Michael Gwarisa in Bulawayo Mpilo Central Hospital’s HIV laboratory has transitioned to 100 percent solar power, a development health officials say is improving the quality of HIV viral load samples, reducing testing failures, and strengthening patient care for thousands of people living with HIV in Zimbabwe. The upgrade was carried
Michael Gwarisa Barely six months after the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared the end of its last Ebola outbreak in December 2025, another deadly outbreak has emerged, this time involving the rare Bundibugyo strain, raising fears of wider regional spread and exposing major weaknesses in outbreak preparedness across
Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe’s sugar tax, introduced in 2024 to help finance cancer drugs, equipment and other health interventions, is increasingly becoming a major financial burden for beverage giant Delta Corporation, which says it and its associate Schweppes Zimbabwe are absorbing millions of dollars in costs to keep soft drinks affordable.
By Maceline M. Mukwamba In Zimbabwe and across many parts of the world, a quiet crisis continues to unfold behind closed doors, within families, schools, and communities. It is the story of children, girls often between the ages of 10 and 17, who survive rape only to face a second,
Michael Gwarisa in Bulawayo For years, families living near Mpilo Central Hospital woke up to the same reality: ash settling on rooftops and washing lines, thick smoke hanging in the air, and fumes so harsh they sometimes forced residents indoors. Today, many say that has changed. A newly constructed high-capacity
Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwean health authorities say they are monitoring three healthcare workers who arrived in the country on Monday after being identified as contacts of a confirmed hantavirus case on Ascension Island, amid growing international attention over an outbreak linked to a cruise ship travelling from South America. The Ministry
As African health authorities intensify surveillance following a hantavirus outbreak linked to an international cruise ship, many people across the continent are asking the same question: what exactly is hantavirus, and should Africa be worried? The outbreak, which involved passengers travelling aboard the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius from South
Michael Gwarisa in Midlands Province Moments after washing a bucket at Shurugwi District Hospital’s maternity wing, pregnant mother Martha Macheka carefully closes the tap before calling another expectant woman to help her carry the water back to the waiting mothers’ shelter. Just a few years ago, such a simple act
Michael Gwarisa Canada has recorded its first possible HIV cure in a 62-year-old man who has remained in sustained remission following a bone marrow transplant, according to a report from the University of Toronto. The case, known as the “Toronto patient,” was developed through a collaboration between clinicians and researchers
Michael Gwarisa In the wake of rising cases of leakage and pilfering of public sector medicines within Zimbabwe’s healthcare supply chain, the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has introduced stricter drug transportation and accountability measures aimed at closing existing loopholes. Appearing before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health,
Michael Gwarisa Mozambique yesterday joined other African countries that have introduced and added Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable HIV prevention drug, into their biomedical prevention methods. Other countries that have introduced the HIV prevention drug include Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In Mozambique, the official
Michael Gwarisa NAIROBI, Kenya — The World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2026 officially opened in Nairobi on Sunday, bringing together more than 2,000 global health leaders, policymakers, researchers, and development partners to push for stronger and more resilient health systems across Africa and beyond. The high-level gathering is being held
By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe could soon make history in Africa's medicines regulation landscape, as an 11 member World Health Organization (WHO) team is in country assessing the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ)’s readiness to achieve Maturity Level 4, the highest rating in the Global Benchmarking Tool. The assessment, which
By Kuda Pembere Cardiothoracic surgery teams from Egypt and Zimbabwe have wrapped up a third five-day mission in which they performed life-saving open heart surgeries on children, marking another milestone in efforts to strengthen local cardiac care. The operations done at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, ran from Monday to Friday,
By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe will next week undergo a critical World Health Organization (WHO) review of its medicines regulatory system, a process expected to determine its readiness for the highest global standard. The assessment, running from April 27 to May 1, will evaluate how effectively the Medicines Control Authority of
Michael Gwarisa In a significant public health milestone for the Caribbean, The Bahamas has been certified by the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV, marking a major step forward in the country’s long-running fight against the virus. The certification places The Bahamas among a small
Health Correspondent A global vaccination recovery drive launched in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has delivered more than 100 million vaccine doses to an estimated 18.3 million children across 36 countries, helping close dangerous immunity gaps caused by years of disrupted immunisation services. The initiative, known as The Big
Michael Gwarisa Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyau was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer following routine post-surgical monitoring, but doctors say treatment was successful and the lesion has completely disappeared. According to an official medical report dated April 20, 2026, the Prime Minister had previously undergone treatment on December 29, 2024,
HARARE, ZIMBABWE – [24 April, 2026] A striking public installation of graves that appeared overnight in Epworth sparking widespread curiosity, public speculation, and viral social media debate has been revealed as a deliberate national intervention to spotlight Zimbabwe’s escalating public health crisis of unsafe abortion. The installation marks the launch
Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says rising global condom prices should serve as a wake up call for African countries to scale up local manufacturing and reduce dependence on imports. The warning follows a recent announcement by Karex, one of the world’s largest producers, of
Michael Gwarisa The African Union and the European Commission have strengthened their health partnership with the launch of three new initiatives valued at more than €100 million under the Global Gateway strategy, in a move aimed at boosting health security, pandemic preparedness, and digital health systems across Africa. Working through
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 Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyau was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer following routine post-surgical monitoring, but doctors say treatment was successful and the lesion has completely disappeared. According
HARARE, ZIMBABWE – [24 April, 2026] A striking public installation of graves that appeared overnight in Epworth sparking widespread curiosity, public speculation, and viral social media debate has been revealed
Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says rising global condom prices should serve as a wake up call for African countries to scale up local manufacturing
Michael Gwarisa The African Union and the European Commission have strengthened their health partnership with the launch of three new initiatives valued at more than €100 million under the Global
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
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