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
Michael Gwarisa The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting Burundi’s efforts to determine the cause of an illness that has led to five deaths and infected 35 people in Mpanda district, north of the East African country. While preliminary assumptions linked the ailment to Ebola or Marburg virus diseases, Rift
Staff Reporter In a strong show of commitment to charity and national development, the River Valley Group of companies has pledged to support health facilities and extend assistance to vulnerable communities in Midlands Province. The pledge was made during the Midlands Provincial Independence Ball held on Friday in Kwekwe. The
Michael Gwarisa Amid declining donor support for health programmes in Africa and globally, the European Union has committed US$750 million (€700 million) to the Global Fund’s 8th replenishment to strengthen the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. The announcement was made by Jozef Síkela, Commissioner for International Partnerships, at the
Michael Gwarisa A team from Imperial College London has travelled to Zimbabwe to deliver an intensive training programme aimed at strengthening the use of machine learning in healthcare, as global efforts grow to harness artificial intelligence for improved health outcomes. The three day course, titled Machine Learning for Health Applications,
Michael Gwarisa Maternal anaemia is tightening its grip on Zimbabwe, with the latest Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) revealing a sharp and worrying rise over the past decade. In 2015, 27 percent of women of childbearing age (15 to 49) were anaemic. Today, that figure has climbed to 41.8
Michael Gwarisa Malaria experts have raised alarm over an emerging invasive mosquito species capable of thriving in hot, densely populated urban environments, warning that it could complicate already fragile malaria control efforts across Africa, HealthTimes has learnt. The mosquito, known as Anopheles stephensi, originates from Southeast Asia and has, over
Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has appointed four senior advisors, a move aimed at strengthening the organisation’s capacity to respond to public health threats across the continent. The four include Ambassador Troy Fitrell (USA) as Senior Advisor on International Cooperation, Ambassador Pierre Delsaux (Belgium) as
Staff Reporter Zimbabwe joins the world in marking World Health Day today (April 7) under the theme “Together for Health. Stand with Science.” This year’s theme highlights how scientific innovation is transforming healthcare, making advanced solutions more inclusive and accessible. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of the most striking
Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that Ethiopia will host the 2026 edition of the International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA), one of the continent’s premier gatherings for health professionals and policymakers. The fifth CPHIA conference will take place from November 1
Michael Gwarisa The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights has urged Zimbabwe to reconsider plans to scrap the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, warning that the move could undermine progress made in advancing gender equality and protecting women’s rights. The call was made following the Commission’s visit to the country as
Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned of a looming malaria crisis, driven by rising costs of polyester, a key raw material used in the production of mosquito nets. Across Africa, where malaria remains endemic, long-lasting insecticidal nets are a primary line of
Michael Gwarisa Data shows up to 20 percent of couples face unexplained infertility, where science has not identified a clear cause, prompting Zimbabwean medical experts to launch a study exploring potential genetic links to infertility. While science has established that factors such as poor sperm quality, low sperm count, uterine
Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is strengthening its public health decision-making by equipping government officials with critical data analysis skills, following the completion of a six-month Data-to-Policy (D2P) training programme led by Vital Strategies. The latest cohort saw 19 participants from the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) and the Ministry
By Kuda Pembere Players in Zimbabwe’s pharmaceutical sector have welcomed Cabinet’s decision to remove and rationalise a range of regulatory fees, describing the move as long overdue and critical for easing the cost of doing business. Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday, Information Minister Dr Soda Zhemu said the
By Kuda Pembere Cabinet on Tuesday approved a reduction in the cost of obtaining a Certificate of Good Standing for nurses, lowering the fee from US$300 to a new charge that is yet to be gazetted. Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing, Information Minister Soda Zhemu said the move is part
By Enock Musungwini, MPH; MBA The recent article published by the Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe titled “Healthcare funders push back, warn 80% of Private Healthcare funding at risk in IPEC Takeover” raises important and timely concerns about the future of medical aid regulation in Zimbabwe. The sector, valued
Michael Gwarisa In many African contexts, a man is often measured by his virility and his ability to procreate. When this does not happen, the emotional and psychological burden of shame and pressure can be immense and deeply damaging. For 49-year-old Robson Mwenda, who has been married to his wife
By Michael Gwarisa Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has accused pharmaceutical company Gilead of refusing to sell lenacapavir, a long acting injectable used to prevent HIV infection. MSF says the refusal follows multiple requests made over several months, including a formal meeting in which the
By Kuda Pembere The Rotary Club of Msasa, in partnership with Specsavers Zimbabwe, on Monday distributed reading glasses to hundreds of patients at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, in a community outreach programme welcomed by beneficiaries. Speaking to HealthTimes, Specsavers Managing Director and lead optometrist Mwaka Zamchiya said the initiative went
Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe’s healthcare sector faces uncertainty as health funders warn that proposed regulatory changes could disrupt medical aid societies that finance up to 80 percent of private healthcare. The proposed reforms, contained in the IPEC Amendment Bill, have triggered concern among healthcare funders who warn the move could disrupt
Michael Gwarisa The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights has urged Zimbabwe to reconsider plans to scrap the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, warning that the move could undermine progress made
Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned of a looming malaria crisis, driven by rising costs of polyester, a key raw material used
Michael Gwarisa Data shows up to 20 percent of couples face unexplained infertility, where science has not identified a clear cause, prompting Zimbabwean medical experts to launch a study exploring
Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is strengthening its public health decision-making by equipping government officials with critical data analysis skills, following the completion of a six-month Data-to-Policy (D2P) training programme led by
By Kuda Pembere Players in Zimbabwe’s pharmaceutical sector have welcomed Cabinet’s decision to remove and rationalise a range of regulatory fees, describing the move as long overdue and critical for
By Kuda Pembere Cabinet on Tuesday approved a reduction in the cost of obtaining a Certificate of Good Standing for nurses, lowering the fee from US$300 to a new charge