Category: Health News

Information Gaps Drive Unintended Pregnancies Among Children Who Live On The Streets In Zimbabwe

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere City life knows no sleep particularly for children living and working on the streets of the Harare Central Business District (CBD). Access to sexual reproductive health services is usually a hurdle for children due to a number of reasons. Around 11 pm, only a handful of people can be seen milling around town.  However, it is easy to spot children who live and work on the streets owing to their rugged and torn apparel. To prepare and recoup for the long nights which in most cases are…

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US Ambassador lauds Marondera Provincial Hospital’s fight against HIV

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere in Marondera The US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pamela Tremont has commended health workers at Marondera Provincial Hospital for their tenacity and resolve to control the HIV epidemic in the province. She said this during her tour of the hospital where she met with the staff as well as some of the beneficiaries of HIV services. The US Government through the Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Centre for Disease Control has been supporting Zimbabwe’s HIV response since 2006 putting the country on the brink…

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ARASA Empowers ZCLDN to Advance Zimbabwe’s Civil Liberties and Drive Policy Change on Drug Use

Michael Gwarisa

In Zimbabwe, the burden of drug and substance abuse has grown significantly over the years. This crisis was further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which, through global lockdowns, exposed many young people to negative coping mechanisms as they struggled with the idleness and isolation brought about by restrictions. According to official data, over 75% of mental health hospitalizations in Zimbabwe are linked to drug and substance use. Psychiatric facilities across the country are often overwhelmed, operating at full capacity as they attempt to accommodate the rising number of drug-related admissions.…

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NBSZ Targets to Collect 7,460 Units of Blood During Festive Season

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ), has set a target to collect 7,460 units of blood during December 2024 as part of its annual festive season campaign. Addressing stakeholders at the launch of the campaign in Harare on Friday, NBSZ Chief Executive Officer, Ms Lucy Mary Marowa emphasized the increased demand for blood during the festive period, driven largely by road traffic accidents and other emergencies. The festive season is marked by a surge in the need for blood due to factors such as road traffic accidents.…

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 Youth Urged to Lead the Fight Against Drug and Substance Abuse

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwean youth should take a leading role in combating drug and substance abuse, a Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development, and Vocational Training official said on Friday. Speaking at the launch of the 14th SAYWHAT Students’ Conference and the “3D – Don’t Drug Your Dreams Away Campaign,” Deputy Director Mr. Osward Mudhunguyo emphasized the critical role of youth in addressing this challenge. Our young people should be at the heart of this battle. As the most affected group, you have a unique and powerful role to play in…

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HRF donates ICT equipment to Public Health Emergency Operation Centre

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere The Health Resilience Fund (HRF), through one of its implementing partners, the World Health Organization (WHO), has given to the Public Health Emergency Operation Centre some ICT equipment worth US$90 000 for better real-time data collection in the preparedness and response of public health emergencies. Officiating the handover ceremony, Health and Child Care Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr Aspect Maunganidze in a speech read on his behalf by Acting Public Health Chief Director Dr Jaensch Mutede said the equipment would go a long away for prompt updates amidst…

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Regional Students Gather in Zimbabwe for SAYWHAT Conference on SRHR, Climate Change, and Public Health Solutions

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Students from various institutions across the SADC region have gathered in Zimbabwe for the SAYWHAT 3rd Research Indaba and the 14th Students Conference. The event has brought together young researchers presenting studies on climate change, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and tuberculosis. An official from the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science, and Development called on institutions to inspire and support students committed to addressing public health challenges. Youth-led research projects not only provide valuable data but also ensure that solutions are relevant…

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2025 National Budget Fails to Prioritize Health Sector: CWGH Analysis

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The 2025 National Budget allocation for Zimbabwe’s health sector has raised significant concerns among health advocates and stakeholders, including the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH). With health expenditure shrinking in real terms, CWGH Executive Director Itai Rusike emphasized that the budget falls short of addressing the country’s critical health challenges, risking further strain on an already fragile system. Declining Health Expenditure The Ministry of Health and Child Care has been allocated ZiG28.3 billion (US$785.9 million) in 2025, representing 10.2% of the national budget, a decrease from…

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More African Female Surgeons Graduate under COSECSA

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa At the 2024 graduation ceremony of the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa (COSECSA), held in Harare, Zimbabwe, 33% of the graduates were female. This milestone highlights the institution’s ongoing efforts to improve gender inclusivity in surgical training. During the 2023-2024 academic year, COSECSA experienced a 22.7% increase in trainee enrollment, with female enrollment rising by 4%, from 23% to 27%. Remarkably, during the exams held in Harare ahead of the COSECSA conference, women accounted for 33% of candidates. A total of 152 students…

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Financial hardships driving varsity students into semester marriages

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Financial hardships are driving tertiary students into exploitative relationships known as “semester marriages.” These arrangements, described by students, involve male students acting as husbands and providing for female students, who, in turn, perform the duties of a wife. The “marriage” typically lasts for one academic semester. This issue came to light during a Safer Campus Campaign Dialogue on Gender-Based Violence, organized by the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Africa Trust (SAT) in partnership with Full of Life Trust (FOLIT) at the Catholic University of Zimbabwe on Wednesday.…

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