Category: Health News

Zim NGOs In Abortion Dilema…As Trump Gov Tightens Screws

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa NON governmental organisations operating in Zimbabwe are caught between a rock and a hard surface as to whether they should support safe abortion or not as they fear frustrating top donors, HealthTimes can reveal. It has emerged that the United States Government is by far the biggest donor in most if not all donor related activities in Zimbabwe, and the recent move by the Donald Trump administration to stop financing any organisation that advocates for abortion has left many NGOs in a state quandary. Briefing Journalists during…

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Churches Embrace Condoms

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa CHURCHES in Zimbabwe are gradually embracing family planning and reproductive health initiatives including condoms, as the country moves towards reducing high fertility and the high teenage pregnancies cases that have rocked the country, HealthTimes has learnt. Apostolic sects and other churches have traditionally been known for being breeding grounds for underage marriages and teenage pregnancies owing to their beliefs which allow them to marry multiple “virgin” wives. Also Read: Zim Beats Global Family Planning target  Responding to a question during a Media Sensitisation Meeting on Adolescents Sexual Reproductive…

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Rimuka TB/HIV Care Centre commissioned

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter MINISTRY of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has commissioned the Rimuka Integrated TB/HIV Care Centre that was renovated at a cost of US$30 000. The integrated health care centre which is owned by the Kadoma City Council handles approximately 6000 people every month. In a speech read on his behalf by Deputy Minister Aldrin Masiiwa last Friday, Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa applauded the city council for the noble initiative. “I am told that this health Care centre were once Council offices but…

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Gov deploys more nurses

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter GOVERNMENT has began deployment of an additional 2 000 nurses to help improve services delivery in health institutions across the country, a Cabinet minister has revealed. Health delivery in the country is reportedly being hampered by shortage of personnel, especially nurses owing to a recruitment freeze that was imposed by government during the time of the inclusive government as a way of containing the runaway wage bill. Zimbabwe’s public service wage bill currently stands at an unsustainably 91.7 percent of total budget revenue. Although there is a…

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PEPFAR’s new look homepage

Healthtimes

By Kuda Pembere THE President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has redesigned its website’s homepage for readers to get a bird’s eye view of all that’s being done in the program. The website was revamped in a way that keeps visitors returning for more while attracting unique ones as well. On the new homepage is a slideshow of high resolution thumbnails for news written on the website. The website is also embedded with social media widgets such as Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. “Our PEPFAR.gov homepage has a new look! Check it…

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19.5 million people on life-saving treatment-UNAIDS

Healthtimes

HealthTimes Reporter MORE than half of people living with HIV (53%) now have access to HIV treatment and AIDS related deaths have halved since 2005, UNAIDS has said. A report released by UNAIDS shows that for the first time the scales have tipped: In 2016, 19.5 million of the 36.7 million people living with HIV had access to treatment, and AIDS-related deaths have fallen from 1.9 million in 2005 to 1 million in 2016. Provided that scale-up continues, this progress puts the world on track to reach the global target…

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Call To Empower Men/Boys Gets Louder

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa CIVIC Society organisations have joined hands with government and various organisations including religious and traditional groups in calling for the empowerment and inclusion of boys and men in the fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV). In an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing Youth Changing the River’s Flow symposium, SafAids Head of Programmes, Ngoni Chubukire said SafAids had embarked on a massive nationwide drive to engage all societal groups in the fight against GBV and strengthening participation by various groups in enhancing gender equality. ALSO READ:…

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Donor Reliance Threatens Family Planning Efforts- USAID

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter ZIMBABWE’S high dependence on donor support threatens efforts to address family planning issues the country is facing, a top USAID official has said. ALSO READ: Zim Beats Global Family Planning Target  Speaking at the Family Planning Symposium, Hillary Chiguvare from USAID said such foreign dependency was not sustainable adding that it’s time for government to increase its allocation to health. “There is an agreement now that relying on foreign funding is not sustainable, it actually threatens family planning support and program, I think it’s now time we…

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Release Health Levy Stats says Labode… As Gov receives only $6mln

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter PARLIAMENTARY Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Care chairperson Dr Ruth Labode has challenged government to release current statistics for the Health Levy. The call comes amidst revelations that Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) only received US$6 million from the Health Levy without further details of the collections. Speaking at the Family Planning Symposium, Dr Labode said there is need for transparency and that mobile phone network companies need to also confirm the figures being mentioned by government. “The US$ 6 million is it for…

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Five lessons From Latest Ebola Outbreak In DRC-MSF

Healthtimes

Four people died in the most recent Ebola outbreak that occurred in a remote, forested area of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This small outbreak (five laboratory-confirmed and three probable cases) was quickly curtailed. The international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders (MSF) shares lessons learned from this first occurrence of the deadly virus since the end of the large-scale Ebola outbreak that devastated West Africa in 2014-2015. 1. Train frontline health teams The scale of this outbreak was minimised, thanks in no small part to a nurse named Dieumerci.…

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