Category: Health News

Zim, UN, EU Launch Spotlight Initiative

Healthtimes

THE Zimbabwean Government on Wednesday jointly launched a multi-year Spotlight Initiative with United Nations and the European Union to assist women and girls realize their full potential in a violence-free, gender-responsive and inclusive Zimbabwe. By HealthTimes Reporter The launch was presided President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa who was represented by Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Hon Professor Amon Murwira, European External Action Service Deputy Secretary-General, Mr. Christian Leffler and Director Ms. Henriette Geiger (People and Peace in the Director General for Development and Cooperation of the European Commission); UN Resident Coordinator,…

Read More

American Company Pledges US$40 million To Develop Zim Hospitals

Healthtimes

AN American multinational conglomerate General Electric pledged US$40 million for the upgrade of four Zimbabwe’s state owned hospitals, a Cabinet official said on Wednesday. By Kudakwashe Pembere At the 22nd Cabinet Decision Matrix, Media and Broadcasting Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the just ended 12th Africa-USA Summit Summit offered the country an opportunity to advance its re-engagement exercise as well as promote investment in the country. “Highlights of this included His Excellency President E.D. Mnangagwa’s meeting with General Electric, an American company which is set to partner with a Chinese company…

Read More

AHFoZ Endorses Forex Ban

Healthtimes

THE Association for Health Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) has welcomed the ban of multiple currencies in local transactions noting this will regularize the healthcare supply chain. By Kudakwashe Pembere This move comes barely a month after AHFoZ told parliamentarians there was need to have a uniform pricing regime in the healthcare sector after observing how  healthcare providers charged in foreign currency at the expense of the majority which hardly has that money. The association  recommended the sole currency of the Zimbabwean Dollar or dollarisation. AHFoZ chief executive officer Mrs Shylet…

Read More

11 800 Zimbabweans On PrEP

Healthtimes

OVER 11 800 Zimbabweans have been initiated on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis as of last month, an AVAC fellow said on Monday. By Kudakwashe Pembere Addressing an International AIDS Society Harare Scientific Symposium, AVAC Fellow-cum-Pangaea Aids Zimbabwe Trust coordinator Definate Nhamo said the number was huge. “As of May 2019, we have about 11 800 who have been initiated on on PrEP,” she said. Following the youths demand of PrEP, she said PrEP was only distributed to certain populations perceived to be at risk of contracting HIV. “So in Zimbabwe we started…

Read More

High HIV Incidence Among Female Youths

Healthtimes

THERE is need to have programs targeting young women aged between 19 and 34 years particularly those at educational tertiary institutions to lower HIV Incidence rates in Zimbabwe. By Kudakwashe Pembere This emerged during an International Aids Society Harare Scientific Symposium which brought HIV experts from across the SADC region. AIDS and TB Director Dr Owen Mgurungi bemoaned the high incidence of HIV among young adolescent females. “The incidence is below point nine percent but its not homogenous. There are areas where we have high incidence. There are areas where…

Read More

ZIMRA Scraps Sanitary Wear Duty

Michael Gwarisa

THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has scrapped duty on sanitary wear products for women in a bid to cushion girls and women against the skyrocketing prices of sanitary wear products. By Michael Gwarisa In an interview with HealthTimes, ZIMRA Head Corporate Communications, Mr Francis Chimhanda said the initiative was effected in December last year and  importations which occurred on or after 7 December 2018 to 20 November 2019 do not attract duty. Duty and VAT are not payable on sanitary wear, being tampons, sanitary towels and other sanitary wear products…

Read More

Stop Discriminating Against People With Albinism- Corporates Warned

Michael Gwarisa

INFORMATION, Publicity and Broadcasting Services deputy minister, Honorable Energy Mutodi says government will not tolerate any form of discrimination against people living with albinism and warned corporates against denying people with albinism employment opportunities. By Michael Gwarisa Officiating at the second edition of the Albinism health fair that was hosted by Global Aid Missions (GAM) in partnership with the Population Services International (PSI) and Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC), Minister Mutodi said it was high time the country moves away from traditional beliefs which used to discriminate against people…

Read More

Gvt Announces New NatPharm Board

Healthtimes

GOVERNMENT has appointed a new National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) board consisting of five experts in a move that is set to boost the company’s corporate image professionalism. By Kudakwashe Pembere Announcing the new board on Friday, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo tasked the appointees to fill up the NatPharm warehouses currently stocked at 65 percent. “Yes at the moment there is a low stock level at NatPharm. So the challenge which is there is for you to make sure that we improve out stocks. We have moved…

Read More

#BREAKING: Suicide Cases Reach Alarming Rates In Zim

Kuda Pembere

A total of 129 suicide cases were recorded between the months of January and March 2019 in Zimbabwe, compared to 91 reported in the same period last year, showing a 42% increase, a Zimbabwe Republic Police official has said. By Kudakwashe Pembere ZRP spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi exclusively told HealthTimes on Friday that the majority of these cases were in the form of hanging. In January 2018 to March 2018, the Zimbabwe Republic Police recorded a total of 94 suicide cases and out of these suicide cases, 74 were…

Read More

Gvt Urged To Increase Funding Towards Nutrition…As Malnutrition Stalks Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE continues to be trailed by long episodes of malnutrition amidst indications that one in every four children under the age of five years is experiencing malnutrition within their 1000 days from birth up to two years. By Michael Gwarisa Briefing journalists in the capital Harare, Zimbabwe Civil Society Organisations Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (ZCSOSUNA) National Coordinator, Kudakwashe Zombe said there was need for government and partners to mobilise domestic financial resources towards supporting nutrition interventions in the country. “We are however deeply concerned that despite progress made in reducing…

Read More