Tag: women’s health

Global Leaders Urge Governments to Treat Care Work as Core Economic Infrastructure

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  Global health leaders have called for governments to recognise care work as essential economic infrastructure, arguing that investing in women-led care solutions is critical to strengthening health systems and driving economic growth. The call was made during a high level side event recently hosted by Pathfinder International and convened in partnership with Women in Global Health (WGH) at the World Summit for Social Development. The meeting, titled Investing in Women-Led Solutions for Social Development, brought together senior government officials, researchers and civil society leaders who warned that…

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Zimbabwe’s Top 10 Health Champions for 2025

Healthtimes

As has become tradition at HealthTimes, every year we honour leaders in the healthcare sector who are making a difference and contributing significantly to Zimbabwe’s health system. This year, we are doing things differently. We have categorised the champions according to their sectors or areas of influence, focusing on innovation and the strategies that healthcare leaders in Zimbabwe have employed to overcome the hurdles facing the sector. The year 2025 brought new disruptions to the country’s healthcare system, following the withdrawal of donor funding for a number of programmes. However,…

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Zim Parliament Passes Major Amendments to Abortion Law

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The National Assembly has approved significant amendments to the Termination of Pregnancy Act [Chapter 15:10] (1977), marking a major step toward modernising Zimbabwe’s reproductive health laws. The changes were introduced under the Medical Services Bill, 2025, and are aimed at aligning the outdated 1977 legislation with the Constitution of Zimbabwe (2013) and current public health realities. The amendments, introduced by Hon. Edwin Mushoriwa of Dzivaresekwa Constituency, were passed in the National Assembly on 23 October 2025. The Bill now moves to the Senate for consideration before being…

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ZNFPC appoints Machinga as the new CEO

Healthtimes

By Columbus Mavhunga Harare: Farai Machinga is the new substantive Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) having been in an acting role for some time. In a statement, ZNFPC said Machinga took the position since the beginning of this month. Mr Machinga is a distinguished public health specialist with over a decade of extensive experience across various developmental sectors including government, and non-governmental settings,” said ZNFPC. “In his previous role as acting CEO, Mr Machinga led ZNFPC to many outstanding corporate and personal achievements.…

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Navigating the Midlife Crisis: Understanding Its Impact on Mental Health and Strategies for Resilience

Healthtimes

By Method Moyo Tariro and Blessing (pseudonyms) have been married for over twenty years. From the outside, they appear settled with two grown children, a modest home in Kwekwe, and years of shared memories. However, inside their quiet house, a storm brews. As the Shona proverb says, “Chakafukidza dzimba matenga.” Tariro, now 47, feels invisible. Her days are filled with caregiving, church commitments, and the struggle of adjusting to a body she no longer recognizes. Blessing, 52, is restless—questioning his career, masculinity, and whether he has lived up to the…

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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 Selected Among Ten Countries to Roll Out Breakthrough HIV Prevention Drug, Lenacapavir

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  Zimbabwe has been selected as one of ten countries globally to roll out lenacapavir, a revolutionary new HIV prevention drug that is being hailed as a game-changer in the global fight against HIV. The announcement was made on the official U.S. Embassy Zimbabwe Facebook page, marking a historic milestone in the country’s decades-long battle to curb new HIV infections. Lenacapavir, developed by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences in partnership with the Global Fund, is the world’s first twice-yearly HIV prevention medicine. Clinical trial data shows that more than 99%…

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1 in 3 Zimbabwean Women Could Be Obese by 2030

Michael Gwarisa
An obese Zimbabwean woman standing outdoors, representing obesity trends in Zimbabwe. Data projects that 1 in 3 Zimbabwean women will be obese by 2030.

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is facing a rapidly escalating public health emergency as new projects indicate that 4.2 million adults will be overweight or obese by 2030 with women being the hardest hit group. An analysis of data from the 2025 World Obesity Atlas scoreboard shows that women are bearing the brunt of this epidemic, with their rates of obesity far surpassing those of men. The projections show a steady climb in high Body Mass Index (BMI) over the past two decades, a trend set to accelerate. By 2030, an…

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