Michael Gwarisa The world’s largest condom manufacturer, Karex Berhad, has signalled a potential 30 percent rise in condom prices due to pressures linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran. The company cautioned that prices could climb even further if the war continues to disrupt access to key raw materials needed

Michael Gwarisa In a move that could significantly reduce pill burden and improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved a new once-daily pill developed by Merck & Co. for adults living with HIV-1 who are already virologically suppressed. The pill is intended

Michael Gwarisa With critical negotiations set to resume, countries in the Global South are ramping up pressure on the World Health Organization and the European Union to resolve a key gap in the Pandemic Agreement, the equitable sharing of vaccines, technologies and scientific benefits. The agreement, adopted in 2025 by

By Kuda Pembere Nurses across Zimbabwe have begun withdrawing services, prompting Health Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora to call for calm and urge a return to work amid ongoing negotiations. The nurses began their job action on Monday following concerns over transport and fuel hikes, with a US$30 to US$40 salary

By Kuda Pembere Government nurses across Zimbabwe have begun a nationwide three-day stay-away, downing tools in protest over low salaries and stalled negotiations. The industrial action was triggered by a salary adjustment of about 1,000 ZiG—roughly US$30 to US$40—an increase nurses say is inadequate. By the time of publication, nurses

Michael Gwarisa At a time when health misinformation spreads faster than facts, a Zimbabwean pharmacist is taking an ambitious step to reclaim the narrative, one book at a time. In a bold effort to bridge the health information gap across Zimbabwe and the broader African region, pharmacist Reuben Katumba has

Linda Geddes News of a “highly mutated” strain of SARS-CoV-2 has sparked understandable concern in recent days, with headlines focusing on the unusually large number of genetic changes it carries. But while scientists are keeping a close eye on the BA.3.2 variant, nicknamed ‘Cicada’, early evidence suggests this Omicron offshoot

Michael Gwarisa Drone Solutions, a local logistics company, has introduced drone technology to deliver medicines, blood and blood products, among other essential health commodities, across Zimbabwe. The move is set to address gaps in the healthcare supply chain while tackling persistent challenges such as poor road networks and transport-related delays.

Michael Gwarisa Recent Private Voluntary Organisation (PVO) Board decisions show that most organisations seeking registration under Zimbabwe’s updated regulatory framework have been approved, while a small number have been rejected or deferred for further consideration. Among the organisations affected are two groups linked to sexual and reproductive health and LGBTIQ-related

Kuda PembereEgyptian cardiothoracic surgeons are returning to Zimbabwe for the third time to perform open-heart surgeries on 10 children.The procedures are set to begin next Monday at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, where the visiting specialists will work alongside local cardiothoracic teams.Their return follows the commissioning of a new heart-lung machine

Michael Gwarisa Health authorities are still searching for answers after a cluster of deaths and illnesses in Burundi that has so far defied diagnosis, despite extensive laboratory testing that has ruled out major viral haemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola and Marburg. According to health officials involved in the investigation, hundreds

By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe has begun the process of developing a Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP), a strategic framework aimed at addressing the impact of climate change on the health sector, with completion expected in early 2027. Once finalised, the country is set to become the ninth in Africa with

By Kuda PembereThe Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has announced a nationwide three-day strike beginning next Monday after Government failed to deliver on a promised salary increase.The industrial action follows what nurses describe as a disappointing US$30 increment in April salaries, far below expectations of a salary of around US$600.ZINA had

Ntokozo Gudu The Zimbabwe Association of Church-Related Hospitals (ZACH) has appointed Dr Nonhlanhla Zwangobani as its new Executive Director. Her appointment follows the retirement of Mrs Vuyelwa Chitimbire, who has served the organisation for 25 years. The announcement was made through ZACH’s official Facebook page. “Her leadership transformed ZACH from

Michael Gwarisa Global efforts to scale up access to a groundbreaking HIV prevention injection have received a major boost after PEPFAR and The Global Fund announced additional investment in Gilead Sciences’ long-acting drug, lenacapavir, with the aim of expanding protection to millions at risk. The new commitment will support access

Michael Gwarisa For years, the global HIV response has rallied around a simple but powerful message: Undetectable equals Untransmittable, widely known as U=U. Backed by strong scientific evidence, the concept has transformed both HIV prevention and the lives of people living with the virus. But new findings from the Rakai

Michael Gwarisa Amid growing global pressure to make Lenacapavir more affordable, researchers at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology have developed a new method that could significantly reduce the cost and improve the sustainability of manufacturing the long-acting HIV prevention drug. Supported by funding from the Gates Foundation, the scientists applied

By Mildred Mushunje (PhD) & Dean Mutata (BSc,  MSc) Background Zimbabwe’s health crisis is often framed in terms of economic decline or health financing gaps. Yet there is another crisis, silent, gendered, and entirely preventable, rooted in abortion policy inaction. Trapped between inherited colonial law, religious anxiety, and political discomfort

Michael Gwarisa The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has issued a Class II recall of a specific batch of Azithromycin 500mg USP tablets after a quality defect was detected, raising concerns over the drug’s effectiveness in treating bacterial infections. The affected product, Batch Number 24050191, was manufactured by Indoco

Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe’s leading family planning expert and trainer with the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC), Thandekile Munemo, has cautioned women against closely spaced pregnancies, warning that insufficient recovery time between births can pose serious health risks for both mothers and children. The concept of “gore mwana mwawa”, a