PRESIDENT Emerson says there is need for a review of lockdown measures in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19. By Michael Gwarisa The announcement comes after the country has recorded its darkest week since the COVID-19 was reported in the country. Speaking during a Politburo Meeting, President Mnangagwa said, “The recent rapid spike of infections requires that we make another review of the COVID-19 Lockdown measures.”
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ACCORDING to Zimbabwe’s law, Prostitution is not a crime. However, loitering for the purposes of soliciting for sex is regarded a criminal offense. What is also criminalised is the act of offering one’s services in a public place. By Michael Gwarisa In as much as the law provides some form of relief to sex workers, it however makes it difficult for them to operate since majority of their clients frequent public spots such as roads, intersections, clubs etc and for them to get business, they need to be available physically…
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DOROTHY (not real name) is married and has a two-year-old child and lives in Epworth. Over the past few days, they have been having fights regarding her new pregnancy which her husband believes its not his and she should have it terminated. By Michael Gwarisa On one occasion, her husband hit her so hard with a log and threatened her with worse torture should she report the case to the police. She had to sleep in the fields just to escape from her brutal husband who has of late become…
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TODAY, June 22, 2020 marks exactly 54 years since Tendayi Westerhof, a woman who has grown to be a force to reckon in the fight for the rights of persons living with HIV in Zimbabwe was born in the rural villages of the midlands province. Despite having ascended to fame as a model back in the 90s, Tendayi’s humble rural background has made her tough and unwavering in the things she holds dearly at heart. At one point in 1979 towards the end of the liberation struggle, Tendayi together with…
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HEALTH Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have welcomed government’s move to extend the lockdown but warned against instituting measures that could negatively affect the vulnerable and the country’s highly informalised economy. By Michael Gwarisa In an interview with HalthTimes, Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) executive director, Mr Itai Rusike said the lockdown extension was a welcome move given the spike in new Covid-19 cases and there was no room for wishful thinking when dealing with a global health pandemic. We need to remain vigilant and fully prepared to deal with…
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PRESIDENT Emerson Mnangagwa says Zimbabwe will continue on level two of the lockdown for an indefinite period. He said, “We shall have regur two week interval reviews to assess progress or lack of it,” he said. More to follow…
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ZIMBABWE should desist from copying and pasting other countries’ COVID-19 containment measures and adopt a SMART lockdown model peculiar to the country’s health and economic demands, a top health policy expert has warned. By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe instituted its initial lockdown on March 30, 2020 before extending it by another two weeks. President Emmerson Mnangagwa also extended the lockdown by another 14 days which will be ending in a few days’ time though under much relaxed conditions. However, Zimbabwe has in the past few weeks been accused of replicating South…
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THE Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) has taken a swipe at government for imposing mandatory testing and wearing of face masks for citizens and employees without putting in place measures to ensure the services are available to citizens at subsidized rates or no cost at all. By Michael Gwarisa A survey conducted by HealthTimes indicates that a COVID-19 test at a private health facility is within the range of US$25 and US$50 per worker whereas in some instances, some facilities are charging between US$60 and US$70 per employee. According…
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ACCORDING to the World Health Organisation (WHO), close to three million confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been recorded globally. To date, more than a hundred thousand deaths have also been reported on a global scale. As at 26 April 2020, Zimbabwe had recorded 31 COVID-19 cases including four deaths and two recoveries. By Michael Gwarisa As the world grapples with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, governments are absorbed with containing and minimising further spread of the virus. Various governments including Zimbabwe have instituted national Lockdowns as a precautionary measure against the…
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AS the nation reaches its 21 days Lockdown climax, the question on everyone’s lips right now is whether there would be an extension or not. With the majority of Zimbabweans being in the informal sector, it is the prayer of many a Zimbabwean that there will be a reprieve with the relaxation on the lockdown. By Patson Gumbo President Emerson Mngangwa is set to address the nation this afternoon on the way forward regarding the lockdown and COVID-19 status in Zimbabwe. It is however appalling though that Zimbabwe, a nation …
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