Category: Health News

What kind of year will you be having?

Healthtimes

By Luke Gomes, Cluster Manager, Nestlé east and southern Africa region 2023 is just around the corner. For many people, a new year usually signifies a new beginning. It can be taking the first steps to achieving your dream or maybe setting health goals such as a healthier diet, losing weight, or starting an exercise routine. But are you ready to make the most out of the year? Here’s the truth, many of our new year’s resolutions don’t just happen without a bit of preparation and planning. For nearly everyone,…

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Hetero bags first world WHO prequalification of medicines programme generic version of Pfizer’s Covid-19 oral drug

Kuda Pembere

A leading global pharmaceutical manufacturer Hetero Group emerged the first company in the world to be accorded the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) prequalification of medicines programme (WHO-PQ) for its generic version of Covid-19 oral antiviral treatment candidate Nirmatrelvir. This antiviral with Ritonavir is used as part of Pfizer’s Paxlovid. The company said it, “will be rolling out its generic combi-pack under the NIRMACOM brand that will contain 150mg tablets of Nirmatrelvir and 100mg tablets of Ritonavir.” The WHO deemed the drug, Nirmatrelvir, the best option for high risk patients. “This…

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Zim losing US$163 million to mental health disorders per year

Kuda Pembere

Lack of support for mental health issues is costing Zimbabwe US$163 million annually, a leading psychologist said on Wednesday noting more money could be saved if funding or investment in interventions is availed by Government, private sector and technical funders. By Kudakwashe Pembere Speaking on the sidelines of the Abused Substances Diagnostics and Management (ASDM) launch, Dr Gwatirera Javangwe in the Department of Applied Psychology at the University of Zimbabwe told HealthTimes the country is losing a lot of money due to the huge burden of mental health issues. “Currently…

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PSH Launches “Give Me A Chance” Campaign against Early Child Marriages

Michael Gwarisa

IN a bid to end the growing burden of Early Child Marriages that have seen girls dropping out of school and widening the opportunities gap between boys and girls, the Population Solutions for Health (PSH) through funding from the Embassy of Sweden, has launched the “Give Me A Chance,” an Anti-Child Marriages campaign in Zimbabwe. By Michael Gwarisa in Zvimba Besides being a national media campaign, the “Give Me A Chance” campaign is being implemented in three districts namely Uzumba, Maramba Pfungwe (UMP), Zvimba and Rushinga in partnership with the…

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Zim Launches Family Planning Strategy 2022-2026

Kuda Pembere

Zimbabwe on Friday asserted its Family Planning 2030 commitments among them to ensure a zero unmet need for family planning methods while launching the country’s National Family Planning Strategy 2022-2026 blueprint. By Kudakwashe Pembere Officiating the launch, Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Constantino Chiwenga said strategy is anchored on Government seeing family planning and sexual reproduction as key human rights. Today, we reiterate our full commitment to the family planning and contraceptive service programme. While sustaining and consolidating the gains we have made, we are therefore…

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Breaking: Zim flags skin bleaching products

Kuda Pembere

ZIMBABWE’S medical products regulator, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has warned against the sale and use of unregistered skin lightening products in the country. By Kudakwashe Pembere Better known as bleaching in the public sphere, Zimbabweans have been using desperate yet unorthodox means to lighten their skin leaving them exposed to a long thread of undesired side effects. They have been administering products such as oral or injectable Glutathione and injectable Vitamins which the Authority flagged after finding no supporting guidelines for proper dosages and length of treatment.…

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SASA Project Records Gains from Partnering Chiefs in Ending Sexual and Gender Based Violence against Women and Girls

Michael Gwarisa

WHILE Chiefs have traditionally been blamed for preserving harmful cultural practices that perpetuate abuse of women and girls, the SASA project being implemented by the Zimbabwe Association of Church related Hospitals (ZACH) has managed to rope in chiefs and other traditional leaders as allies in ending Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in communities. By Michael Gwarisa SASA stands for Start Awareness Support Action (SASA) and ZACH is implementing the program in eight hot spot districts (Chimanimani, Mguza, Kwekwe and Umzingwane] plus 4 additional hot spot districts). Speaking during the…

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MCAZ issues directives on medicines importation by retail pharmacies

Kuda Pembere

In a bid to plug the influx of unregistered medicines while curbing their wanton importation, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) is issuing importation permits for retail, hospital pharmacies which satisfy the Authority’s requirements. By Kudakwashe Pembere Retail or community pharmacies as well as hospital pharmacies are at the bottom of the pharmaceutical supply chain having direct interface with clients. In a circular announcing this new development, MCAZ Acting Director General Mr Richard Rukwata said the Authority arrived at this decision following some pharmacies’ pleas to be given the…

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Public Health Association on the cards

Healthtimes

Delegates at the recently ended two-day inaugural Public Health Symposium held in Harare resolved to form an all-inclusive Public Health Association. The resolution was hailed by participants as an initiative which will advance public health agenda in Zimbabwe. Staff Reporter Addressing delegates at the symposium Mr. Adriel Badza a public Health enthusiast lamented the absence of an all-inclusive Public Health Association in the country. Gone are the days when health was a preserve of medical scientists and hospitals,” Badza said “in contemporary practice the field has broadened in recognition of…

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Illicit drug abuse on the rise among Zimbabwean Women

Michael Gwarisa

THERE has been an increase in the number of women who use and inject drugs in Zimbabwe over the years owing to a myriad of factors, chief among them being unemployment, poverty among a host of other issues. By Michael Gwarisa This has been revealed by the Final Situation Assessment report of drug use in five provinces to inform HIV and TB programming for people who use drugs. The research was conducted by the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network (ZCLDN), the National AIDS Council (NAC) and the Ministry of…

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