Category: Health News

Zim Screens 22 271 Women for Cervical Cancer Under NDS1

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere With the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) nearing its end this year, 22,271 women were screened for cervical cancer under its health pillar. This was revealed by Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Honourable Jenfan Muswere during a post-Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday. Cervical cancer remains a major public health challenge in Zimbabwe, ranking as the fourth most common cancer both globally and regionally. Each year, around 3,043 women in the country are diagnosed with the disease, and approximately 1,976 die from it. Zimbabwe is among the…

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No, Sperm Don’t Win the Race. Human Eggs Actually Choose Which Ones to Let In, New Study Finds

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In what could revolutionize our understanding of human reproduction, a groundbreaking study by researchers at Stockholm University, in collaboration with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, has revealed that human eggs play a far more active role in fertilization than previously believed. For decades, the dominant narrative around conception has likened it to a high-speed race where the fastest sperm reaches and fertilizes the egg first. However, this new research, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, suggests otherwise. It turns out that human eggs…

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Pregnant Inmate Fights for Reproductive Rights Behind Bars

Kuda Pembere

By Kudakwashe Pembere In a case anticipated to set an important legal precedent on maternal and reproductive health rights for incarcerated women in Zimbabwe, a pregnant inmate is asking the High Court to compel the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) to appoint a dedicated gynaecologist for Chikurubi Female Prison within seven days and ensure the specialist is regularly available to attend to pregnant inmates. Melissa Messe Chiyangwa is also seeking a declaration that the conduct of Chikurubi Female Prison Officer in Charge Moses Chihobvu, the ZPCS Commissioner-General, and the…

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More Than Baby Blues: Zimbabwean Women Speak Out on Postnatal Depression

Healthtimes

By Rukudzo Gota Motherhood is often described as a national duty, with mothers expected to give birth to future leaders, scientists, economists, doctors, and more. The birth of a first child marks a woman’s initiation into motherhood, a journey that demands emotional strength and resilience. For 28-year-old Sekai Mhurudzwa (not real name), her first experience of childbirth was blissful and free of complications. One might assume that having gone through one childbirth, a mother is prepared for what comes next. But each pregnancy and postpartum period presents its own set…

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Union Zimbabwe Trust Rolls Out Groundbreaking TB and Silicosis Screening Drive in Mining Hubs of Mberengwa and Zvishavane

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  The Union Zimbabwe Trust (UZT), with funding from the Stop TB Partnership (Global), has launched an innovative tuberculosis (TB) screening outreach programme aimed at boosting early detection and treatment in high-risk artisanal mining communities in Mberengwa and Zvishavane. The initiative employs a mobile outreach model, featuring ultra-portable digital X-ray machines enhanced with CAD-AI (Computer-Aided Diagnosis) technology. This allows for real-time interpretation of X-ray images to detect abnormalities suggestive of TB and silicosis. The programme also includes rapid field specimen testing for diagnosis and integrates screening for other…

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UNICEF Raises Alarm Over Surge in Vaccine Hesitancy Among Zimbabwe’s Urban Elite

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa While vaccine resistance has traditionally been associated with impoverished communities and apostolic sects, Zimbabwe is now experiencing a concerning rise in vaccine hesitancy among affluent urban populations. Recent data from the WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC), 2024, shows that approximately 34,000 children in Zimbabwe go without basic vaccinations each year. Speaking at a Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians symposium in Harare, Dr. Lucia Takundwa Gumbo, a Health Specialist with UNICEF Zimbabwe, highlighted the shifting landscape of vaccine objectors in the country. I believe there…

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Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians Poised to Strengthen Health System through Data-Driven Collaboration

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa HARARE – Zimbabwe’s ongoing efforts to improve public health outcomes could receive a major boost through strengthened collaboration with expert institutions such as the Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians (ZCPHP), government officials and experts have said. Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians Winter Symposium in Harare, Dr. Agnes Mahomva, the Public Health Advisor to the President and Cabinet, said the ZCPHP’s renewed commitment to supporting the national health agenda comes at a critical time when the country…

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Trump administration to burn $13M worth of female contraceptives, despite NGO’s offer to take them

Michael Gwarisa

The U.S. State Department plans to incinerate roughly $13.2 million worth of women’s contraceptives despite offers from multiple aid agencies to distribute the supplies at no cost. The supplies, which include various forms of birth control, were intended for family planning programs in low-income African nations. Instead, they’ve been sitting in a warehouse in Belgium for months after President Donald Trump’s administration froze most foreign aid in January. MSI Reproductive Choices, a U.K.-based global reproductive health organization, says it offered to take the supplies and distribute them to those in…

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Over 120,000 Litres of Zimbabwean Milk Rejected for Export Due to Antibiotic Residues and Adulteration

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere More than 120,000 litres of milk intended for export were rejected by mid-2025, a sharp rise from 39,000 litres in the previous year. The increase has been attributed to high traces of antibiotics and adulteration, particularly the addition of water. This was revealed by Dr. Lawrance Dengenya, Director of Veterinary and Technical Services in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, during the 11th Annual General Meeting of the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF), held recently. Trade facilitation is one of our mainstays,…

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CWGH Urges Transparency and Equity in Zimbabwe’s 2025 Budget Allocation

Michael Gwarisa

By Itai Rusike The 2025 Mid-Term Budget and Economic Review, presented by the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion on 31 July 2025, comes at a time when Zimbabwe is recovering from a tough economic year. A projected economic rebound to 6.0% in 2025, from 1.7% in 2024, largely attributed to a strong agricultural season, is commendable. However, the country remains largely informal, with 76.1% of businesses operating outside the formal economy. This high informality weakens domestic resource mobilisation, constraining sustainable development. Public debt remains a critical challenge.…

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