Tag: ITAI RUSIKE

Zimbabwe’s Rusike Appointed Global UHC Champion

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwean public health expert and Executive Director of the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH), Itai Rusike, has been selected as one of only ten Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Champions globally. Rusike brings to this distinguished cohort decades of experience in public health advocacy, policy development, and the design of people-centred health systems. His work spans grassroots community engagement, national health strategy formulation, and regional collaboration, reflecting a deep commitment to strengthening health systems across Africa. Reacting to his induction, Rusike said: “For more than twenty years,…

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Calls Mount to Ringfence Zimbabwe’s Sugar Tax

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere With Zimbabwe introducing several taxes over the years to mobilize resources for the health sector, calls are growing to ringfence these funds to ensure they are used for their intended purposes. The recently introduced Fast Food Tax, aimed at tackling the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, follows the Sugar Tax, which was earmarked for cancer treatment. However, economists, parliamentarians, and other stakeholders at a Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) meeting on health financing held Friday have expressed concern that the Sugar Tax proceeds are yet to…

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2025 National Budget Fails to Prioritize Health Sector: CWGH Analysis

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The 2025 National Budget allocation for Zimbabwe’s health sector has raised significant concerns among health advocates and stakeholders, including the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH). With health expenditure shrinking in real terms, CWGH Executive Director Itai Rusike emphasized that the budget falls short of addressing the country’s critical health challenges, risking further strain on an already fragile system. Declining Health Expenditure The Ministry of Health and Child Care has been allocated ZiG28.3 billion (US$785.9 million) in 2025, representing 10.2% of the national budget, a decrease from…

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CWGH calls for more cholera vaccine doses

Kuda Pembere

By Staff Reporter The Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) has called for Government to increase the number of vaccine doses given the available ones only provide protection against the cholera epidemic Zimbabwe is seized with. With Zimbabwe targeting to vaccinate 2.3 million people, the CWGH feels they are not enough as the country’s population stands at 15 million. “The government recently launched the campaign aimed at immunizing over 2 million people against the water-borne disease, amid an outbreak that has killed over 500 people and infected at least 20…

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When Religion Meets Cholera: Information Gaps Threaten Cholera Response In Marange

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa recently in Marange It’s 12:00 midnight, and two men knock at Cecilia Garira’s door. Cecilia is a famous Village Health Worker from the Johane Marange sect in Marange, Mfararikwa Village, who has volunteered to assist Cholera patients from her sect. The two men bear bad tidings. One of their members is critical and in need of help as he is exhibiting severe Cholera symptoms including dehydration. Cecilia doesn’t waste time. She packs her bag and joins the two men. Earlier in the day, the man in question…

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When Facts Are Not Enough: COVID-19 Pandemic Exposes Widening Gaps In Vaccine Confidence

Michael Gwarisa

“I was vaccinated because it was mandatory at work. I had two options, get vaccinated, or go home. I chose the former,” says Theresa Manongwa,* an employee with TelOne, one of Zimbabwe’s leading Telecommunications company. By Michael Gwarisa In July, 2021, TelOne, issued a statement announcing that it would send its unvaccinated staff on forced leave until the country’s COVID-19 situation had subsided. Caught between being sent on forced leave and the prospects of losing her job had the situation persisted, Theresa felt compelled to get her vaccine shots despite…

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Harare Tells Residents To Disinfect Both Borehole And Tape Water, As Cholera Closes In On Big Cities, Eight Provinces Record Deadly Diarrhoeal disease

Michael Gwarisa

WHAT started as a single suspected Cholera case in Chegutu a month ago, could soon become a full blown epidemic in Zimbabwe, amidst indications that only two out of the 10 administrative provinces in the country are yet to record confirmed cases of Cholera. By Michael Gwarisa According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), eight provinces so have recorded cases of Cholera since the beginning of 2023, with cases in the eight provinces having no epidemiological link to each other. However, only Harare and Bulawayo have no…

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Zimbabwe Signs Tough Health Services Bill Into Law…Health Workers Who Call For Strike To Be Jailed 6 Months

Michael Gwarisa

DESPITE widespread condemnation of the Health Services Bill at consultation level, Zimbabwe has proceeded to sign the controversial Health Services Act into law. By Staff Reporter According to the new law, any individual who is a member of the governing body of any trade union or representative body of members of the Health Service which incites or organises any collective job action contrary to subsection shall be guilty of any an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 4 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six…

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Mthuli’s Uninspiring Budget Allocation Towards Healthcare Slammed

Michael Gwarisa

PUBLIC Health Experts and health economists have criticized the recently announced allocation of 11% towards healthcare, which they believe is still a far-cry from the required allocation of 15% in accordance with the Abuja Declaration. By Michael Gwarisa The government allocation on health and child care as a percentage of the total public expenditure increased from 10.6% in 2022 to 11.2% in 2023, making the Abuja target an elusive pipe-dream. Giving an Analysis of the 2022 Budget, Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) Executive Director, Mr Itai Rusike said while…

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Collective agency, the answer to health inequality

Healthtimes

DEMANDING universal rights to health requires collective agency across different communities and agencies within and across African countries, a recent EQUINET Regional Conference on health in East and Southern Africa heard. By Nyasha Chingono  Delegates during the virtual conference, agreed that building alliances and capacities, within and across countries will be critical in bridging the widening health gap. The conference themed ‘Catalysing change for equity and social justice in Health’ drew experts in health and trade unions. While it remains a challenge for individual organisations to be heard globally, health…

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