Category: Health News

Ministry of Environment Hosts Climate Mainstreaming Workshop for Staff

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Ministry of Environment, Climate, and Wildlife has hosted a one-day workshop aimed at enhancing the capacity of its staff to mainstream climate change into development plans and budgetary processes. The training comes as Zimbabwe continues implementing its National Adaptation Planning (NAP) process, which commenced in 2019 with technical support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The workshop was financed by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Zimbabwe. Officiating at the event, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Ambassador Tadeous Chifamba underscored the urgent need…

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Africa CDC Hosts Mental Health Leadership Program In Harare to Address Growing Crisis in Africa

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa A 10-day Mental Health Leadership Program has kicked off in Harare, Zimbabwe, amid growing calls for governments to prioritize mental health as a public health emergency, HealthTimes has learned. The training program, aimed at equipping leaders from various sectors with the necessary skills and capacity to address the growing burden of mental health-related challenges on the continent, is being hosted by the University of Zimbabwe in collaboration with the  Africa Centres for Disease Control (Africa CDC). The programme is supported by Wellcome Trust and will run from…

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Health Portfolio Committee to Address Sanitary Wear Petition Next Week

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa For many schoolgirls in rural Zimbabwe, menstruation is more than just a biological process, it is a barrier to education. Rumbidzai Magwere, a schoolgirl from Mvurwi, knows this all too well. “There are no pads in our school. Sometimes my period starts while I’m in class, and I am unprepared. It is embarrassing to sit in spoiled clothes. I have no choice but to miss lessons and stay home until it’s over. This is affecting my studies because lessons do not stop just because one girl is…

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MCAZ Announces New Declaration Requirement for Directors of Pharmaceutical Companies in Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  In a recent circular issued by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ), Mr. Richard T. Rukwata, the Director-General, announced a new requirement for directors of pharmaceutical companies. Effective from 24th March 2025, all directors applying for new licenses or renewals must complete a declaration form disclosing any contraventions of the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act (Chapter 15:03) or the Dangerous Drugs Act (Chapter 15:02) within the past three years. This new requirement is part of MCAZ’s ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with the laws and…

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Proposed IPEC Bill Could Collapse Zimbabwe ‘s Medical Aid Societies Sector- AHFoZ Warns

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) has raised alarm over the proposed Insurance and Pensions Commission (IPEC) Amendment Bill of 2024, warning that the new regulations could destabilize the country’s medical aid system and lead to its eventual collapse. The Bill, which seeks to classify Medical Aid Societies under financial services for regulation by IPEC, has sparked widespread concern among healthcare stakeholders who argue that the move could have far-reaching consequences for both the medical aid sector and the broader healthcare ecosystem. The proposed legislation,…

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Africa CDC Confirms Mpox Vaccine Production to Start in 2025

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Director-General of the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC), Dr. Jean Kaseya, told a media briefing that local production of the Mpox vaccine on the continent will commence this year, although he did not provide specific timelines. In 2024, Africa CDC partnered with Bavarian Nordic to enhance vaccine manufacturing capabilities within Africa. The partnership aims to strengthen health security across the continent. We have the outcome; we have now started discussions with the successful bidders,” said Dr. Kaseya. “At the moment, we are finalizing some…

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Zimbabwe’s New Mothers Face Extortion for ‘Free’ Child Health Cards

Healthtimes

By Gamuchirai Masiyiwa, GPJ Zimbabwe HARARE, ZIMBABWE — First-time mother Connie Jowa stands with her 3-month-old baby nestled against her back, chatting with other mothers in line. Like many women at this crowded clinic in Harare’s Mabvuku suburb, Jowa is trying to get a Child Health Card, which was unavailable when she gave birth at a public hospital, and was still out of reach at her local clinic. Health cards are mysteriously out of stock. But they can be bought under the table, if you know who to ask and…

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Cimas Health Group Partners Smilestar, a United Kingdom-Based Dental Organisation

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  In a successful partnership aimed at improving oral healthcare access for underserved communities, Smilestar, a UK-based charity dental organization, joined forces with Cimas Health Group, Zimbabwe’s longest-established private medical aid society. Together, they conducted a two-week dental outreach program in Matabeleland North, offering essential services to remote populations. The outreach, which concluded on March 20, focused on providing free dental treatments to residents of remote areas, where access to dental care is often limited. Cimas Health Group played a pivotal role by offering a fully equipped mobile…

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Treat the funding cuts like the humanitarian disaster that they are

Healthtimes

By Dr Esther C. Casas On February 26th, the US government issued around 5,200 termination letters to programmes worldwide funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and 4,100 funded by the Department of State and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). These programmes were ordered to shut down operations immediately and permanently. Many provided essential and lifesaving healthcare services for malaria, Ebola, malnutrition, sexual and reproductive health (SRH), HIV and tuberculosis (TB), and vaccination, among other critical health issues. These abrupt terminations came after more than a month of chaos and devastation for…

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