Health News |

Parental Consent Laws Leave Adolescents Vulnerable To HIV Says UNAIDS

February 17, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

COUNTRIES with laws that forbid adolescents from accessing Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services without consent from their parents or guardians, tend to have higher HIV incidence and prevalence in young girls as compared to countries that have liberalized age of consent and opened up room for young people to make their own decisions. By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is among the many countries that still have age of consent laws and according to the UNAIDS weekly report, many countries have age of consent laws in relation to sexual activity that…

Health Ministry tasked to provide provincial COVID-19 vaccination targets

February 17, 2022 Healthtimes

CABINET has directed the Ministry of Health and Child Care to devise monthly vaccination targets for the country’s 10 provinces as a way of increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake. By Staff Reporter On February 15 2022, 2 868 received the first jab today bringing cumulative for first dose to 4 318 495. The number of people who got their second dose was 2 270 bringing cumulative for second dose to 3 349 207 while 1 594 had their third dose bringing cumulative this dose to 86 364. Upbeat about the COVID-19…

Bulawayo Has Highest TB Death Rate In Zimbabwe…Overcrowding In Cowdry and Squatter Camps Fertile breeding ground for TB

February 16, 2022February 16, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

…Parliament appeals for more funding for to end TB in Zimbabwe THE City of Bulawayo currently has the highest TB death rate of 16 percent, which is higher than the nationally set target of less than 5 percent, due to a myriad of risk factors chief among them being the high TB/HIV co-infection, delayed presentation at health facilities and rampart overcrowding in some of the city’s settlements. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Kadoma From the death audits carried out by the Bulawayo City council quarterly, the incidents of deaths are…

Coca-Cola Foundation Partners Save the Children In Life-changing Water And Youth Empowerment Projects In Zim

February 16, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

MORE than 15,000 people including hundreds of patients and staff in five major health facilities, spanning four districts, are set to benefit from reliable, safe and clean water supply, Save the Children has said today. The organisation is also seeking to set up more young people on the path to self-reliance through vocational training, in two separate projects funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation. By Staff Reporter The water project seeks to provide the five health facilities, which also serve as COVID-19 isolation centres, with clean and safe water for their operations,…

Girl 9 With Enlarged Tonsils Appeals for US$11K For Surgery

February 16, 2022February 16, 2022 Healthtimes

DESPERATE parents for 9 year old Tawana Monisha Chinhenzva are appealing for financial assistance to the tune of US$11,500.00, to have their daughter operated on to remove enlarged Tonsils that are making breathing a daily nightmare for the minor. By Staff Reporter Tawana was born with a bi cleft lip, palate, and brain tissues protruding through her nose. Her condition deteriorated into multiple conditions including enlarged tonsillitis which specialists say needs to be rectified urgently. Her condition has also led to her stunted growth. At a glance, one would assume…

Buffalo Creek Spur Announces Financial Support To Kidzcan

February 16, 2022February 16, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

… Spur to donate US$0.50 to KidzCan for every dessert purchased Buffalo Creek Spur, one of Simbisa’s sought brands has today announced a partnership with KidzCan that will see the Simbisa owned restaurant offering financial support to vulnerable children diagnosed and living with cancer. Under the partnership, Buffalo Creek Spur will donate USD0.50 to KidzCan for every dessert purchased at Spur outlets. Funds from the partnership will assist in providing chemotherapy drugs, radiological and laboratory tests among other services. Warren Meares, the managing director of Simbisa Brands said, “As…

“The importance of counselling for parents post a childhood cancer death”

February 14, 2022February 14, 2022 Healthtimes

AS we join the rest of the world in commemorating International Childhood Cancer Day; it is important to note that comprehensive palliative care is essential to the health and the well-being of children facing life-threatening illness especially cancer. The aim of palliative care is to improve the quality of life for the children and their families and minimise suffering by providing physical, psychological, spiritual and social care throughout the entire course of illness. Counselling and support are an integral part of palliative care. By Eunice Garanganga, Executive Director, HOSPAZ Parents…

‘We Found Love In a Hopeless Place:’ The tale of a Young HIV Positive Zimbabwean Couple

February 14, 2022February 14, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

THERE was once a very dark period in HIV and AIDS when an HIV diagnosis was equivalent to a death sentence. It was during those days when many lives both young and old, were lost to the ravenous AIDS pandemic owing to the absence of effective treatment regimens, stigma and discrimination against people with HIV, ignorance and negative attitudes from healthcare workers, among other factors. By Michael Gwarisa Throughout that period, finding love as an HIV positive person especially if your status was known to the public was a Sisyphean…

Zim Government suspends striking teachers

February 10, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has with immediate effect suspended all teachers who have been absenting themselves from duty since the reopening of schools on February 7, 2022. By Michael Gwarisa In a statement, Education Minister, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu said, “The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education would like to inform the Nation and its valued stakeholders that all officials within the Ministry who absented themselves from duty since the official opening of schools on 7 February 2022 have been suspended without pay forthwith, for a period of…

Mabvuku Polyclinic Starts Offering Cesarean Services

February 10, 2022February 10, 2022 Healthtimes

Mabvuku Polyclinic has started offering cesarean services in line with the City Health department’s vision of expanding comprehensive healthcare services at community level. Staff Reporter A team of doctors and nurses who will be working in the Mabvuku Poly Clinic have already been deployed as Council intends to roll out the service to three more centres. …Detailed article to follow