By Kuda Pembere in Makonde By the banks of the Angwa River in Makonde District, James, an artisanal miner, vividly recalls the night his friend slapped him across the face. That slap, meant to kill a mosquito, set off a chain of events that ended up saving his life. In May 2025, James and his friend Jeremiah were digging for gold at night. Unaware of how malaria spreads, James thought the sting was nothing serious. The slap was hard. I just thought so were his palms. He showed me the…
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UNFPA Urges Focus on Adolescents, Youth and Quality Healthcare as Zimbabwe Prepares for Ninth Country Programme
By Kuda Pembere As the Zimbabwean Government through Treasury prepares for its ninth country programme in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the organisation has urged the country to prioritise healthcare quality and improve the livelihoods of adolescents and young people, particularly females who are disproportionately affected by teenage pregnancies, gender-based violence, and HIV. This was said by UNFPA Zimbabwe Representative Miranda Tabifor while speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a consultative stakeholder workshop to develop the ninth country programme, running from 2027 to 2031. With over 60…
Read MoreMhangura Hosts World Contraception Day as Zimbabwe Pushes for Domestic Family Planning Investment
By Kuda Pembere in Mhangura Zimbabwe last Friday belatedly marked World Contraception Day in Mhangura with the launch of the country’s Contraceptive Cost Recovery Framework, aimed at improving domestic financing for family planning commodities and services. The commemorations, held at Mhangura Recreational Club, drew hundreds of community members and health stakeholders. Mashonaland West was selected to host the national event to raise awareness on contraception, as the province records one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancies in the country. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe’s…
Read MoreZimbabwe Red Cross Holds NCDs Awareness Schools Competition
THE Zimbabwe Red Cross Society has successfully hosted the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Arts Festival with the aim of raising awareness and teaching children on the dangers of leading sedentary lifestyles and adopting dangerous habits that could lead to a high NCDs burden in the future. By Michael Gwarisa The competitions were in two phase with the provincial competitions having been held first followed by the national competitions for those who would have won the provincial competitions. There were five categories which saw pupils from various schools battling it out in…
Read MoreAs The Third Wave Wreaks Havoc, Lets Act Responsibly To Reduce & Break Chains Of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission
AFTER a period of relative stability from March to May 2021, Zimbabwe entered into the much dreaded third wave of the COVID-19 local epidemic. The current wave, which began at the beginning of June, has seen a substantial rise in the number of confirmed and hospitalised cases and fatalities over the past three weeks. By Dr Grant Murewanhema Reports of full or overwhelmed health facilities have started emerging, with increasing numbers of symptomatic people with severe to critical illness. Sadly, in the past seven days, we have also two medical…
Read MoreMashonaland West Pregnant Women Told To Bring Own Fuel
THE current power crisis and ever-rising fuel costs bedevilling Zimbabwe has left pregnant women in Mashonaland West bearing the brunt of buying fuel themselves for use during childbirth. By Kudakwashe Pembere A source who spoke on condition of anonymity told HealthTimes that women were told to bring their own fuel by health workers in the province and this been happening for a while now. “Women in some health facilities in Mashonaland West are made to buy all sundries which they cannot afford and in some facilities are made to bring…
Read MoreHIV Prevalence Rates Declines In Mashonaland- NAC
Mashonaland West province has recorded a decline in the HIV prevalence rate and new incidences due to the scaling up of various prevention and treatment programmes. The Herald: Mashonaland West Bureau According to figures released by the National Aids Council (NAC) provincial office in Chinhoyi, about 138 981 adults and children were living with HIV in 2016, of which six percent were forecast to be children under the age of 14. The report also showed that the HIV prevalence rate of adults between the age of 15 and 49 had…
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