Category: Health News

Over 6,000 Children and Young People Virally Suppressed through Zvandiri’s Game-changer Project

Michael Gwarisa

THE Game-Changer program that was being implemented by Zvandiri, through a five year US$20 Million grant support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through USAID and the Centre for Diseases Control (CDC) has resulted in the consistent uptake of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) has attained 94% Viral Load (VL) suppression. By Michael Gwarisa Among some of the key achievements of the Fame Changer project include a Viral Load (VL) Coverage of 74% (6800/9191)  and cumulatively, Zvandiri supported 412 health facilities on the Game Changer grant with over…

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Ministry of Health Holds Outbreaks and Immunisation Media Training

Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) is holding a five days media training on immunisations and outbreaks in Domboshawa with the aim of capacitating health Journalists with the requisite information and knowledge around some of the interventions government is doing to address public health emergencies. By Michael Gwarisa The training is being attended by more than 25 Journalists and officials from the ministry of health Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) program. Giving opening remarks during the opening day of the workshop, MoHCC Director Nursing Services, Mrs Nyaradzai Chiwara…

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Pro safe-abortion advocates engage the clergy

Kuda Pembere

It is about time religious leaders change their mindset towards safe abortion given their great influence in communities which could help save many lives lost to dangerous and unsafe abortion practises. By Kuda Pembere This was said during the International Safe Abortion Day commemorations held on Friday. Organisations in the consortium which commemorated the International Day of Safe Abortion included SheDecides, Population Services Zimbabwe (PSZ), SafAIDS with support from Swedish Embassy. The International Safe Abortion Day is marked every 28 September. It emerged from documentaries from PSZ and Katswe Sistahood…

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UNAIDS Zimbabwe trains Faith Based Organisations on Male Engagement Toolkit

Kuda Pembere

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) on Thursday began the training of trainers within Zimbabwe’s religious space on a toolkit for male engagement in the fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV), HIV/AIDS and Comprehensive Sexuality Education. By HealthTimes Reporter Since 2019, UNAIDS has been engaging faith based organisations within Zimbabwe with much of the thrust being the involvement of African Traditional Religion, Islam, and Christianity leaders in the combat against GBV, CSE, and HIV. In her remarks during the two day workshop which ended on Friday, UNAIDS Zimbabwe…

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‘Heeding suicidal indications can prevent suicides’

Kuda Pembere

Contrary to popular belief that suicidal people do not share their problems with others, they at times do give indications beforehand which should be taken seriously and acted upon to prevent needless loss of life, university students have said. By HealthTimes Reporter Students from various universities in Zimbabwe gave reasons on why people die by suicide with others giving their personal accounts about suicide attempts. Speaking on ZiFM Campus Parade Show’s vox pop, students gave a plethora of causes they think nudge people into committing suicide. A female student cited…

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Merck Foundation together with African First Ladies mark “World Heart Day 2022” by providing 720 scholarships of Preventative Cardiovascular, Diabetes and Endocrinology for doctors from 45 countries

Michael Gwarisa

Merck Foundation in partnership with African First Ladies and Ministries of Health provided more than 720 scholarships of one–year Post–Graduate Diploma and two–year Master Degree in Preventative CardiovascularMedicine, Diabetes and Endocrinology to doctors from 45 countries in Africa, Asia and beyond. These scholarships are included in the total 1450 scholarships Merck Foundation provided to doctors from 47 countries in 32 critical and underserved medical specialties such as oncology, fertility, respiratory medicine, acute medicine, orthopaedic and many more. Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany marks “World Heart Day…

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Health Ministry laments Treasury’s sluggish disbursements

Kuda Pembere

An official in the Health and Child Care Ministry says late disbursements of the 2022 National Budget allocations are impeding their operations. By Kudakwashe Pembere The Health Ministry’s Acting Finance Director Ms Lynette Tennis revealed this to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health during a workshop for legislators monitoring special drawing rights (SDR) projects on Tuesday. She stated at the workshop facilitated by the Southern Africa Parliamentary Support Trust that they are getting meager funds from their share of the 2022 National Budget. “The releases have been too little to…

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ICASA Team Jets into Zimbabwe to Assess Country’s Preparedness To Host ICASA Conference In 2023

Michael Gwarisa

THE  International Conference of AIDS and STIs Africa (ICASA) Executive Board is currently in the country on a mission to assess Zimbabwe’s capacity to host the 2023 ICASA conference. By Michael Gwarisa This follows Zimbabwe’s bid at the 2021 International AIDS Conference that was held in Montreal Canada where Zimbabwe among five other African countries, threw their names in the hat to be considered for hosting the prestigious conference. From the five countries that submitted, only Zimbabwe and Kenya have made it to the top two countries. According to ICASA…

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Drug and Substance Use Grows in Zim Prisons and Among Officers

Healthtimes

PRISON and Correctional Services facilities have become hot-spots for drug and substance abuse with indications that both correctional officers and inmates were engaging in illicit use of substances and harmful drugs, a top Zimbabwe Prisons and and Correctional Service (ZPCS) health expert has warned.   By Patricia Mashiri To reduce the growing burden of drug and substance abuse in these institutions, the ZPCS, ZRP, Spotlight (Brotha 2 brotha initiative) and the National AIDS Council have come together to sensitize these communities on the effects of drug and substance use. Speaking to…

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Chipinge Broken Homes and Blended Families Give Rise Mental Health challenges in adolescents and children

Michael Gwarisa

WHEN his parents divorced in 2016, Panashe Dzvivu (19) from Chipinge urban, was doing form three and preparing to write his Ordinary level (O level) examinations the following year. Following the divorce, his father went into neighbouring South Africa and never looked back, leaving him under the custody of his unemployed mother. After some time, he was forced to drop out of school due to non-payment of school fees. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Chipinge Panashe was forced to juggle between school and a part welding job to pay for…

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