Tag: mental health

Ecobank Donates To Parirenyatwa Psychiatric Hospital

Healthtimes

IN a move that is meant to raise awareness and help prevent non-communicable diseases including mental health challenges,  Ecobank, one of the leading financial institutions in Zimbabwe has donated various items to help at Parirenyatwa Psychiatric Hospital. By Patricia Mashiri The donated goods include assorted medicines to last for a year, 40 medical beds, assorted medical equipment, disinfectants, plates, spoons, cups, water. In his acceptance speech, Dr John Mangwiro, the Deputy Minister, Health and Child Care commended Ecobank for the gesture saying it will go a long way in addressing…

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Dreading To Go Home: The Plight Of Transgender People In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

IN a few weeks’ time, the festive season will be upon us and for many families, it’s a time to meet and catch up on almost everything that would have happened throughout the course of the year. For some college and university students, holidays such as the festive season brings some sort of relief and therapy away from the hectic academic schedule. By Michael Gwarisa However, the same cannot be said for the Transgender and Intersex community in Zimbabwe who in most cases have to think twice and deeply before…

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Time To Treat Mental Health As An Emergency Of National Concern

Healthtimes

OVER the past few days, Zimbabwe was gripped with horrendous tales of how one Thubelithe Khoshow (26), a businessman based in Kwekwe went on a rampage, murdering six people and injuring five others on October, 9 2021. A police report revealed that when Thubelithe became mentally disturbed and acted violently, he was taken to a church’s shrine by her aunt for prayers. By Patricia Mashiri Unfortunately for his family, they found it noble to take Thubelithe to a shrine instead of a mental health facility or health institution for that…

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Regional Psychosocial Support Forum Kicks Off

Michael Gwarisa

THE 6th Edition of the Psychosocial Support Forum (PPS Forum), a hybrid meeting in which discussions are being held both virtually and physically, commenced today with a Children’s Forum ahead of the adult event to be held next week from 13 to 15 October. By Michael Gwarisa The pre-adult forum saw children from 13 countries from East and Southern Africa attending and deliberating on various issues that children and young people face, with the aim of coming up with a Children’s advocacy position they will present at the adult forum…

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Time For Governments To Invest Heavily Towards Mental Health-WHO

Michael Gwarisa

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti says the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic has brought numerous mental health challenges and  called on governments to allocate financial resources towards mental health. By Michael Gwarisa In her speech ahead of the World Mental Health Day, commemorations to be held tomorrow on 10 October, Dr Moeti said mental health was often-overlooked and a neglected aspect of our well-being. Almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are experiencing isolation, anxiety or depression. World Mental Health Day is a…

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Zimbabwe To Launch Mental Health Investment Case Report

Healthtimes

ZIMBABWE is set to launch the Mental Health Investment case report in October which will be used mainly as an advocacy tool providing quantified evidence of the long-term health, social and economic benefits of investment in mental health. By Patricia Mashiri Speaking during a mental health case investment case inception virtual meeting, Mr Gwati Gwati, the  Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) Health Economist said the Mental health case investment case provides quantification of the costs of mental health conditions to the health sector and to the national economy…

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Rise In Suicides Among Zim Male Tertiary Students Exposes Need for Peer-to-Peer Counseling in Zim Universities and Colleges

Michael Gwarisa

AS the world marks Suicide prevention Month this September, a rather disturbing trend has reared its ugly head in Zimbabwe. Within a space four weeks, two local tertiary male students have committed suicide over matters of the heart. It’s possible that there could be more other male students struggling with mental health issues right now and probably contemplating the worst and without proper mechanisms and interventions in place, more lives could be lost. By Michael Gwarisa Suicide is preventable but why is it that we continue losing lives to this…

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COVID-19 Increases Post-partum Depression Cases In Zimbabwe

Healthtimes

WOMEN have been urged to seek mental health assistance soon after birth to avoid sliding into Post-partum depression especially under the prevailing  COVID-19 pandemic. By Patricia Mashiri Post-partum depression is a form of depression that occurs after childbirth. Those who develop it are at a greater risk of developing major depression later in life. In an interview with HealthTimes, Dr Kudakwashe Muchena, a the leading Psychologist in Zimbabwe said there was need to take extra care of pregnant and post-partum women as the process of birth comes with a lot…

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#COVID3RDWAVE: Health Workers, Funeral Homes Workers Urged To Seek Mental Health Support

Healthtimes

MENTAL Health experts have called on front-line health workers fighting COVID-19 in the Red Zones where patients with severe and critical symptoms are being managed, to seek mental health and psychosocial support to avoid accumulating or bottling up traumatic experiences they may be encountering in their line of duty. By Patricia Mashiri The calls comes at the back of increased deaths and hospitalisation of COVID-19 related incidences across the country over the past four weeks. In an Interview, Tafadzwa Meki, Founder of Someone Always Listens Toyou (S.A.L.T Africa) said there…

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Zim Launches Special Initiative For Mental Health

Healthtimes

ZIMBABWE has introduced a national program for Mental Health and the Zimbabwe Mental Health Investment Case with the aim of improving policy, advocacy, financing and the upholding of human rights, as well as scale up evidence-based interventions and services for people living with mental health disorders. By Patricia Mashiri Mental health disorders include substance abuse disorders and neurological diseases. The strength of the special initiative is based on establishment of evidenced based mental health treatment packages mainly for the treatment of substance use disorders, decentralization of mental health services, establishment…

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