Category: HIV/AIDS

AIDS Levy, International Financing Behind Zim’s AIDS Response Success- UNAIDS

Michael Gwarisa

THE Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) says Zimbabwe remains a leader in as far as HIV treatment on African continent at the back of a myriad of factors chief among them being a  well-coordinated domestic funding mechanism for HIV/AIDS and support from international partners. By Michael Gwarisa In update on how Inequalities are at the heart of uneven progress in the AIDS response, UNAIDS said progress against HIV has been uneven with other countries struggling to contain the pandemic. The gains made through people-centred approaches within…

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NAC Donates 100 Bicycles to Brotha 2 Brotha Initiative

Healthtimes

THE National AIDS Council (NAC), has donated a total 100 bicycles to the Brotha 2 Brotha mentors in Harare Province to strengthen community linkages and health systems with the aim of enhancing access to sexual reproductive health (SRH) for boys. By Patricia Mashiri Speaking during the handover ceremony, Honorable Oliver Chidawu, the Harare Minister of State for Provincial Affairs said the programme will expand the current HIV and AIDS response in the province and enhance preparedness to address health emergencies in communities. Young people are lagging behind as compared to…

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Imbokodo HIV Vaccine Study Was A Learning Phase

Healthtimes

Dr Portia Hunidzarira, the Imbokodo Principal Researcher said the discontinuation of the HVTN 705/HPX2008 or Imbokodo study gave researchers and scientist a new platform to learn and develop evidence  for future studies that might lead to an HIV vaccine breakthrough. By Patricia Mashiri She said the vaccine proved to be safe and caused no harm to participants even though it was unable to provide sufficient protection to prevent HIV infection which the study was looking. The study which commenced in 2017 and concluded vaccinations in June 2020 wanted to test…

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HIV Positive Women Urged To Regularly Screen For Cervical Cancer

Healthtimes

THE Zimbabwe Association of Church Related Hospitals (ZACH) has warned that  women living with HIV were more prone to cervical cancer and therefore should get screened more frequently. By Patricia Mashiri Speaking during Cervical cancer and HIV and the impact of COVID-19 on screening services virtual meeting, HIV Positive Women Urged To Regularly Screen For Cervical Cancer, Dr Onai  Diura-Vere ZACH Technical Advisor said,”85 percent of women with cervical and HIV live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women with HIV are at a higher risk of developing cervical cancer compared with HIV…

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HIV Vaccine Trials Discontinued After It Fails To Prevent HIV Infection

Michael Gwarisa

THE HVTN 705/HPX2008 or Imbokodo study, which began in 2017 to test whether the Imbokodo vaccine regimen could prevent women in Sub-Saharfan Africa from getting HIV has been discontinued following indications that the vaccine did not provide sufficient protection against infection. By Michael Gwarisa In a statement, Johnson & Johnson said data showed the investigational HIV  vaccine regimen did not provide sufficient protection against HIV infection in a population of young women in sub–Saharan Africa at high risk of acquiring HIV even though the investigational vaccine was found to have…

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Mukando Boost For People Living With HIV In Mash Central

Healthtimes

THE Zimbabwe National Network of People Living With HIV (ZNNP+) has improved livelihoods of People Living With HIV (PLHIV) in Mashonaland Central through Internal Savings and Lending (ISAL) projects or Mukando. By Patricia Mashiri Through assistance from Troicare, ZNNP+ gave Kushinga group based in Nyakudya village, Masembura in Mashonaland Central  a total of US$150 to build internal savings and lending groups (Mukando) that would empower PLHIV economically. Before disbursing the funds, a feasibility assessment was done which ensured that a strong committee and other enabling modalities were in place.  The…

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BHASO’s Community Outreach Delivers ARVs To More Than 3000 Clients

Michael Gwarisa

THE Batanai HIV and AIDS Service Organisation (BHASO),  a community based HIV and AIDS civil society organisation based in Masvingo has delivered Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) to not less than 3000 clients at the back of its community outreach programs. Staff Reporter Through their official page, BHASO said the, “Community Outreach is one form of decentralizing health services by the government of Zimbabwe. It recognizes the importance of bringing services within reach of many, especially those in hard-to-reach areas. Through community outreach, more than 300 ART clients in and around Makugwe…

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CeSHHAR Awarded Templeton World Charity Foundation Grant To Implement Zvandiri Project

Healthtimes

Dr. Webster Mavhu, CeSHHAR Deputy Director, has been competitively awarded a three-year grant from the Templeton World Charity Foundation to implement the project “The Zvandiri (As I am) character strength and its constructs among adolescents living with HIV in Zimbabwe”. This project will examine and measure how the Zvandiri programme can sustainably engage adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) to develop the character strengths embedded within the indigenous concept of ‘Zvandiri’ (accept me as I am), so that they can flourish and live well within their communities. This project builds on…

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Zim Still Among High Cervical Cancer Burden Countries In Africa

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE is still in the top five cervical cancer high burden countries on the continent, despite numerous efforts by the ministry of health and child care (MoHCC) and development partners to address the scourge, a United Nations Aids (UNAIDS) report has gathered. By Michael Gwarisa According to the 2021 Global AIDS Update report, majority of the cervical cancer cases were linked to HIV. An estimated 85% of women with cervical cancer live in sub-Saharan Africa, where the proportion of women living with HIV among people with cervical cancer exceeded 40%…

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Ending Harmful Practices Starts With Allowing Girls & Women Bodily Autonomy- UNFPA

Michael Gwarisa
Young Preganant Women

THE United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Zimbabwe’s Assistant Country Representative, Ms Abbigail Msemburi says woman and girls should have power to make decisions over their bodies as a first step towards ending child marriages, traditional harmful practices and all forms of abuse. By Michael Gwarisa Presenting findings from the 2021 State of the World Population (SWOP) Report during a virtual commemoration of the World Population Day, Ms Msemburi said majority of women were still denied bodily autonomy and data from the SWOP indicated that half of women in 57 developing…

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