Category: Health News

Sensational Media Reports on ARVs Could Trigger Shortages, Warns Gvt

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), Dr. Aspect Maunganidze, has assured the nation that there is no crisis regarding the availability of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and that there is no need for panic. His statement comes amid growing anxiety among people living with HIV, some of whom have been approaching health facilities seeking refills beyond the stipulated three or six months. This follows the withdrawal of U.S. government health funding, which has supported HIV programs in Zimbabwe for years. Speaking at…

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My Age Joins the IPPF Family: A New Chapter for Sexual and Reproductive Health for Young People in Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  In a major step forward for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) advocacy in Zimbabwe, My Age Zimbabwe has officially become a member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). This milestone solidifies the organization’s role in championing youth-centered SRHR initiatives and expanding access to essential health services. After joining IPPF as a collaborative partner in 2023, My Age has now assumed full member status in 2025. This development places the youth-led organization within a global network of SRHR-focused associations working towards a common goal: ensuring…

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Healing or Hustle? Smuggled Meds Are Big Draw in Zimbabwe’s Hidden Markets

Healthtimes

By Gamuchirai Masiyiwa, GPJ Zimbabwe HARARE, ZIMBABWE — It’s possible to buy pretty much anything at the market in Hopley, an informal settlement south of this capital city: rat poison, mops — even medicine. That medicine is sold without prescriptions, to buyers who don’t have a diagnosis from a doctor in hand. Some vendors even offer diagnoses to their customers, even though they don’t have any medical training. And in many cases, the medicine is fake. At any moment, police could swoop in for a raid. Vendors keep the medicine…

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New horizon beckons for Zim women…As Senate calls for Overhaul of existing Termination of Pregnancy Law

Healthtimes

Health  Correspondent When schools reopened in January this year, a headmaster in Mbire District experienced the shock of his life. 16 girls dropped out. Upon further inquiry by the education ministry, it was revealed that the majority of these students had left due to pregnancy. Elsewhere, several girls failed to return to class at the start of the term, with rural areas and mining communities being the most affected. Teenage pregnancy and child marriages remain critical issues in Zimbabwe, with recent statistics revealing alarming trends. In 2024 alone, approximately 5…

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WHO proposing to cut jobs and slash budget by a fifth, memo shows

Healthtimes

GENEVA, March 29 (Reuters) – The World Health Organization (WHO) is proposing to reduce staff numbers and the scale of its work as it slashes its budget by just over one fifth due to the impact of U.S. funding cuts, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration withdrew from the WHO upon taking office in January, saying the global health agency had mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises. The U.S. is by far the U.N. health agency’s biggest financial backer, contributing…

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Empowering the Press: How VCAT Trainings Are Equipping Journalists to Demystify Zimbabwe’s Abortion Laws

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Value Clarification and Attitudes Transformation (VCAT) training is a powerful tool that can help strengthen advocacy for abortion rights in Zimbabwe. By engaging journalists in critical discussions about the legal, cultural, and religious frameworks surrounding abortion, VCAT equips media professionals with the knowledge and sensitivity needed to report on the subject effectively. Zimbabwe’s Termination of Pregnancy Act (ToP) of 1977 is restrictive, allowing abortion only in specific circumstances, and many journalists have historically lacked the understanding to cover the topic accurately and sensitively. This knowledge gap…

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CodeBaby Partners with the Society of Jesus to Revolutionize Healthcare Access in the Dominican Republic

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  Milwaukee, WI — [March 26, 2025] — CodeBaby, a leader in conversational AI and digital avatars, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits) to enhance healthcare delivery in the Dominican Republic. PrimarAIcare introduces state-of-the-art healthcare avatars designed to bridge the communication gap between patients and physicians in remote locations, significantly expediting access to medical care. This innovative project will deploy digital avatars across 160 remote sites, providing communities with an efficient and reliable means to communicate patient symptoms, medical history, and vital signs electronically.…

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Zimbabwe Commissions Polio Laboratory to Strengthen Surveillance

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has commissioned a newly renovated polio laboratory to enhance the analysis of polio samples collected through environmental surveillance (ES), a move set to significantly reduce turnaround time for results. Previously, Zimbabwe faced delays of up to 21 days as samples were sent to neighboring South Africa for testing. The new facility, established with financial and technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO), is equipped with state-of-the-art testing technology and staffed by highly trained personnel. Commissioning the laboratory at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare, Dr. Raiva Simbi,…

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Zimbabwe Seeks New Partnerships to Strengthen Clinical Research Amid Declining Global Aid

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe is pursuing new partnerships to bolster clinical research in the country as global development assistance continues to decline. Health and Child Care Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, represented by Chief Director of Curative Services Dr. Maxwell Hove, highlighted this initiative on Wednesday while officiating an Africa Clinical Research Network (ACRN) meeting. His remarks come as US Goverment cuts funding to African and Asian countries, with South Africa being the latest to be affected. “As global development assistance for health decreases, the Zimbabwean government is increasingly investing in…

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CheckUp Health’s AI-Powered Healthcare Innovation Earns International Recognition

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  CheckUp Health, a pioneering AI-powered healthcare platform founded by Zimbabwean entrepreneur Fungai Ndemera, has gained international acclaim after being shortlisted as a finalist in two categories at the prestigious Medilink Midlands Business Awards 2025 in the UK. The nominations—Delivering Innovation into Health and Care and Advances in Digital Healthcare—underscore CheckUp Health’s commitment to transforming primary healthcare through cutting-edge digital solutions. With a mission to improve healthcare accessibility and efficiency, CheckUp Health has made significant strides in digital health innovation. The platform, which has been successfully implemented in…

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