Category: Health News

Zimbabwe’s Rusike Appointed Global UHC Champion

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwean public health expert and Executive Director of the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH), Itai Rusike, has been selected as one of only ten Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Champions globally. Rusike brings to this distinguished cohort decades of experience in public health advocacy, policy development, and the design of people-centred health systems. His work spans grassroots community engagement, national health strategy formulation, and regional collaboration, reflecting a deep commitment to strengthening health systems across Africa. Reacting to his induction, Rusike said: “For more than twenty years,…

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Chinese Construction Firms in Zimbabwe Accused of Endangering Workers’ Health and Safety

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Workers’ trade union organisations in Zimbabwe have accused Chinese construction companies operating in the country of exposing employees to hazardous working conditions and violating basic occupational health and safety requirements. The concerns were raised during the signing of the Decent Work Pledge for Construction Industry Employees held in Harare. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Labour and Public Service with support from the International Labour Organisation. Both organised labour and employer representatives took part in endorsing the pledge. Representing labour unions, the Zimbabwe Congress of…

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The Protein Gap: How Feed and Fodder Shortfalls Are Undermining Nutrition and Cognitive Development in Zimbabwe

Kuda Pembere

By Kudakwashe Pembere For most Zimbabwean households, access to protein-rich foods appears, at least on paper, to be relatively stable. According to the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC), 79 percent of households reported consuming protein-rich foods on a daily basis in 2022. Yet beneath this headline figure lies a more troubling nutritional reality, one that places milk and other livestock-sourced foods firmly out of reach for millions of families. The Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZIMLAC) 2025 report shows that milk and dairy products remain among the least consumed food items…

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Zimbabwe Pledges Millions for Contraceptives as Health Sector Faces Funding Gaps

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere When donor funding for Zimbabwe’s contraceptive commodities fell sharply over the past two years, the country found itself at a crossroads. For decades, external partners had bankrolled most contraceptive procurement, insulating the national family planning programme from the fiscal shocks that frequently affect the health sector. That cushion is now gone. Against this backdrop, Zimbabwe launched the Contraceptive Cost Recovery Framework Policy in October, signalling an important shift from dependency to domestic responsibility. The policy sets out how the country will mobilise internal resources to meet an…

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Young Mothers Left Behind as Sexuality Education Falters in Schools

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere In Highfield, many pregnant learners are quietly disappearing from the classroom. Every day, it is almost impossible not to see Chipo wandering barefoot around the neighbourhood. To strangers, she may appear troubled, yet her mind is sharp and her speech clear. Chipo became pregnant in 2022 at the age of 14 while attending a private independent college nearby. She has never returned to school, despite being the eldest of ten children. “I was never that bright in school, so returning is a waste of time. I have…

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TB Stigma Remains High in Zimbabwe as Experts Urge Media to Step Up

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe has made meaningful progress in reducing the national tuberculosis burden, yet stigma linked to the disease remains stubbornly high and continues to outpace that of HIV. Health advocates say this is where the media must step in and help shift public attitudes. This concern was raised by Dr Donald Tobaiwa, the Executive Director of Jointed Hands Welfare Organization, during a media sensitization meeting on drug resistant TB held last week in Kwekwe. “But currently, TB stigma, as of the stigma index assessment, is at 49 percent…

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Zimbabwe Launches Single Dose HPV Vaccine

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Umzingwane  Zimbabwe has officially launched the single-dose Human Papillomavirus vaccine, marking a major milestone in the country’s fight against cervical cancer. Although rollout of the single-dose regimen had already begun, the formal launch signals the full transition from the previous two-dose schedule, which had been associated with high dropout rates among adolescent girls. Speaking during the launch, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora said the shift to a single dose was backed by strong scientific evidence and would help close critical gaps in cervical…

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#WAD2025: CWGH Urges Zimbabwe to Boost Local HIV/AIDS Funding as Donor Support Declines

Kuda Pembere

By Staff Reporter The Zimbabwean Government has been urged to prioritize domestic resource mobilization for HIV/AIDS programs amid shrinking donor support. Speaking on World AIDS Day, Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) executive director Itai Rusike  in a statement warned that reliance on external funding is unsustainable. He cited the abrupt withdrawal of United States Government support under Donald Trump as evidence of the risks. “Following the abrupt withdrawal of United States Government funding, the awakening call has been presented on getting weaned from major donors to avert consequences in…

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#WAD2025: OPHID urges stakeholders to transform HIV response for equitable, sustainable systems

Kuda Pembere

By Staff Reporter As Zimbabwe joins the world in commemorating World AIDS Day today, health stakeholders have been urged to move beyond resilience and focus on transforming systems to ensure equitable, inclusive, and sustainable responses to the HIV epidemic. Executive Director of the Organisation for Public Health Innovation and Development (OPHID), Dr Tinashe Chinyanga in a statement said twhile Zimbabwe has made significant progress in reducing new HIV infections and expanding treatment access, recent disruptions—from pandemics and economic challenges to climate-related crises—have tested the strength of health systems and communities.…

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Relax, ARV Stocks Secure, Health Minister Tells People Living With HIV

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Umzingwane Health and Child Care Minister, Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, has assured the nation that Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) drugs remain fully stocked, adding that government is working toward maintaining a 12-month supply buffer at all times. The Minister was responding to concerns raised by the Zimbabwe Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) during the Candlelight Memorial Commemorations held at Umzingwane Primary School in Matabeleland South on the eve of World AIDS Day. We have already started procurement processes to make sure that at every stage we…

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