Tag: Zimbabwe health

Zimbabwe Moves to Institutionalise Public Health Intelligence with PHIZ Steering Committee

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Government has set up a steering committee for the Public Health Institute of Zimbabwe (PHIZ), with Dr. Raiva Simbi appointed as the coordinator. Other members include Dr. Wenselous Nyamayaro, Dr. Pious Makaya, Dr. Agnes Mahomva, Brigadier General Dr. Godfrey Mutetse, Dr. Prosper Chonzi, Justice Ministry Permanent Secretary Mrs. Nyemba (represented by Salome Chihuri), Clotilda Chimbwanda, Dr. Christopher Pasi, Dr. Richard Makurumidze and Dr. Nyasha Masuka. Non-voting members include Dr. Rooney, Mrs. R. Matewe and Dr. Safi. Officiating at the launch of the steering committee, Health and Child…

Read More

Zimbabwe’s Rusike Appointed Global UHC Champion

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwean public health expert and Executive Director of the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH), Itai Rusike, has been selected as one of only ten Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Champions globally. Rusike brings to this distinguished cohort decades of experience in public health advocacy, policy development, and the design of people-centred health systems. His work spans grassroots community engagement, national health strategy formulation, and regional collaboration, reflecting a deep commitment to strengthening health systems across Africa. Reacting to his induction, Rusike said: “For more than twenty years,…

Read More

Zimbabwe Launches Single Dose HPV Vaccine

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Umzingwane  Zimbabwe has officially launched the single-dose Human Papillomavirus vaccine, marking a major milestone in the country’s fight against cervical cancer. Although rollout of the single-dose regimen had already begun, the formal launch signals the full transition from the previous two-dose schedule, which had been associated with high dropout rates among adolescent girls. Speaking during the launch, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora said the shift to a single dose was backed by strong scientific evidence and would help close critical gaps in cervical…

Read More

Relax, ARV Stocks Secure, Health Minister Tells People Living With HIV

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Umzingwane Health and Child Care Minister, Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, has assured the nation that Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) drugs remain fully stocked, adding that government is working toward maintaining a 12-month supply buffer at all times. The Minister was responding to concerns raised by the Zimbabwe Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) during the Candlelight Memorial Commemorations held at Umzingwane Primary School in Matabeleland South on the eve of World AIDS Day. We have already started procurement processes to make sure that at every stage we…

Read More

When Santa Brings Joy at Christmas, Injiva Bring Infections and Unintended Pregnancies: The Hidden HIV Threat Facing Mat South Girls

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Mat South In most parts of Matabeleland South, the festive season does not only bring tinsel and holiday cheer. It brings something far more complicated. Bottle store owners and shopkeepers prepare for football tournaments that turn their businesses into instant profit zones, while a quieter and more vulnerable anticipation grows among young girls in the villages. They know the Injiva are coming. These are men returning from South Africa or Botswana with cash in hand and the confidence to spend it. For many girls, the homecoming…

Read More

Zimbabwe’s Medicines Regulatory Body Registers Lencapavir

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has announced the expedited approval of Lenacapavir, an innovative long-acting medicine for pre exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV-1 infection. The MCAZ Director-General, Mr. Richard T. Rukwata, said “the rapid approval of Lenacapavir reflects the Authority’s dedication to accelerating access to trusted, high-quality health products and brings new hope for HIV prevention while reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding public health.” Lenacapavir was assessed and approved by the Registration Committee under the expedited review process, as it is considered to be…

Read More

NBSZ Targets 7 800 Units for the 2025 Festive Season

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere The National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ) has launched its Festive Season Blood Collection Campaign, urging Zimbabweans to donate blood in large numbers as demand for the life-saving resource traditionally increases during the holidays. The festive period is also associated with a rise in road traffic accidents, which places additional pressure on the national blood supply. Speaking during the launch, NBSZ Chief Executive Officer Lucy Marowa said the organisation decided to begin this year’s campaign earlier to prevent shortages. Okay, we normally see a 10 to 15% roughly…

Read More

Health Services Suffer as Budget Remains Unused

Kuda Pembere

By Kudakwashe Pembere As Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube prepares to present the 2026 National Budget, concerns persist over Zimbabwe’s failure to fully utilise health allocations, despite the Ministry of Health and Child Care consistently receiving less than 15 percent of the national budget. According to the 2025 Mid-Term Budget and Economic Review, the Health Ministry had spent only 25 percent of its allocation by mid-year, compared to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, which had already spent 116 percent of its budget. Health Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora has…

Read More

US Unveils $65 Million Bridge Plan to Sustain Zimbabwe’s HIV Respons

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The United States Department of State, through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), has unveiled a new HIV and AIDS support fund worth US$65.1 million for Zimbabwe. The initiative, known as The Bridge Plan, will run for the next six months, with renewal contingent on the Government of Zimbabwe meeting new U.S. Government (USG) funding requirements. Under the Bridge Plan, the U.S. government will continue to support critical HIV interventions such as antiretroviral therapy (ART) and HIV commodities procurement. However, the new funding excludes certain…

Read More

Zimbabwe Steps Up Disease Surveillance at Borders Through Epidemiologist Training

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has strengthened its frontline disease surveillance capacity with the graduation of 44 health workers from the Zimbabwe Field Epidemiology Training Programme (ZimFETP). The three-month training targeted officers stationed at ports of entry and epidemiologists working within city health departments, equipping them with practical skills to detect, investigate, and respond swiftly to outbreaks. Of the graduates, 20 were drawn from land borders and international airports while 24 came from city health departments across the country. The training was designed to close gaps in disease detection and response…

Read More