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Gasping for Life: The Deadly Grip of Silicosis on Zimbabwe’s Artisanal Miners

November 23, 2024November 23, 2024 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa A frail-looking Tinashe Chinove from Masimbaevanhu Village in Shurugwi sits quietly under the shade of a tree, gasping for air. Even from a few yards away, his labored breathing is evident. Each breath he takes is a painful reminder of the relentless toll silicosis has taken on his life. At just 40 years old, Tinashe is battling a disease he contracted in 2022 while blasting and drilling rocks with a jackhammer deep in the artisanal mines. His health has deteriorated drastically, and he admits that he is…

MCAZ Recalls Defective Batch of YAZ Plus Contraceptives Over Quality

November 22, 2024 Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has announced a Class II recall of a batch of YAZ Plus contraceptive tablets due to a quality defect that could compromise their efficacy and pose risks to patients. The recall affects YAZ PLUS TABLETS, REG. NO.: 2022/21.2.1/6235, BATCH: WEW961J, manufactured by Bayer (Pty) Ltd. South Africa. According to MCAZ, the defective packs contain an incorrect configuration of tablets: 24 light orange hormone-free tablets and 4 pink hormone tablets, instead of the required 24 pink hormone tablets and 4 light…

Zimbabwe SRHR Champions for 2022

December 13, 2022December 13, 2022 Healthtimes

ZIMBABWE has over the years made significant strides in terms of advancing Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services to a number of people from different age groups. However, despite the progress that has been made, there still remains some unfinished business that need to be faced head on in order to ensure equitable access to SRH services. Some of the unfinished business hindering Zimbabwe’s progress towards attaining SRH targets include rape or sexual abuse, Gender Based Violence (GBV), teen pregnancies, early child marriages, poor access to sanitary health and lack of…

Zim medicines regulator intensifies surveillance of ‘child killer’ cold and cough syrups

October 11, 2022October 11, 2022 Kuda Pembere

Zimbabwe’s medicines and medical devices regulator the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) says it is stepping up its surveillance of four medical products which killed 69 children in Gambia. By Kudakwashe Pembere While chances are slim that the cough and cold syrups might have found their way into the country, the Authority states they may have unprocedurally found their way in Zimbabwe. In a statement, MCAZ Acting Director General Mr Richard Rukwata notified health professionals in the public of the existence of the lethal medical products. “The Medicines Control…

Government officials eye PSMAS takeover: Mliswa

June 16, 2022June 16, 2022 Healthtimes

NORTON legislator Honourable Temba Mliswa says there are some government officials who want to snap up the Premier Service Holdings Company which runs Zimbabwe’s largest subscribed medical aid company, the Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS). By Kudakwashe Pembere This comes following claims that Government wanted to take over the company which Vice President and Health Minister Dr Constantine Chiwenga refuted. Taking to Twitter, Hon. Mliswa urged unions must shootdown this move in an Annual General Meeting (AGM) to happen in the coming two weeks. ” I’m told that some…

Legislators roast Prof Ncube over dragging disbursements to Health Ministry

June 16, 2022June 16, 2022 Healthtimes

PARLIAMENTARIANS yesterday grilled the Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube over the sluggish disbursement of the money his Ministry alloted to the Health and Child Care Ministry. Speaking in Parliament, Bulawayo Central Member of Parliament Honourable Nicola Watson asked Minister Ncube who flaunted the successes of his fiscal policies why the Health Ministry had half way through the year had received only 14 percent. ” Thank you for giving me opportunity to ask a question. My question goes to the Ministry of Finance. He has just spoken of…

Nurses Strike On

April 16, 2018April 16, 2018 Healthtimes

Barely a month after doctors resumed work from a month-long industrial action, nurses have downed tools citing poor remuneration and working conditions. By Kudakwashe Pembere They had appeared appeased by the March 30, 2018 collective bargaining agreement negotiated through the Health Service Biparte negotiation panel. This comes as their 14-day notice for strike has expired. In a statement directed to Health and Childcare minister Dr David Parirenyatwa, his permanent Secretary Rtd General Gerald Gwinji and the Health Services Board Chairperson Dr Lovemore Mbengeranwa, the Zimbabwe Nurses Association said Government sidelined…

TB Wreaks Havoc In Midlands Province Prisons

March 19, 2018March 20, 2018 Healthtimes

AT least 14 percent of prison inmates in three correctional centres in the Midlands province, namely Gwanda, Shurugwi and Blue Hills probation centres tested positive for Tuberculosis (TB) according to an assessment conducted by the Jointed Hands Welfare Organisation (JHWO). By Michael Gwarisa Speaking to HealthTimes, JHWO Communications and Liaison Officer, Melody Mukundwi said they tested and screened a number inmates in the province and a number of them tested positive for the respiratory ailment. “JHWO is operational in three prisons Gwanda, Shurungwi and Blue Hills probation in Gweru. In…

New (TLE400) HIV Regimen Has Less Side Effects

January 28, 2018 Healthtimes

A new regimen for the first line anti-retroviral therapy (ART) treatment, known as TLE400 brings relief to people living with HIV as it harbours less side-effects as compared to previous regimes. SOURCE: The SundayMail Zimbabwe has been using TLE600 (which contains 600mg Efavirenz) which has serious side-effects which include dizziness, insomnia, unusual dreams, blurred vision, trouble concentrating, headache, tired feeling, spinning sensation, muscle/joint pain and changes in the shape or location of body fat among others. The new regimen is taken once a day as a single pill and has…

House Maid jailed for trying to infect boss’ child with HIV/Aids

January 27, 2018January 27, 2018 Healthtimes

Kampala, Uganda | A housemaid was sentenced to three years imprisonment on Wednesday for attempting to infect her boss’s two-year-old baby with HIV/AIDS. GODFREY SSALI Jemima Nasifa alias Tumukunde Zainabu a Rwandan, pleaded guilty to the offence of doing a negligent act likely to spread infection or disease, before Kampala’s City Hall Court, Grade One magistrate Beatrice Kainza. This after she had spent six months on remand at Luzira prison. The Magistrate on Wednesday convicted her on her own plea of guilt and added her three more years back to jail.…