Category: Features

COVID-19 disrupts access to SRHR for Zim’s LGBTI Community

Michael Gwarisa

LESBIAN, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people may be particularly vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic according to a paper by the United Nations titled COVID-19 and the human rights of LGBTI people. Amongst the LGBTI community are people living with compromised immune systems, including some persons living with HIV/AIDS who also face a greater risk fromCOVID-19. However, the community continues to face massive stigma and discrimination at the hands of health workers and society. With the coming in of the COVID-19, and given an overloaded health system in Zimbabwe,…

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Mental Health in the wake of Covid19

Healthtimes
DEPRESSED AFRICAN LADY (pic by Huffington post)

The increase in community transmissions of Covid19 in Zimbabwe is causing concern in the population’s mental health. Psychological and social problems continue to rise and consequences such as stress, anxiety, depression, frustration, uncertainty and domestic violence are an increasing progression. It is therefore of utmost importance for the people of Zimbabwe to take care of their mental health. Healthcare workers: • You are likely to feel afraid, overwhelmed and experience lots of stress as the outbreak continues, it is important to acknowledge these feelings and notice when you are not…

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Parirenyatwa Hospital Running Out Of Beds To Admit COVID-19 Patients- Audit

Michael Gwarisa

THE prevailing COVID-19 pandemic has exerted pressure on the country’s biggest referral hospital’s admission capacity amidst indications that the institution is running out of beds to admit new patients, an audit report of the facility for the period July 1 to July 24 2020 has revealed By Michael Gwarisa The beds shortage also comes at a time  the country is battling a COVID-19 pandemic which has already claimed 104 lives and infected 4649 in Zimbabwe. The audit report which was conducted by Parirenyatwa Hospital’s Clinical Team which comprised of Doctors…

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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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UNFPA & World Food Programme, partners working together to bring sexual and reproductive health services closer to communities at food distribution points

Healthtimes

CHARITY Fabeni (35) is one of the beneficiaries of the World Food Programme food distribution exercise in Kamutanho village in Mutare district, about 400 kilometres outside Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare. On a monthly basis she makes the 2 kilometre trip to the food distribution point at Kamutanho school to receive her ration. On one of her monthly visits and much to her delight, Fabeni learnt she could now collect condoms at the food distribution point. SOURCE: UNFPA COMMUNICATION DESK My husband and I had to use condoms to prevent pregnancy for…

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Youth and COVID-19 Diaries: Tutoring brother, nursing granma and learning a new language

Healthtimes

Zimbabwe: 28-year-old Sharon Fadzai Muchena’s Story Date of diary session:   “My main worry right now is whether my sanitary [products] will take me through to the end of lockdown.” After COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, the government of Zimbabwe issued a number of statutory instruments in March this year. One of these imposed a curfew and bans on public gatherings. Zimbabwe has joined other countries in a total lockdown. Today is day 40 and I am locked down with my family (my mom, dad and siblings).…

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Yanaya’s Seductive Cuisines, Only Fit For Health Conscious Foodies

Michael Gwarisa
yanaya

MANY can concur with me that our diet options and eating habits have changed the world over and people are increasingly becoming health conscious by the day. We are living in the era of Banting, dieting and massive workouts just to lose weight and at least stay healthy. French Lawyer and politician Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, in 1826 in one of his manuscripts wrote, “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.” Meaning a person is a vivid reflection of what he/she eats or puts inside their…

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Religious Beliefs And culture, Barriers To Accessing SHRH

Healthtimes

“PUBLIC hearings are announced, people do not attend. The communities show no interest in the formation of policies only to complain later…” By Catherine Murombedzi Health Correspondent Conforming to societal expectations has been a drawback to acceptance that culture is dynamic. The need to adapt and adopt to the ever changing requirements in life are required to keep pace with the changes. Some cultural and religious norms have limited or even hindered acceptance to changes in the global village. In Zimbabwe, we have societal pressure as a barrier in most…

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Being A Sex Worker Under Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 Induced Lockdwon

Michael Gwarisa

ACCORDING to Zimbabwe’s law, Prostitution is not a crime. However, loitering for the purposes of soliciting for sex is regarded a criminal offense. What is also criminalised is the act of offering one’s services in a public place. By Michael Gwarisa In as much as the law provides some form of relief to sex workers, it however makes it difficult for them to operate since majority of their clients frequent public spots such as roads, intersections, clubs etc and for them to get business, they need to be available physically…

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