HIV/AIDS |

SAZ Finalising HIV Standard For Zim

August 8, 2018August 8, 2018 Healthtimes

THE Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) says the new HIV and Wellness Standard will be finalised before end of third quarter in a move that will pave way for organisation improve health conditions for their employees. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking to HealthTimes, SAZ Director General, Dr Eve Gadzikwa said the new standard is currently under review by the Technical Committee (TC) awaiting finalisation before year end. “The Technical Committee (TC) reconstituted and now are working the standard now. We hope to have final the draft in in Q3,” said Dr Gadzikwa.…

PEPFAR To Spend $360 million On Key Populations

August 6, 2018 Healthtimes

THE United States (US), President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) says it will spend not less than US$360 million on programs meant to support Key Populations in countries where PEPFAR is implementing HIV programs. HealthTimes Reporter The developments come hot on heels of the 2018 International AIDS Conference which was held in Amsterdam where a number of programs meant to scale up HIV prevention amongst various societal groups were launched. According to PEPPFAR’s fact sheet, the US$360 million injection would go a long in bridging to gaps that exists…

$1.2 billion HIV Funding For Men Launched

July 24, 2018 Healthtimes

GLOBAL partners gathered at the ongoing 2018 International Conference in Amsterdam today launched a $1.2 billion funding earmarked for HIV programming for men in a bid to scale up diagnosis and treatment of HIV infection in men. By Michael Gwarisa The program dubbed MenStar Coalition was announced by Sir Elton John and the Duke of Sussex, the MenStar Coalition brings together the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the U.S. Partners involve include the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Unitaid, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the…

PSI/Global Aid Partner To Provide SRH Services For People With Albinism

July 1, 2018July 1, 2018 Healthtimes

IN a move that set to improve access to health services for people living with albinism, the Population Services International Zimbabwe (PSI) has partnered Global Aid Mission in setting up a clinic which offers comprehensive Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services under one roof. By Michael Gwarisa The move follows indications that most people living with the albinism condition and other disabilities shun seeking SRH services such as HIV testing, HIV treatment and care, ST screening, among others due to fear of stigma and discrimination in societies and health institutions. Officiating…

Static Sites To Improve Prep Tracking For Sex Workers

June 28, 2018 Healthtimes

THE setting up of Static Sites along the country’s major highways and boarder posts is set to improve tracking of sex workers who would have been initiated on the Pre -Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) drug to ensure HIV negative sex workers maintain their status. By Michael Gwarisa In an interview, National Aids Council (NAC) Key Populations (KP) coordinator, Jerry Manyika efforts efforts to kick start the Static Sites program are now at an advanced stage and they will be offering comprehensive Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services for sex workers…

How To Have Sex With My HIV+ Partner

June 27, 2018 Healthtimes

If My Partner Is HIV Positive, How Can I Protect Myself? Not long ago, it was common for gay and bisexual men and others at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, to engage in “serosorting,” or choosing a romantic partner based on shared HIV status. “Someone who was HIV positive had to live in fear that they would infect their partner,” says Richard Greene, M.D., an HIV researcher and associate professor of medicine at the New York University School of Medicine. Meanwhile, HIV-negative individuals had to trust…

NAC Unveils $10 000 Cancer Awareness Sponsorship

June 26, 2018 Healthtimes

THE Zimbabwe National Aids Council (NAC) has unveiled sponsorship to the tune of $10 000 for the Zimbabwe Open Golf tournament for ladies which will go towards cancer awareness through sport and and recreation activities. HealthTimes Reporter Speaking at the ceremony marking the unveiling of the package, NAC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tapuwa Magure said the decision to support Cancer awareness through Golf was arrived at following revelations that there is a close relationship between HIV and cancer and involvement in sporting activities could reduce the scourge of cancer. The $10,000.00…

ZLHR Makes Progress Towards Decriminalizing HIV Infection

June 25, 2018June 25, 2018 Healthtimes

THE Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) say they have made strides in engaging key stakeholders around the subject of repealing Section 79 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act in a bid to ensure a free and non discriminatory environment for people living with with HIV. The law criminalizes willful HIV transmission but according to legal experts, it is too general and thus can not be used as an HIV or health law. By Michael Gwarisa Tinashe Mundawarara, programme manager for the HIV, Human Rights and Law Project at ZLHR, recently told …

Zim Female Prisons A Ticking HIV Time bomb

June 22, 2018June 25, 2018 Healthtimes

…a single glove is inserted into more than 10 women’s privates to search for hidden objects …HIV in female prisons is more of a hygiene issue than it is sexual …Drug adherence a challenge due to stigma in prisons IT’S already been two years since Nkazana (not real name) left Chikurubi remand prison but gory memories and gustily images of her horrific experiences behind bars are still as clear and vivid as daylight. By Michael Gwarisa Apart from the poor nutrition, living standards and social welfare issues inmates experience daily…

Zim Defers HIV Drug Roll Out…Drug Deforms Unborn Babies

June 16, 2018June 16, 2018 Healthtimes

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has deffered roll out of the HIV Dolutegravir (DTG) drug following indications that it causes complications in women of child bearing age and adolescent girls, which might lead to deformities in unborn babies born to HIV positive mothers taking the drug at the time of conception. HealthTimes Reporter Zimbabwe intended to scale up Dolutegravir as a first choice ARV to all people living with HIV in the country next year. The drug is currently being used to manage HIV in people who fail…