and symptoms as COVID-19 hence Dr Moyo said Government does not want to take chances by leaving these health workers’ in harms way. In the current situation where the country is also…

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Sakunda Avails US$2.6 Mln Towards COVID-19 Fight… Opens Arundel Hospital To The Public Free Of Charge

Healthtimes

SAKUNDA Holdings has donated its US$2.6 million equipment and the Arundel Hospital to Government for use in the fight against COVID-19. HealthTimes Correspondent This comes as the  number of people contracting the disease is increasing. Sakunda handed the donation to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House this Thursday in the presence of some members of the national COVID-19 taskforce. The company also revealed that it was going to pay the 55 medical personnel to man Arundel Hospital for the next six months. Sakunda recently spruced up the medical facility which…

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