Category: Opinion

Let’s talk about diabetes with Dr Brighton Chireka

Healthtimes

By Dr Brighton Chireka Diabetes is a huge problem for the whole world. 382 million people have diabetes in the world and it is estimated that 592 million people will be living with diabetes in 2035. Situation in Zimbabwe  In Zimbabwe there were 600 thousand cases of diabetes in 2013 and it is estimated that about 450 thousand of adults have diabetes that is not diagnosed . Situation in UK In the UK there are 3.2 million people diagnosed with diabetes and an estimated 630 thousand people have the condition…

Read More

Zim ARV Shortage Could Trigger Massive Drug Resistance

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa  ZIMBABWE today (21/08/2017) woke up to devastating news that the country’s public health and pharmaceutical institutions have been hit by massive Anti Retro Viral (ARV) drug shortages. According to an article in the Herald, HIV positive people on second line Abacavir ARV drugs are the most affected and they are being given a week’s supply of the drug instead of the traditional three moths supply due to stock outs. It is believed that the huge stock outs and shortages in drug supplies are being exacerbated by the…

Read More

Its High Time Zim Schools Adopt Condoms

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa THERE is a raging debate on whether Zimbabwean schools should allow condoms to be distributed in schools to school going children. A number of campaigns including the Condomize Zimbabwe drive have  made strides in ensuring every sexually active citizen has access to protected sex regardless of race, age, religious or political beliefs. However, powerful sections of the society have been instrumental in blocking the move to avail condoms in schools citing various reasons. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora  said Government does not intend to dish…

Read More

Demystifying Gender Equality

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa  SAFAIDS this week hosted a two day symposium dubbed Changing The River’s Flow, a gender norms transformative programme aimed at encouraging young people, both male and female to take part in the fight against gender inequalities and Gender Based Violence (GBV). For years, women across the globe have been pushing for equal rights in the home, political sphere and economy. Going down history, the concept of Feminism has seen a number phases and movements coming into play all in the name of fighting and addressing the imbalances…

Read More

Five lessons From Latest Ebola Outbreak In DRC-MSF

Healthtimes

Four people died in the most recent Ebola outbreak that occurred in a remote, forested area of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This small outbreak (five laboratory-confirmed and three probable cases) was quickly curtailed. The international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders (MSF) shares lessons learned from this first occurrence of the deadly virus since the end of the large-scale Ebola outbreak that devastated West Africa in 2014-2015. 1. Train frontline health teams The scale of this outbreak was minimised, thanks in no small part to a nurse named Dieumerci.…

Read More

World Population Day 2017: 4 Reasons Why Family Planning Is Important

Healthtimes

Family Planning is not just a part of curbing growing population but also has positive impact at individual level. This World Population Day, read on to know about the advantages of planning your family wisely. World Population Day is observed on 11 July every year to reaffirm the human right to plan a family. It encourages activities to create awareness about the importance of family planning throughout the world. This day also tries to spread knowledge about other important issues including gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights. According…

Read More

Where is the Public Health Bill?

Healthtimes

By HealthTimes Editor  FOR more than 90 years, Zimbabwe has relied on a single Public Health ACT (PHA) which fails among other things to address the new challenges obtaining in the health sector. Since 1924, new diseases  especially non communicable ailments like Cancer, have become a nightmare that Zimbabwe is failing to control due to lack of resources and the required technology in the health sector. The old health law is silent on non communicable diseases, HIV/AIDS, maternal health, key-populations risks amongts a host of others, making it difficult to combat…

Read More