Tag: UNFPA

Murambinda Sex Workers Inject each other’s Intoxicated Blood To Get High

Michael Gwarisa

FLASHBLOOD, a new trend of drug of and substance abuse has reportedly emerged among Murambinda based sex workers where desperate drug users deliberately inject themselves with another addict’s blood in an effort to share the intoxication. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Murambinda Flashblood is a syringe full of blood passed from someone who has just injected heroin to someone else who injects it in lieu of heroin. In Buhera District, novice and young sex workers have reportedly been practicing flashblood or bluetoothing as it is known in other parts of…

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Over 700 Obstetric Fistula Repairs Conducted In Zimbabwe Since 2015

Michael Gwarisa

THE United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), have since the year 2015 conducted over 700 Obstetric Fistula (OF) repairs in women and girls. By Michael Gwarisa Obstetric fistula is a tear that occurs between the birth canal with the bladder and or rectum that leaves women leaking urine, faeces or both without control. As a result it leads to social rejection, and or subsequent medical complications with infection occurring easily. If not treated in a timely way it also causes…

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Maintaining dignity during menstruation

Healthtimes

Across the region, the unique needs of women and girls are often overlooked – particularly their menstrual health. When a disaster hits, people who menstruate often do not have access to menstrual materials such as menstrual pads and underwear in a context that lacks clean water and waste disposal systems. By Björn Andersson stigma, cultural practices and restrictions placed on people who menstruate further exacerbate an already difficult situation. In every country in the region, we need to remove remaining taboos on menstruation so we can contribute to an inclusive…

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Zimbabwe Trains Botswana On Developing HIV Prevention Cascades

Michael Gwarisa

A Zimbabwean delegation comprising of National AIDS Council (NAC) and Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) staff, recently travelled to Botswana to train and assist their counterparts to develop HIV Prevention Cascades. By Michael Gwarisa The training follows bilateral discussions between the two countries facilitated by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) country office in Botswana who had noted the progress that Zimbabwe had made in developing HIV prevention cascades to inform planning, implementation and tracking of the HIV response in the country. In an interview with HealthTimes, National…

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O3 Annual Review Meeting kicks Off In South Africa

Michael Gwarisa

UNESCO’s flagship Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3) programme Annual Review Meeting (ARM)  commenced in Johannesburg , South Africa on Wednesday, May 5 2021. By Michael Gwarisa in South Africa The O3 review meeting will be running for three days where UNESCO and its partners will review O3’s transformative results focusing on children, adolescents and young people. The O3 Programme which is being run in partnership with ministries of education and health, across 33 countries in sub-Saharan Africa has already made significant strides despite its Compressive Sexuality Education (CSE)…

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Investing in midwives is crucial for sustainable development

Michael Gwarisa

Midwives save lives. In the last 100 years, we have seen significant advancements and achievements in the age-old profession of bringing life into the world. Yet, in the Asia and the Pacific region alone, there is a staggering shortage of 200,000 midwives. By Björn Andersson This year, as we mark the centennial anniversary of the International Confederation of Midwives, we celebrate the bravery, skills, and compassion of midwives, while calling on governments to commit to increased investments in midwifery across Asia and the Pacific to uphold sexual and reproductive health…

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From Heaven To Hell In 12 Months: A GBV Survivor’s Story

Michael Gwarisa

NOMAGUGU Hurumba (22) is an orphan and a single mother to a three year old son. Growing up in Chiredzi, especially after the demise of her parents was never easy. To compound her woes, when she was in Form 3, Noma had to drop out of school after her siblings had indicated that they were no longer able to shoulder her school fees burden. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Chipinge She moved from Chiredzi to stay with her sister in Chipinge. However, persistent economic hardships in the  country pushed her…

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Hospitals and Healthcare Workers Attacked In Ukraine Following Russia’s Invasion

Michael Gwarisa

THE World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) surveillance system for Attacks on Healthcare (SSA) has documented 31 attacks on healthcare workers by Russian forces, a development that has compromised access to healthcare services for Ukrainian citizens. By Michael Gwarisa A join statement issues by WHO, UNICEF and the UNFPA has called for a ceasefire in Ukraine and resuscitation of normal healthcare operations. Today, we call for an immediate cessation of all attacks on health care in Ukraine. These horrific attacks are killing and causing serious injuries to patients and health workers, destroying…

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Shot In The Arm for Zimbabwe’s Healthcare Sector

Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Care (MoHCC) has received a donation of medical equipment from the United Kingdom (UK) government and Northern Ireland and the United Nations (UN) donor agencies, through support from the Japanese government that will improve the management of COVID-19 as well as maternal healthcare services in the country’s healthcare system.  Michael Gwarisa Through the US$1.3 million that was mobilized the by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) from the Government of Japan, the MoHCC received eight ambulances, anaesthetic machines, operating tables, delivery tables, ICU beds, infusion…

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Musasa Project Launches GBV Braille Publication

Michael Gwarisa

IN a move to promote inclusive access to Gender Based Violence (GBV) services as well as bridge existing gaps to accessing services, Musasa Project has produced a Braille publication to cater for women and girls with visual impairment and those with low vision. By Michael Gwarisa Publication of the two paged pamphlet was made possible through support from the United Nations Population Fund in Zimbabwe (UNFPA-Zimbabwe), the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the program “Increasing access…

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