Tag: Malaria

Malaria Stalks Zimbabwe’s Children as Deaths Jump 50% in One Week

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has reported a rise in malaria deaths and new infections among children under five in areas endemic to the disease. New cases have been recorded since the onset of the rainy season two weeks ago. According to the MoHCC disease surveillance report for the week ending November 2, 2025, a total of 1,074 malaria cases and three deaths were reported. The deaths occurred in Makoni and Chimanimani districts in Manicaland Province, and Mount Darwin District in Mashonaland Central. Of…

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Securing a Healthier Future: Global Leaders Target Malaria and Maternal & Child Health at UNGA80

Michael Gwarisa

New York, 24 September 2025 — On the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), world leaders and heads of state convened for a landmark event titled “Uniting for Global Health Security.” The gathering was jointly hosted by the Global Leaders Network (GLN) for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (WCAH) and the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA). The meeting came at a time when overlapping global crises are testing fragile health systems. From conflict and displacement to climate emergencies and economic shocks, resources are being diverted away from…

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Zimbabwe Faces Malaria Crisis as Suspected Cases Top 112,000

Healthtimes

By Rukudzo Gota As Zimbabwe grapples with a staggering rise in malaria cases, health experts are sounding the alarm over nearly 112,000 suspected infections in the first half of 2025, spotlighting the country’s looming public health crisis and the challenges posed by regional outbreaks across southern Africa.  The alarming statistics, released by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), highlight a troubling increase from the previous year and raise significant concerns about the efficacy of current mitigation efforts. The latest data reveals that from the beginning of…

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Health Ministry Raises Alarm Over Surge in Malaria Cases and Deaths

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter The Ministry of Health and Child Care has expressed deep concern over a sharp rise in malaria cases recorded across the country during the first 17 weeks of 2025. More than 59,000 cases have been reported, compared to 21,309 during the same period in 2024. Malaria-related deaths have also risen significantly, increasing by 218% from 45 last year to 143 this year. The ministry attributes the surge to a combination of environmental and behavioural factors. The Ministry of Health and Child Care is deeply concerned about the…

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Malaria Linked to Childhood Cancer in New Study

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  A groundbreaking new study published in The Journal of Immunology has unveiled how Plasmodium falciparum malaria, the deadliest strain of the parasite, contributes directly to the development of Burkitt lymphoma (BL) — the most common childhood cancer in equatorial Africa and New Guinea. The findings offer the strongest evidence yet linking malaria and childhood cancer, and could have far-reaching implications for cancer prevention strategies in malaria-endemic regions like Zimbabwe. Although scientists have long observed a correlation between P. falciparum malaria and Burkitt lymphoma, the biological mechanism behind…

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Zimbabwe Sees 150% Surge in Malaria Deaths by Week 15 Amid Alarming Rise in Cases

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Malaria deaths in Zimbabwe have surged by an alarming 150%, rising from 34 deaths in 2024 to 85 deaths in 2025 by week 15, according to official figures released by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC). The country has also recorded a sharp 107% increase in malaria cases, jumping from 17,539 to 36,423 cases over the same period, raising concern over a potential reversal of hard-won gains in malaria control and elimination. The spike in malaria-related illness and fatalities comes as Zimbabwe joins the rest…

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Breakthrough Study Finds African Children with Severe Malaria Showing Partial Resistance to Leading Malaria Drug

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter A new study from Uganda provides the first evidence to date that resistance to a lifesaving malaria drug may be emerging in the group of patients that accounts for most of the world’s malaria deaths: young African children suffering from serious infections. The study, presented today at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), documented partial resistance to the malaria drug artemisinin in 11 of 100 children, ages 6 months to…

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2023 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey Launched

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) in collaboration with their strategic partner, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) has launched the 2023 Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS). The ZDHS is a periodic survey conducted after five years. Zimbabwe has conducted this survey in 1988,1994, 1999, 2005/06.2010/11 and 2015, Ladies and Gentlemen, the 2023 ZDHS is the 7 th round of this survey. A total of 11 200 households will be covered during this survey and 15 survey teams were deployed on the 2nd of December…

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Global Fund Allocates US$63 million To Fight Malaria In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

The Global Fund currently has three active investments in Zimbabwe, including one malaria grant of up to US$63 million. By Michael Gwarisa This funding is allocated for 2021-2023 and supports Zimbabwe’s continued progress toward ending the three diseases as public health threats. The other two grants comprise one HIV grant of up to US$449 million and a tuberculosis (TB) grant of up to US$26 million. According to Global Fund, malaria mortality in Zimbabwe has fallen by 75 percent and malaria incidence by 84 percent over the past two decades. Regarding…

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WHO certifies Azerbaijan and Tajikistan as malaria-free

Michael Gwarisa

A total of 42 countries or territories have reached the malaria-free milestone The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Azerbaijan and Tajikistan for achieving elimination of malaria in their territories. The certification follows a sustained, century-long effort to stamp out the disease by the two countries. “The people and governments of Azerbaijan and Tajikistan have worked long and hard to eliminate malaria,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Their accomplishment is further proof that, with the right resources and political commitment, eliminating malaria is possible. I hope that other…

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