Category: Health News

Africa CDC trains 500 Harare, Chitungwiza community health workers

Kuda Pembere

By Kudakwashe Pembere Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) on Thursday commenced a training of 500 community health workers in Harare and Chitungwiza in the management of mild to moderate cases of cholera, sensitization and managing oral rehydration points in the communities they serve. The Africa CDC which has been supporting Zimbabwe over the years in various outbreak responses. They have been supporting the Government since the start of outbreak leading to the African Union’s health arm’s decision to capacitate the community health workers who are the first port-of-call…

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CWGH calls for more cholera vaccine doses

Kuda Pembere

By Staff Reporter The Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) has called for Government to increase the number of vaccine doses given the available ones only provide protection against the cholera epidemic Zimbabwe is seized with. With Zimbabwe targeting to vaccinate 2.3 million people, the CWGH feels they are not enough as the country’s population stands at 15 million. “The government recently launched the campaign aimed at immunizing over 2 million people against the water-borne disease, amid an outbreak that has killed over 500 people and infected at least 20…

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Chipinge gets new ambulace from Japan

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere The Japanese Government through the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has donated another ambulance to government for use at Chipinge District Hospital. The other two ambulances were handed over to Hauna and Chikore hospitals. All the ambulances worth over US$100 000 were donated to Manicaland province districts following a call for applications for Japan’s supplemental fund which UNOPS was awarded. Speaking during the donation Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Sleiman Timios Kwidini commended UNOPS and Japan for the assistance to help in emergency…

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Zim Spectacles Medical Aid Claims Balloon To ZW$10 Billion

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The prevailing inflationary environment has eroded the value of local currency-denominated medical aid packages, resulting in claims for Spectacles going through the ceiling over the past 12 months. While the volume of annual spectacle claims has been declining over the period 2021 to 2023, the same cannot be said about the values of both foreign currency and local currency-denominated spectacle claims. Speaking in an exclusive interview with HealthTimes, Association of Healthcare Funders Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) Chief Executive Officer, Ms Shylet Sanyanga said volumes of annual spectacles claims have…

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CDC Appoints Dr Robyn Neblett Fanfair Permanent Director HIV Prevention Division

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced the appointment of Captain Robyn Neblett Fanfair as director in the HIV Prevention division. Since August 2022, Dr. Fanfair has been at the helm of the Division as Acting Director, and will continue to provide her scientific leadership and expertise to manage, direct and coordinate the work of the Division to reduce new HIV infections, advance health equity, and improve the health of people with HIV. Announcing the appointment, Dr Jonathan H. Mermin, Director National Center for…

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Artisanal miners fill up Pari’s recently opened respiratory diseases HDU

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Artisanal miners account for the majority of cases being admitted at the recently opened high dependency (HDU) unit for respiratory ailments at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, a specialist pulmonologist said. The unit which has been operational for four months treats persons with pulmonary infections such as pneumonia, diabetic, diabetic ketoacidosis, COPD, silicosis, to mention but these. Speaking to journalists during a tour of the unit, the head of the HDU Dr Felix Manyeruke said they are treating a lot of these artisanal miners popularly known as makorokoza…

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Call to remove VAT and import duty in condom procurement

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Organizations in condom programming and distribution have called for the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) and import duty on private sector condoms noting it will them more affordable. In separate statements commemorating International Condom Day, Population Services for Health (PSH) and AIDS HealthCare Foundation (AHF) Zimbabwe said the removal will improve availability of condoms to the public. With condoms playing a major role in preventing HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancies, there are public sector condoms which are availed for free mainly in public…

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Helmsley pledge $2.19 million to help end blinding disease in Zambia

Michael Gwarisa

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has joined Sightsavers in the global fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), with a grant of US$2.19 million to help eliminate the blinding disease in Zambia. The funding was announced at the Reaching the Last Mile Forum in Dubai where a total of $777m US dollars were pledged to help fight the 21 conditions classed as NTDs. Trachoma begins as a bacterial infection, with symptoms similar to conjunctivitis. But repeated infections cause scarring that makes people’s eyelashes turn inwards and scrape…

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Malawi Records Viral Conjunctivitis Outbreak

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter Kalonga District in the northern parts of Malawi has recorded several cases of Viral Conjunctivitis or Pink Eye, a common, self-limiting condition that typically is caused by adenovirus. According  to Medscape, other viruses that can be responsible for conjunctival infection include herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), picornavirus (enterovirus 70, Coxsackie A24), poxvirus (molluscum contagiosum, vaccinia), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). David Sibale, Director of Health Services Kalonga District Council said a total 109 cases have already been recorded in the district since February 1, 2024.…

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Eye Health A Neglected Public Health Issue In Africa

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Sightsavers have warned that the continued neglect of Eye Care as a public health issue on the African continent was derailing efforts to respond eye-related diseases, resulting in more people developing blindness and irreversible eye complications. This comes amidst indications that globally, a billion people have a visual impairment that could have been prevented or could still be treated. Speaking in an interview with HeathTimes in Zambia recently, Francis Kalusa,  Sightasavers Program Manager Zambia said Eye Care was lagging behind other diseases in terms of attention. So…

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