Category: Op Ed

A special feature section for guest columnists

Unsafe Abortion – The Hidden Health Crisis

Healthtimes

By Dr M Murwira In the early years of my medical career, it was always exciting to start a new role in the various medical specialties at a Central Hospital. As such, I was looking forward to the experience of working in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department. However, my first Gynecology department night shift was a baptism of fire. In the emergency ward, multiple sick women lying on stretcher beds and on the floor awaited me. It was a horrific experience to see both young and mature women crying, writhing…

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As International Safe Abortion Day Draws Closer, Its Time To Reflect on progress towards access to safe abortion for women and girls

Healthtimes

The 28th of September is International Safe Abortion Day, and it has two themes: “Diverse Actions, Different Places, One Demand: Access to Safe and Legal Abortion Now” and “Abortion in Uncertain Times.” By Edinah Masiyiwa These themes speak to me as an advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights, and they give me energy to continue working on safe abortion access. They communicate that firstly, we will achieve access to safe abortion through working in our different spaces from research, to advocacy, to awareness raising at community and policy…

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Abortion policy and the vicious cycle of poverty

Healthtimes

By Memory Pamella Kadau The previous instalment submitted that abortion doesn’t bring about a moral dilemma as middle ground propagation would argue. It’s clear that safe abortion services should be made accessible to women and this demands policy and legal reforms. This article explored how existing policy framework on abortion perpetuates the vicious cycle of poverty on women and fuels child sexual abuse termed ‘child marriages’. Abortion and poverty Poverty wears the face of a woman and the untold story is that hundreds of thousands of women are trapped in…

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Comprehensive Post Abortion Care is an Essential Component of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Critical for the Attainment of Health Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Healthtimes

In my years of experience working in sexual reproductive health (SRH), the most topical debates include the topics of unintended pregnancies, teenage pregnancies, sexual gender based violence (SGBV), and abortion among others. Termination of Pregnancy (abortion) is one of the most controversial and emotive issues across the social realm in a conservative society like Zimbabwe. The main thrust of social-cultural discussions in sexual reproductive health is around prevention of unintended pregnancies thus avoiding the topic of abortion completely. However, the dilemma is when prevention fails, what happens next? The Zimbabwe…

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A Dangerous Prognosis: Vulnerable migrants obstructed from getting essential maternal and child healthcare services due to Gauteng hospital payment policies and politics

Healthtimes

In South Africa, reports of xenophobic incidents are a daily reality but the use of the country’s strained public health system by migrants is now a hot-button issue as impartial access to healthcare has become highly politicized in recent days. By Dr Tasanya Chinsamy To reach a political objective, Operation Dudula’s anti-migrant protestors targeted the sick and vulnerable outside Kalafong Hospital in Tshwane where they profiled patients, allegedly by skin colour and language, turning away anyone who failed to pass muster. The protestors also targeted Hillbrow Community Health Centre where…

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The Politics of The Uterus

Healthtimes

The Lack of Adequate Information and Awareness on Safe Abortion Services among Young Women and Girls is Promoting Continuous Clandestine Abortions By Mufaro Musiyazviriyo The term abortion, generally makes people uncomfortable! In my work as a Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) Program Officer, often times, I conduct awareness raising trainings and focus group discussions on SRHR issues with young women and girls in tertiary institutions and communities, where incidents of unsafe abortions have been reported. I have made it a habit to begin my introductions by mentioning the term…

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Ngatikurukurei nezvegwirikwiti

Healthtimes
Dr Grant Murewanhema

Gwirikwiti chirwere chinonyanyobata vana vadiki, chinokonzerwa nehutachiwana hwe measles virus uhwo hunopararira zvakanyanya nekuchimbidza. Na Chiremba Grant Murewanhema Hutachiwana uhwu hunowanikwa nekufema mhepo yakosorerwa nemunhu ane gwirikwiti, kana kuti nekubata nzvimbo dzinenge dzakosorerwa nemunhu ane chirwere ichi. Kutaura kuno nyika yeZimbabwe iri pakati pekurwisana nechirwere ichi chatobata vana vanokwana zviuru zvitanhatu nevanoraudzira uye chikatora upenyu hwevana vanosvika mazana manomwe. Dunhu reManicaland ndiro ranyanyobatwa nechirwere uye kurasikirwa nevana vakawanda. Chikonzero ndechekuti kudunhu iri kune vanhu vane uwandu vane chitendero chisingabvumidze kubayiwa kwenhomba. Panogona kunge paine vamwewo vana vakasarira kubayiwa nekuda kwematanho…

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What’s next for Zimbabwe’s collapsing health system?

Healthtimes

Health systems are, at their core, meant to promote, restore or maintain health. Their objective is to improve the length and quality of citizens’ life from the cradle to the grave. Health is therefore a fundamental human right. This was very clear to the different healthcare delivery administrators and practitioners in Zimbabwe for the last 42 years. But something happened along the way and Zimbabwe is now at the bottom of the pile. By Norman Nyazema During my tenure, from 1998 to 2002, as the director of the Institute of…

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Zimbabwe needs to find sustainable solutions to its perennial health crisis

Healthtimes

During the course of the past two weeks, social media has been awash with videos of the Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) of Health for the Limpopo Province of South Africa directly humiliating Zimbabwean patients who had sought elective surgical treatment in her province. By Dr Grant Murewanhema There have been mixed reactions from the Zimbabwe, South African and international community at large regarding the conduct of the MEC. Some have described the actions as highly unethical and not expected from somebody of her stature and education. The MEC…

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The critical role of sanitation infrastructure in African cities

Healthtimes

As cities in Africa continue to grow at a rapid pace, the importance of sanitation services must not be overlooked – we must get it right. By Agathe Nougaret   By 2050, the World Economic Forum predicts that more than 1.3 billion people in Africa will call a city home. Such a large number of people living in growing cities could pose problems, so we asked our experts: What are the top three types of infrastructure to focus on for the sustainable development of cities and urban areas in Africa?…

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