Category: Health News

COVID-19 Could Expose Girls & Young Women To Sexual Violence & Exploitation Warns Plan International Zim

Michael Gwarisa

PLAN International Zimbabwe has warned of an upsurge in sexual violence and deprivation of economic and social opportunities for girls and young women at the back of the prevailing COVID-19 which has already disrupted livelihoods. By Michael Gwarisa In Zimbabwe, the COVID 19 pandemic has emerged at a time when the national public health system, economic environment is extremely fragile, and the country is still recovering from the effects of Cyclone Idai disaster which hit the country in 2019. In an interview with HealthTimes, Plan International Zimbabwe Sexual Reproductive Health…

Read More

COVID-19 and clinical distancing

Michael Gwarisa

THE International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) has today described the development of two novel devices, a negative pressure procedural tent and a portable helmet device, as having the potential to protect healthcare workers and transform the care of COVID-19 patients across the globe. The devices were developed by a team of engineering and medical staff at the University of Michigan. Both devices create a negative pressure environment for the wearer, which is essential for severely ill COVID-19 patients as a negative pressure environment prevents the infected…

Read More

Coronavirus Isn’t Going Anywhere Soon-WHO Wars

Healthtimes

GLOBAL public health officials are warning that the coronavirus circulating around the world right now will take years to completely contain and that the virus might never totally go away. “I would say in a four- to five-year time frame, we could be looking at controlling this,” Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) chief scientist, told a Financial Times conference on Wednesday. Swaminathan warned that the current pandemic could “potentially get worse” before it gets better. At a press conference later on Wednesday, another senior WHO official said the…

Read More

Too Much Focus On COVID-19 Pandemic Could Derail HIV Response Gains

Healthtimes

A UNAIDS and World Health Organisation modelling group warns that slackening the HIV Health Service delivery over the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) response could cost about half a million lives in Sub-saharan Africa in the next two years. By HealthTimes Reporter Since 2010, new HIV infections among children in sub-Saharan Africa have declined by 43percent, from 250 000 in 2010 to 140 000 in 2018, owing to the high coverage of HIV services for mothers and their children in the region. Curtailment of these services by COVID-19 for six months could…

Read More

#BREAKING: Dr Mahomva Appointed COVID-19 Response Chief Coordinator…Gvt To Appoint New Perm Sec

Michael Gwarisa

PRESIDENT Emerson Mnangagwa has redeployed Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) permanent secretary, Dr Agnes Mahomva to the newly formed post of Chief Coordinator to the National Response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the office of the President and cabinet. By Michael Gwarisa In a press statement, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda said Dr Mahomva’s appointment was in line with section 203 (1) (a) of the constitution of Zimbabwe amendment number (20) Act 2013. This post has been created after due consideration of the…

Read More

#COVID-19: Zim Should Adopt SMART Lockdown Model- Health Policy Expert Warns

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE should desist from copying and pasting other countries’ COVID-19 containment measures and adopt a SMART lockdown model peculiar to the country’s health and economic demands, a top health policy expert has warned. By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe instituted its initial lockdown on March 30, 2020 before extending it by another two weeks. President Emmerson Mnangagwa also extended the lockdown by another 14 days  which will be ending in a few days’ time though under much relaxed conditions. However, Zimbabwe has in the past few weeks been accused of replicating South…

Read More

#JUSTIN:Nurses Protest Flexi-Hours Removal, Threaten Strike

Michael Gwarisa

THE Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA), has shot down government’s decision to scrap the flexible working hours arrangement during the COVID-19 induced lockdown period citing worsened incapacitation amongst a  host of other woes. By Michael Gwarisa The flexi-hours system was implemented early this year to cushion nurses who had gone on a strike owing to poor wages and high costs of living. In a recent letter addressed some public health institutions, all members of staff were immediately required to return to work and resume normal duties. According to government, the flexi…

Read More

WHO calls for clinical trial of Madagascar’s virus cure

Healthtimes

THE World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday called for clinical trials of Madagascar’s Covid Organics, a herbal drink that is said to prevent and cure patients suffering from the novel coronavirus or COVID-19. SOURCE: A.A News We are advising the government of Madagascar to take this product through a clinical trial and we are prepared to collaborate with them,” Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s regional director for Africa, told a joint media briefing with the WHO and World Economic Forum. “We would caution and advise countries against adopting a product that has…

Read More

#BREAKING: Zim Sitting On A Post COVID-19 Mental Health Time Bomb

Michael Gwarisa
DEPRESSED AFRICAN LADY (pic by Huffington post)

MENTAL health expert and Psychologist, Dr Kudakwashe Muchena has warned of a serious mental health crisis post the COVID-19 induced lockdown at the back of economic and social uncertainties that have been brought about by the prevailing COVID-19 health crisis. By Michael Gwarisa In an interview with HealthTimes, Dr Muchena said Zimbabwe had already been experiencing high suicide and mental health cases before the COVID-19 struck and the prevailing health crisis would likely worsen an already fragile mental health environment. We are sitting on a time-bomb, whilst all the focus…

Read More

US$84.9 Mln Urgently Needed To Support Zim National COVID-19 Response

Healthtimes

 THE  United Nations and partners launched an updated Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP) in New York requesting for US$6.7 billion to protect millions of lives and stem the spread of coronavirus in fragile countries. Launching the updated GHRP, UN Humanitarian Chief, Mark Lowcock called for swift and determined action to avoid the most destabilizing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The revised GHRP includes nine additional vulnerable countries: Benin, Djibouti, Liberia, Mozambique, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Togo and Zimbabwe, and programmes to respond to the growth in food insecurity. In…

Read More