Tag: AIDS

NAC in major cancer fundraising boost

Michael Gwarisa

The National AIDS Council has intensified the drive to fight cervical cancer as part of its broader effort to contain new HIV infections and end AIDS by 2030. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking in an interview with HealthTimes on the sidelines of the this year’s eventful Zimbabwe Ladies Golf Union Stroke Play Golf Tournament, NAC Chief Executive Officer Dr Bernard Madzima said the target was to raise plus or minus US$100,000 from the fundraising event. NAC Pro-am golf tournament kicked off on Tuesday and the professional tournament also kicked off on…

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Inequalities Derail World Target To End AIDS By 2030

Michael Gwarisa

THE Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has launched a powerful new report, “Dangerous Inequalities” which spotlight the need to end inequalities in terms of access to HIV and AIDS services. By Michael Gwarisa The report coincides with 2023 World AIDS Day commemorations which  is an event and moment to honour over 40 million lives lost to AIDS, take stock of the AIDS response, and commit to ending AIDS. In her remarks following the launch of the report, Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS said all was not gloom …

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Sub-Saharan Africa Has Highest AMR related Deaths-Dr Moeti

Michael Gwarisa

WORLD Health Organisation (WHO) WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti says African governments should step-up the fight against Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) as the continent has one of highest AMR associated mortality in the world. By Michael Gwarisa In her World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2022 Messag, Dr Moeti said there was also concerns over high rates of spread of AMR development and spread. Compared to other regions, sub-Saharan Africa has the highest AMR-associated death rates, at 99 deaths per 100 0001 population, far exceeding previous global projections of 700…

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Soldiers are HIV Key Populations says Gvt

Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) Director Public Health, Group Captain, Dr Munyaradzi Dobbie says Soldiers and other Uniformed Forces are at high risk of getting HIV due to the nature of their job which requires them to move from one place to another at any given time. By Michael Gwarisa Dr Dobbie made this call during a Science Day that was hosted by the Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF) in Harare this week. According to Dr Dobbie, Key populations were not a homogenous group thus there was need…

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ICASA Invites African Creatives To Design Logo For ICASA 2023 To Be Held In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

THE International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) Director, Dr Luc Armand Bodea has announced a call for the design of a logo for the 22nd Edition of the ICASA Conference to be held in Zimbabwe next year. By Michael Gwarisa The calls follows the recent official announcement of Zimbabwe as the host for the conference which was also followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at State House in Harare. Announcing the call at the ICASA stakeholders meeting in Harare, Dr Bodea said the call…

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Zimbabwe’s Wins Bid To Host ICASA 2023

Michael Gwarisa

THE National AIDS Council (NAC) has confirmed Zimbabwe’s approval to host the 2023 International Conference on Aids and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, ICASA 2023. By Michael Gwarisa Contacted for comment, NAC Chief Executive Officer said they were finalizing modalities ahead to their meeting with the head of state, President Emerson Mnangagwa next week where a formal announcement will be made at a national level. We are now working on the finer details so that the official announcement will be made on Monday 17 October,” said DrMadzima. The final decision by ICASA…

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Regional Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Symposium Kicks-off In Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

OVER 20 African countries are gathered in the resort town of Victoria Falls to deliberate on issues around access to Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for young people with the aim of finding a lasting solution to teenage pregnancies, gender-based violence, and HIV infections in East and Southern Africa. By Michael Gwarisa in Victoria Falls The three day regional symposium which will run up to Thursday, October 13, 2022  has been organized by the  UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO under the banner of the Joint UN Regional 2gether 4…

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Over 6,000 Children and Young People Virally Suppressed through Zvandiri’s Game-changer Project

Michael Gwarisa

THE Game-Changer program that was being implemented by Zvandiri, through a five year US$20 Million grant support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through USAID and the Centre for Diseases Control (CDC) has resulted in the consistent uptake of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) has attained 94% Viral Load (VL) suppression. By Michael Gwarisa Among some of the key achievements of the Fame Changer project include a Viral Load (VL) Coverage of 74% (6800/9191)  and cumulatively, Zvandiri supported 412 health facilities on the Game Changer grant with over…

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ICASA Team Jets into Zimbabwe to Assess Country’s Preparedness To Host ICASA Conference In 2023

Michael Gwarisa

THE  International Conference of AIDS and STIs Africa (ICASA) Executive Board is currently in the country on a mission to assess Zimbabwe’s capacity to host the 2023 ICASA conference. By Michael Gwarisa This follows Zimbabwe’s bid at the 2021 International AIDS Conference that was held in Montreal Canada where Zimbabwe among five other African countries, threw their names in the hat to be considered for hosting the prestigious conference. From the five countries that submitted, only Zimbabwe and Kenya have made it to the top two countries. According to ICASA…

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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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