By Michael Gwarisa As the world commemorates World Blood Donor Day 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Prof Mohamed Yakub Janabi, has called for stronger investment in blood services across the continent, warning that demand for safe blood continues to outpace supply. In his World Blood

By Michael Gwarisa The African Alliance for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (AFRICALLI) is using World Allergy Week 2026 to push for a major shift in how allergic and immunologic diseases are prioritised across the continent, calling for them to be formally recognised as essential health care within national health systems.

By Michael Gwarisa The current outbreak of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease (BVD) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has become the largest ever recorded since the strain was first identified nearly two decades ago, according to data from Africa CDC. As of June 9, 2026, the outbreak had recorded

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has launched revised Clinical Guidelines on the Care and Management of Survivors of Sexual Violence, strengthening the country's response to sexual violence and equipping healthcare workers with updated tools to provide comprehensive care in an evolving social environment. The revised guidelines, unveiled by Minister of Health

By Michael Gwarisa "I enjoy midwifery because, to me, it gives me the satisfaction that I am saving humanity and playing a part in bringing lives into this world," says Sr Sikhangele Mguni, a midwife at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo. For Sr Mguni, those words are not just a reflection.

By Anna Miti HARARE — Every year, an estimated 65,300 induced abortions take place across Zimbabwe. For many of the women and girls behind this statistic, the procedure is not a medical one but a desperate gamble involving any number of methods. The limited circumstances under which abortion is legally

Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe's newly acquired cancer treatment machines are expected to significantly reduce a radiotherapy backlog affecting more than 800 patients, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora has said. The advanced radiotherapy equipment, procured using revenue generated through the Sugar Content Tax, is being installed at Parirenyatwa Group

Staff Reporter Cancer survivors have been urged to use their experiences to inspire and support others facing the disease as Zimbabwe's cancer community gathered in Harare for the "Threads of Triumph" Survivors' Dinner hosted by CancerServe Trust. Held at Goodhope in Harare, the event brought together survivors, caregivers, healthcare professionals

Michael Gwarisa More Zimbabwean men are dying than women, with males accounting for the majority of registered deaths in both 2023 and 2024, according to findings contained in the Zimbabwe Vital Statistics Report 2023–2024. The report, released by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT), shows that men accounted for 53

Michael Gwarisa The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have launched a US$517.7 million joint continental preparedness and response plan aimed at containing the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak and preventing its spread across Africa. The six-month plan, covering June to November

Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe marked World Health Day amid renewed calls for stronger commitment to health as a fundamental human right, with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) urging urgent action to end preventable maternal deaths. The commemorations were held under the theme “Together for Health. Stand with Science,” which officials

Michael Gwarisa If 100 Zimbabwean women gave birth in 2024, about 95 would have delivered their babies in a clinic or hospital, while only four would have given birth at home, reflecting the country's continued shift towards safer, facility-based childbirth. The figures were revealed during the launch and dissemination of

Kuda Pembere in Bulawayo Bulawayo Metropolitan Province recorded strong uptake of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) in 2024, with the highest coverage achieved among males aged 25 to 29 and 15 to 19 years, according to the National AIDS Council (NAC). VMMC remains one of Zimbabwe's key HIV prevention strategies,

Kuda Pembere in Bulawayo A rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among young people aged between 10 and 24 years is prompting the National AIDS Council (NAC) to intensify HIV prevention programmes in Magwegwe District, one of Bulawayo's areas with identified HIV hotspots. For NAC programming purposes, Magwegwe District encompasses

Michael Gwarisa Cimas Health Group has launched the third edition of its national Healthathon competition, inviting innovators, startups and university technology teams to develop digital solutions capable of transforming healthcare delivery in Zimbabwe. Speaking at the launch held at the Cimas Health Group headquarters in Borrowdale, Harare, on Wednesday, Chief

Staff Reporter AS Zimbabwe joins the world in commemorating International Sex Workers’ Day, Springs of Life Zimbabwe, a sex worker-led human rights organisation, has welcomed the prioritisation of Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable HIV prevention drug, while urging urgent reforms to ensure legal protection, dignity, and full access to healthcare for

Michael Gwarisa …National Blood Service Zimbabwe scales up collection target to nearly 90,000 units as NAT enhances safety and access to new donor sites The commissioning of the Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) machine at the National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ) in early 2026 has significantly transformed blood collection operations, enabling

Kuda Pembere in Bulawayo Mawaba Primary School says it is determined to preserve the gains achieved through the DREAMS programme, including a dramatic reduction in child sexual abuse cases, despite the suspension of funding for the initiative. School authorities say the programme helped establish a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) room and

By Tanaka Musungwini BSc Honours Social Work Student (4th Year), Women’s University in Africa Introduction and background Climate change is no longer a distant environmental issue discussed only by scientists and policymakers. It is now a lived reality affecting health, livelihoods, food security, water access, education, mental wellbeing, social protection

Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has appointed Saran Koly as its new Director of Communications and Public Information, bringing to the role more than two decades of experience in strategic communications, public health advocacy, media relations and stakeholder engagement across Africa and globally.