Category: Health News

AMR In The Midst Of COVID-19: Are We In A Fix?

Michael Gwarisa

ACCORDING to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Antimicrobial resistance (AMR ) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. Antimicrobial resistance threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi. By Michael Gwarisa As a result, the medicines become ineffective and infections persist in the body, increasing the risk of spread to others. However, over the…

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Drug Resistant Gonorrhea Variant Hits Zimbabwe…Country Running Out Of Treatment Options

Michael Gwarisa

THE Neisseria gonorrhoeae, also known as gonococcus, the bacteria that causes Gonorrhea, a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), has since developed resistance to available treatment options in Zimbabwe, raising fears of long term health complications in both men and women such as infertility, still births, a top STIs expert and venereologist has said By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has over the years been using antibiotics such as Penicillin, Tetracilicin, and Quinolones to treat Gonorrhea but the situation has changed at the back of growing drug resistant strains, leaving the country with only…

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Zim Records Jump in COVID-19 Deaths And Hospitalizations

Healthtimes

Zimbabwe last night recorded 14 new COVID-19 deaths, making it the highest death toll recorded since the Omicron variant was reported three weeks ago. Staff Reporter This also comes after the country has been recording highest numbers in new infections since the detection of the highly infectious Omicron variant this December. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care(MoHCC) daily situational of 15 December 2021 the country recorded 4367 local cases and 14 deaths. Meanwhile, a total of 18 253 received their first dose of vaccine bringing cumulative for…

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Public Expenditure Tracking Survey Initiative Could Curb Funds Abuse In Healthcare Sector

Healthtimes

THE Parliamentary portfolio committee on Health and Childcare in partnership with the Coalition to build Momentum, Power, Activism, Strategy and Solidarity in Africa (COMPASS) project are set to implement the first ever Public Expenditure Tracking Survey (PETS) for the health sector in Zimbabwe. By Mary Mundeya PETS are a micro level tool that tracks resource flow from central government through line ministries and intermediary administration units such as provinces, districts to the service delivery units (clinics) whose purpose is to determine the extent to which actual spending on services is…

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Major Boost For Zimbabwe’s AMR Fight

Michael Gwarisa
AMR

ZIMBABWE has secured two flagship grants namely the Fleming Fund and Multi-Partner Trust Fund Grants to strengthen capacity through strengthening Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) detection and surveillance in the country. By Michael Gwarisa The two grants are being financed by the United Kingdom and the Netherlands governments. The UK is financing the Fleming Fund grant which is worth over US$5 Million and is being implemented and led by the Food Agricultural Organization (FAO). Officiating at the launch of the two grants which also coincided with the commissioning of the National Microbiology…

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WHO Explains Why Some Vaccinated People Still Get Severe COVID-19

Healthtimes

A situation whereby fully vaccinated people contract COVID-19 also known as “vaccine breakthrough cases,” is largely determined by one’s immunity response vaccines as people respond differently to vaccine immunity, a top World Health Organisation (WHO) official has said. By Patricia Mashiri The world over, though in smaller numbers, some fully vaccinated people have been developing severe COVID-19 symptoms, hospitalizations and at times deaths, a development which has left many perplexed. Speaking during an HIV and COVID-19 Science Café, Dr Gasasira said with all COVID-19 vaccines available not all people have…

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Zim COVID-19 Infections Shoot Through The Roof…President Announces New Measures

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE President, Emerson Mnangagwa has introduced new measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the midst of a raging new COVID-19 wave which has seen new cases increasing fourfold over the past week. By Michael Gwarisa According to the ministry of health and child care (MoHCC), the number of new cases increased during the week under review, with 28 904 cases recorded compared to 5 055 cases the previous week. Announcing the new measures, President Mnangagwa confirmed that majority of the new cases were linked to the new Omicron variant.…

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Zimbabwe Told To Up Genomic Sequencing Game… As Omicron Outpaces Delta’s Infection Rate

Michael Gwarisa

FOLLOWING the detection of the Omicron or B.1.1.529 variant by South African scientists three weeks ago, it has emerged that the new strain could be infecting more people within a short space of time compared to the Delta strain which at some point was touted as the fastest growing variant. By Michael Gwarisa The Omicron variant, a highly mutated strain whose impact is feared could evade vaccine induced immunity and probably cause more severe symptoms, has to date been reported in 63 countries across the globe and in all continents…

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Armed robbers shoot security guard at Natpharm

Healthtimes

A SECURITY guard was shot and injured on Monday morning at the National Pharmaceutical (Natpharm) Company in Bulawayo in a suspected armed robbery incident. SOURCE: THE CHRONICLE The guard was rushed to United Bulawayo Hospitals for treatment. Details were still sketchy as to how many robbers had tried to raid Natpharm. The suspected armed robbers did not get away with anything in the process. When a Chronicle news crew arrived at the scene at about 8AM, police details had surrounded the premises and were collecting statements from those who were…

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COVID-19 Halts Two Decades Of Global Healthcare Progress

Healthtimes

New evidence compiled by the World Health Organization and the World Bank shows that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to halt two decades of global progress towards Universal Health Coverage. The organizations also reveal that already before the pandemic more than half a billion people were pushed or further pushed into extreme poverty because they have to pay for health services out of their own pockets, and that the pandemic is likely to make the situation worse. Own Correspondent The findings are contained in two complementary reports, launched on Universal…

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