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HIV Testing Beams Longevity To People Living With HIV: Rev Kapachawo

February 7, 2019February 20, 2019 Healthtimes

THE old adage which says “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’, aptly sums up the journey through which renowned HIV activist and clergyman, Reverend Maxwell Kapachawo walked in his quest to conquer the ravenous HIV/AIDS claiming millions of lives annually. By Kudakwashe Pembere Most of you still remember the famed 2005 Television and Radio advert, “Ini ndiriPastor uyezve ndiri HIV Positive. Ndinosevenza neZinerela. Shoko rangu guru nderekuti HIV haina shasha inogona kubata chero munhu. Mwari vanechekuita nehupenyu hwangu nehwako. Naizvozvo ngativarumbidzei Hallelujah! ….Ngatinamateyi kuti Mwari…

ARVs Crisis Deepens…PLHIV Seek Audience With Finance Minister

January 31, 2019January 31, 2019 Healthtimes

PEOPLE living with HIV (PLHIV) will soon be engaging the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development to plead with government to allocate foreign currency for procuring Anti Retro Viral Drugs (ARVs), amidst indications that the National Aids Council (NAC) is struggling to make purchases since suppliers are demanding foreign currency. By Michael Gwarisa Indications on the ground show that procurement of ARVs medicines has of late been a Sisyphean task at the back of NAC’s failure to convert the US$ 20 million in RTGS or bond notes stuck in their…

Zim Ranks 3rd In Global PMTCT Rankings

January 9, 2019 Healthtimes

ZIMBABWE has achieve a 65% coverage of children born to women living with HIV who were tested for HIV within eight weeks of birth ranking it 3rd out of the 23 focus countries. According to a UNAIDS report dubbed “Knowledge is Power” antiretroviral therapy for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission greatly reduced new HIV infections among children amidst indications that globally, 1.4 million [880 000–2 100 000] new child infections have been averted since 2010, and in 2017, there were just 180 000 [110 000–260 000] transmissions of HIV from…

PSI Gets US$95 Million To Fight HIV In Zimbabwe

January 8, 2019January 8, 2019 Healthtimes

POPULATION Services International (PSI), was recently awarded US$95 million to scale up HIV response as well as reduce the HIV incidence in Zimbabwe. HealthTimes Reporter The grant is coming through under a new program dubbed “Going the Last Mile for HIV Control” which was granted with support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through USAID and the Zimbabwean Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC). PSI Country Representative, Staci Leuschner said, “the program will work closely with the MOHCC, as well as other USAID health partners and…

Former White Farms Now HIV Hotspots

December 3, 2018December 3, 2018 Healthtimes

ECONOMIC hardships and lack of consistent income has exposed people residing in former white commercial farms to HIV and risky sexual behavior leading to a spike in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV in the areas, HealthTimes has learnt. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Centenary After the land reform program which government embarked on in the early 2000s, most farm workers were left stranded as the new indigenous owners failed to take them on board. According to the National AIDS Council (NAC) District Aids Coordinator (DAC) for Mzarabani, Mr Richard…

HIV and Religion in Zim…Churches, Sangomas, Mapostori speak out

November 24, 2018November 24, 2018 Healthtimes

RELIGION can be defined as a set of beliefs, feelings, dogmas and practices that define the relations between human beings and sacred or divinity. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Mutare A given religion is defined by specific elements of a community of believers: dogmas, sacred books, rites, worship, sacrament, moral prescription, interdicts, and organisation. Even though it is widely agreed that Zimbabwe is a Christian nation, a number of religious practices are observed making Zimbabwe a multi religious country. Pentecostalism, African Traditional Religion (ATR) and cultism known as Chipostori are…

NAC Warns Against Drug Abuse and Junky Foods

November 23, 2018November 23, 2018 Healthtimes

THE intake of dangerous drugs, fatty foods and other medicines could weaken the effect of Anti Retro Viral (ARVs) in the human body as this may lead to liver damage and increased toxicity, the National Aids Council (NAC) has warned. By Michael Gwarisa in Mutare Speaking at the Civil Society Treatment Support Literacy meeting in Mutare, NAC provincial manager for Harare Mr Adonija Muzondiona said the action of ARVS may be affected by certain other medicines. “This can reduce their effectiveness by lowering the amount of ARVs absorbed, leading to…

MSF Pilots New ART Dispensing Model In Mwenezi

November 5, 2018November 5, 2018 Healthtimes

MEDECINS Sans Frontiers in Zimbabwe (MSF), has launched a new system of administering Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) drugs in Mwenezi, Masvingo in a bid to increase ART adherence, amidst indications that many ART clients were now defaulting on their medications due to the long distance and inaccessibility of health facilities. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Sovelela, Mwenezi The new ART administering method dubbed Out of Facility Community ART Distribution (OFCAD), is an outreach strategy whereby patients no longer need to visit a health care facility to access ART but rather the…

HIV Prevalence In Children Spikes in Masvingo

October 30, 2018October 30, 2018 Healthtimes

SHORTAGE of health care centres in Masvingo province has resulted in most babies being born HIV positive as most mothers miss out on antenatal visits, a National Aids Council official has said. By Michael Gwarisa in Masvingo The province has a population of 1 386 604 according the 2012 census and an HIV prevalence of 12.8 percent and a total of 9 700 are children living with HIV despite various interventions by government and partners to eradicate the disease. Speaking to Journalist during an Editors Media tour in Masvingo,…

Gvt Applauds UN Investment In Zim’s Health Sector

October 26, 2018October 26, 2018 Healthtimes

ZIMBABWE’S Vice President, Kembo Mohadi has expressed gratitude to the massive investment the United Nations (UN) has extended towards the country’s health sector. By Michael Gwarisa The local health sector is reeling from a plethora of challenges which include critical drugs shortages, recurring waterborne diseases and a demotivated workforce. Over the period 2016 to 2020, the UN has committed funds to the tune of US$400 million in various key areas including HIV and AIDS prevention, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH, poverty and hunger alleviation, gender and women empowerment among…