THE United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Mr Antonio Gutteres has warned the international community against pulling out financial resources from the World Health Organisation (WHO) at a time when the world is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. By Michael Gwarisa The call comes hours after United States President, Donald Trump announced that the US would be suspending funding WHO operations for allegedly siding with the Chinese government instead of handling the situation in a manner that would have seen the virus not spreading to other parts of the globe. In…
Read MoreTag: WHO
WHO Director Slams Racist French Doctors Who Suggested Africa As COVID-19 Vaccine Testing Ground
DIRECTOR General for the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has taken a swipe at French scientists and medical doctors for suggesting that Africa should be testing ground for COVI-19 Vaccine trials. By Michael Gwarisa Dr Tedros said the remarks by the scientists were nothing more than racist rants and a hangover from a colonial mentality. There was comment I think last week where some couple of scientists said the testing ground for the vaccine will be Africa. Honestly, I was so appalled. These remarks came at a…
Read MorePlasma, The Most Critical Blood Component For COVID-19 Treatment
ZIMBABWE this week commenced its 21 days lockdown as a response to the growing cases of the COVID-19 in the country. By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe currently has nine confirmed COVID-19 cases but with increased testing, cases are likely to increase in the coming weeks. In his address prior to the commencement of the Lockdown, President Emerson Mnangagwa hinted that essential services and critical staff in various key sectors will be reporting for work even during the shutdown period. The National Blood Service of Zimbabwe (NBSZ) is among those organisations whose…
Read MoreStop Discriminating Asians For Coronavirus-WHO Warns
THE World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called for calm in the face of growing stigma and discrimination against people frOm China, and other Asian countries where the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has wrecked havoc. By Michael Gwarisa Through his Mircroblogging site (Twitter), Dr Tedros said this was a time for unity in the face of one common enemy COVID-19. It’s appalling to see new reports of people being targeted due to their race, ethnicity or purported association with #COVID19. @WHO once again calls for an end…
Read MoreZim Faces Surgical Masks Shortage…As Panic Over Coronavirus Grows
ZIMBABWE could soon be facing an acute shortage of surgical masks and other consumables amidst indications of panic buying by Chinese nationals as they try to boost stocks in their home country in the face of the ravaging Coronavirus (COVID-19). By Michael Gwarisa China already has 150 new confirmed coronavirus deaths according to the National Health Commission, pushing the death toll nationwide to 2,592. Demand for surgical masks has been high in China since the plague was reported late December 2019, a situation which has seen diaspora Chinese stockpiling surgical…
Read MoreWarm Climate Could Act In Zim’s Favor In The Face Of Coronavirus
A Chinese doctor in the country says Zimbabweans have nothing to panic given they have a warm climate and clean air on their side in the event that Corona virus strikes. By Kudakwashe Pembere Dr Yuandong Jiang, a cardiologist from the 17th Chinese Cohort in the country said while this no reason to celebrate, Zimbabwe nonetheless needs to be prepared. “You see Zimbabwe is a beautiful place. The weather is good. There is enough sunshine good enough to kill the viruses and bacteria because these pathogens don’t like the sun.…
Read MorePrivate Sector Invited To Help End TB In Zimbabwe
THE Stop TB Partnership in Zimbabwe has called on private sector and corporate players to join hands with government and other partners in combating Tuberculosis (TB) as the country works towards eliminating the disease by 2035. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking at the Stop TB Partnership Breakfast meeting, Dr Joseph Mafurira from the department of AIDS and TB in the Ministry of health and child care said Zimbabwe’s goal of eliminating TB could only be achieved through collective effort from government and private sector. Our national TB control program vision is…
Read MoreWHO Renames Wuhan Coronavirus To ‘COVID-19’
AFP-THE World Health Organisation(WHO) on Tuesday announced that “COVID-19” will be the official name of the deadly virus which was first reported in Wuhan, in China, saying the disease represented a “very grave threat” for the world but there was a “realistic chance” of stopping it. WHO had earlier given the virus the temporary name of “2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease” and China’s National Health Commission this week said it was temporarily calling it “novel coronavirus pneumonia” or NCP. “We now have a name for the disease and it’s COVID-19,” World…
Read MoreResearchers Not Giving Up On Imbokodo HIV Vaccine Study
PERSISTENT researchers feel the halted HTVN 702 study on the efficacy of an HIV vaccine will not affect the Imbokodo Vaccine Trial study launched in 2017. By Kudakwashe Pembere HVTN 702 study was stopped following an interim analysis conducted on 23 January 2020 by an independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) that reviews all data regularly to ensure the safety of participants and determine if the study should continue. The DSMB assessment concluded that the experimental vaccine regimen used in the trial did not prevent HIV infection. The vaccine…
Read MoreToo Early For Zim To Issue Coronavirus Travel Warning Says WHO
THE World Health Organisation (WHO) says it is too early and unwarranted to issue any restriction on travel or trade for people infected with the novel Coronavirus. By Michael Gwarisa Addressing a combined interagency coordination committee on health and the national taskforce on epidemic prone diseases meeting on Friday, World Health Organisation Zimbabwe Disease Prevention and Control Officer Dr Anderson Chimosoro said WHO does not recommend restriction on travels or trade for people infected with novel coronavirus. At this stage there are no indications that there should be restrictions. It…
Read More