Category: Health News

UNFPA Urges Focus on Adolescents, Youth and Quality Healthcare as Zimbabwe Prepares for Ninth Country Programme

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere As the Zimbabwean Government through Treasury prepares for its ninth country programme in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the organisation has urged the country to prioritise healthcare quality and improve the livelihoods of adolescents and young people, particularly females who are disproportionately affected by teenage pregnancies, gender-based violence, and HIV. This was said by UNFPA Zimbabwe Representative Miranda Tabifor while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a consultative stakeholder workshop to develop the ninth country programme, running from 2027 to 2031. With over 60…

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Zimbabwe and UNFPA Begin Consultations for 9th Country Programme (2027–2031)

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Government of Zimbabwe and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have commenced consultations to develop the 9th Country Programme of Cooperation, which will run from 2027 to 2031. The two-day Stakeholder Engagement Workshop, taking place in Harare from 6 to 7 October 2025, brings together senior government officials, civil society, academia, youth representatives, and development partners to collectively shape the country’s future priorities for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender equality, and population dynamics. According to the concept note, the workshop seeks to “collectively…

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Mhangura Hosts World Contraception Day as Zimbabwe Pushes for Domestic Family Planning Investment

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere in Mhangura Zimbabwe last Friday belatedly marked World Contraception Day in Mhangura with the launch of the country’s Contraceptive Cost Recovery Framework, aimed at improving domestic financing for family planning commodities and services. The commemorations, held at Mhangura Recreational Club, drew hundreds of community members and health stakeholders. Mashonaland West was selected to host the national event to raise awareness on contraception, as the province records one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancies in the country. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe’s…

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Eight Die as Diarrhoea Outbreak Hits Children Under Five

Kuda Pembere

By Staff Reporter Children under five are bearing the brunt of Zimbabwe’s diarrhoea outbreak, with more than half of the cases reported in the past week affecting this age group. According to the Health and Child Care Ministry’s Weekly Disease Surveillance Report for the week ending September 14, 2025, the country recorded 9 705 cases of common diarrhoea and eight deaths. Of the reported cases, 5 608 (58%) were from children under five years of age,” the Ministry said. The highest number of cases came from Mashonaland West (1,751) and…

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Zimbabwe Faces Severe Shortage of Forensic Pathologists

Michael Gwarisa
Minister of Health Dr. Douglas Mombeshora shares a light moment with Dr. Ron Mhizha of the Eye Institute and Chrispen Dzingirai of Old Mutual Zimbabwe during the launch of free cataract eye clinics.

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is grappling with a critical shortage of forensic pathologists, a crisis that has forced families to transport bodies across provinces for post-mortem examinations and delayed justice in criminal cases. Health and Child Care Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora told Parliament this week that until recently, the country had only one qualified forensic pathologist, making it nearly impossible to conduct timely examinations across the nation. Forensic post-mortems require specialised expertise beyond the training of general pathologists. Unfortunately, we only had one forensic pathologist in the country. This created…

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Stunting Remains a Critical Challenge for Zimbabwe’s Children, Report Reveals

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  Despite improvements in several food security and nutrition indicators, stunting rates among children under five in Zimbabwe remain alarmingly high, posing a significant threat to the nation’s human capital and long-term development, according to the recently released 2025 Rural Livelihoods Assessment Report. The report, produced by the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC), indicates that 23.8% of children aged 6-59 months are stunted. Stunting, defined as impaired growth and development due to poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation, has lifelong consequences for health, cognitive ability, and economic productivity.…

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National AIDS Council Communications Director, Madeline Dube Dies

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The National AIDS Council (NAC) is mourning the passing of its long-serving Communications Director, Ms. Madeline Dube, an accomplished radio journalist and seasoned communicator whose work left a lasting impact on Zimbabwe’s HIV and AIDS response. The tragic news was confirmed by NAC Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Bernard Madzima, who described Ms. Dube’s death as a profound loss not only to the health sector but to the nation as a whole. The passing on of our Communications Director, Ms. Dube, is a tragic loss not only to…

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Legal Barriers Undermine Adolescent Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health in Zimbabwe

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere There is a misalignment in Zimbabwe’s laws that continues to negatively affect access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services by adolescents, which may help reduce the scourge of teenage and child pregnancies. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescents as individuals aged 10–19 years, and youth as those aged 15–24. However, legal pronouncements governing the provision of SRHS remain restrictive, often influenced by cultural and religious beliefs. This concern was raised during a media sensitization workshop on the Step Up 4 Adolescents SRH campaign. YA executive director Tatenda…

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Golden Threads Of Hope: Illuminating Early Detection in Zimbabwe’s Fight Against Childhood Cancer

Healthtimes

By Phillip Hondokosa  September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, marked globally by the gold ribbon – a symbol of courage, resilience, and the fight against childhood cancer. In Zimbabwe, it is more than a symbol: it is a call to action. Childhood cancer is real, and while it cannot always be prevented, it is treatable when detected early. For our nation, where children embody the promise of tomorrow, awareness and timely action can mean the difference between life and loss. One of the greatest challenges we face is the stark…

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Zimbabwe’s Intersex Community Fights for Birth Certificates with Third Sex Marker in High Court

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa After years of living without full legal recognition, Zimbabwe’s Intersex community has taken their fight to the High Court, demanding birth certificates that include a third sex marker. The landmark case challenges the country’s civil registry laws and could redefine how identity and rights are recognized for Intersex persons. If successful, the third marker will be reflected on all key identity documents, including birth certificates, passports, and national identity cards. Beyond the request for a third sex marker, to appear as an “I” for Intersex, the application…

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