Category: Health News

Tone Set For 2021 Regional Psychosocial Support Forum

Michael Gwarisa

ALL is set for the sixth Edition of the Regional Psychosocial Support Forum to be held in Maputo, Mozambique from 13 to 15 October 2021. By Michael Gwarisa The forum will jointly be hosted by the Mozambican government and the Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (REPSSI) and will run under the theme ‘Innovate. Integrate. Thrive.’ The meeting will be in hybrid format, combining physical and virtual interactions and Zimbabwe among other 12 countries from East and Southern Africa will take part in the meeting which will also bring together 300 delegates…

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COVID-19 Increases Post-partum Depression Cases In Zimbabwe

Healthtimes

WOMEN have been urged to seek mental health assistance soon after birth to avoid sliding into Post-partum depression especially under the prevailing  COVID-19 pandemic. By Patricia Mashiri Post-partum depression is a form of depression that occurs after childbirth. Those who develop it are at a greater risk of developing major depression later in life. In an interview with HealthTimes, Dr Kudakwashe Muchena, a the leading Psychologist in Zimbabwe said there was need to take extra care of pregnant and post-partum women as the process of birth comes with a lot…

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Report Dirty Officers Taking Bribes To Allow Bars To Operate Beyond Curfew-Nyathi

Healthtimes

OFFICERS from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) are reportedly taking brides from liquor and merchants and bar owners to allow them to operate way into the night despite government having issued a six to six Curfew as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. By Patricia Mashiri A snap survey by HealthTimes recently shows that bars as well as shebeen operators in both rural and some urban settings were operating beyond the stipulated time. In Harare, places like Dzivarasekwa, Kuwadzana 3, Budiriro, Glenview had thriving shebeens operating throughout…

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Vaccine Boosters Will Worsen Vaccine Nationalism Warns Dr Charimari

Michael Gwarisa

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) Zimbabwe COVID-19 Team Leader, Dr Lincoln Charimari has warned that adopting vaccine boosters to enhance immunity in already vaccinated populations could trigger massive disparities in as far as vaccines access is concerned for resource limited countries. By Michael Gwarisa His remarks come at the back of indications that vaccine manufactures in other parts of the world were already submitting data seeking authorization to administer COVID-19 booster shots for their vaccinated populations especially those with compromised immunity. In an interview with HealthTimes, Dr Charimari said it…

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Ending Harmful Practices Starts With Allowing Girls & Women Bodily Autonomy- UNFPA

Michael Gwarisa
Young Preganant Women

THE United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Zimbabwe’s Assistant Country Representative, Ms Abbigail Msemburi says woman and girls should have power to make decisions over their bodies as a first step towards ending child marriages, traditional harmful practices and all forms of abuse. By Michael Gwarisa Presenting findings from the 2021 State of the World Population (SWOP) Report during a virtual commemoration of the World Population Day, Ms Msemburi said majority of women were still denied bodily autonomy and data from the SWOP indicated that half of women in 57 developing…

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Zim Needs Homegrown TB Research-MoHCC

Healthtimes

ZIMBABWE should stop relying on foreign research and methods around Tuberculosis if it is develop capacity to deal with emerging new threats. By Patricia Mashiri Speaking during a virtual TB opening day, Dr Charles Sandy, the National TB Programme Manager in the Ministry of Health and Child said they were gaps in research and technologies that needed only to be addressed using homegrown solutions. It is very important for us to have a very strong background in our policy making research which s informed by local data, local analysis as…

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Early Infant HIV Diagnosis Improves In Zimbabwe

Healthtimes

EVEN though the country still has high rates of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV, there has been marked improvement in terms of advancing early HIV diagnosis in infants, a new report has said. By Fungai Masona Presenting findings from the Gender Assessment Of The National HIV Response Draft Report during a virtual meeting on Gender Assessment of the National HIV Response, Dinys Luciano         an International Consultant said even though some HIV indicators declined in 2020, infants diagnosis In 2020, 87% of pregnant women were on antiretroviral therapy and the…

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Realign Policies To End Child Marriages In Zim

Healthtimes

EKENIA Chifamba, Director Shamwari yeMwanasikana a Non-Government Organization that provides support for and supports the empowerment and emancipation of the girl child in Zimbabwe has called on policy makers to bridge the gap between the constitution of Zimbabwe and  the criminal law and codification and reform act so as to protect the girl child. By Patricia Mashiri The constitution of Zimbabwe criminalizes marriage of a girl that is below the age of 18 whilst clashing with section 70 of the Criminal law and codification and reform act which says a…

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We Will Not Rest Until We Catch Memory’s Rapist

Michael Gwarisa

MINISTER of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Hon Sithembiso Nyoni has assured the nation that government would leave no stone unturned in resolving the case of Memory Machaya 14 year old girl who died while giving birth at shrine in Bocha. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking during the virtual launch 2021 World Population Day, Minister Nyoni said the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic was deepening existing inequalities and vulnerabilities, particularly for women and girls. Existing gender and other inequalities have been exacerbated with girls and young women facing increased threats…

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Zim Should Accelerate Vaccination To Avoid Catastrophic 4th Wave Effects- Experts

Michael Gwarisa

MEDICAL and Public Health Experts have called on Zimbabweans to take up vaccination as a measure to prevent the adverse effects of the oncoming Fourth Wave which has already been reported in some parts of the world including East Africa. By Michael Gwarisa The call comes hot on the heels of a third wave which caused thousands of deaths and infections during the month of July in Zimbabwe. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), daily cases were now on a downward trend even though causalities are…

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