Kudakwashe Pembere A 26-year standoff between medical aid funders and healthcare service providers is threatening to intensify following proposed amendments to Statutory Instrument 330 of 2000 that would bar medical aid societies from owning or operating health facilities. The Health and Child Care Ministry recently convened a consultative meeting with
By Kuda Pembere A 75-year-old woman has taken a private hospital to court, accusing the medical facility of unlawfully detaining her in an attempt to force payment of an outstanding bill. Marita Manyore, who lives in Murambinda in Buhera District, Manicaland Province, has allegedly been held at Exclusive Medcare Hospital
Michael Gwarisa South Africa’s Portfolio Committee on Health has flagged grey areas in the proposed Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, warning that the legislation continues to permit the smoking of combustible cigarettes and may therefore fail to protect millions of South Africans. The discussion took place on
Michael Gwarisa A breakthrough in the fight against sleeping sickness could transform care for thousands of patients in Africa. The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has given a positive opinion to Acoziborole Winthrop, a single-dose, three-tablet treatment for the most common form of the
Michael Gwarisa World Health Organization has certified Denmark as having eliminated mother-to-child transmission of both HIV and syphilis, marking a major public health milestone and making the country the first in the European Union to reach this goal. The certification follows a rigorous assessment process conducted by WHO’s Regional Validation
 Edinah Masiyiwa For reproductive rights advocates, the recent weeks have been a major setback. The Senate recommended removing Clause 11 from the Health Services Amendment Bill — a clause designed to clarify and improve access to lawful abortion services. Even more concerning was the statement by the Deputy Minister
Michael Gwarisa For many American women, the fear of an unintended pregnancy outweighs concerns about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, according to new research on multipurpose vaginal rings. The findings are detailed in a new peer-reviewed study titled “Multipurpose vaginal rings: preferences from a national discrete choice experiment survey
Kuda Pembere The completion of renovations at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, including Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Hospital and Adlam House, a residence for nursing students, has been pushed to August this year on the back of equipment delivery delays. Adlam House had been earmarked for completion by February 14, while works
Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe’s HIV response could face serious disruption following the Government’s decision to halt negotiations on a proposed US$350 million health funding agreement with the United States, public health experts have warned. The proposed agreement was being negotiated between the Government of Zimbabwe and the US Embassy in Harare,
By Kuda Pembere As Zimbabwe works to address maternal health challenges and close the gap on zero-dose children while pushing for universal health coverage, the Health Ministry has taken delivery of immunisation vehicles, emergency response units, oxygen lorries, tricycles and cold chain equipment from UNICEF and its development partners to
Kuda Pembere At a time when Africa records more than 200 public health emergencies annually, SADC member states and selected countries from East and West Africa have gathered in Zimbabwe for a five-day Southern African capacity building training for the African Volunteer Health Corps (AVoHC). The training facilitated by Africa
Michel Gwarisa The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has called for a consultative stakeholders meeting with players in the healthcare sector to develop a Statutory Instrument (SI) on the advertising of healthcare services, as provided under the Health Professions Act. Currently, Zimbabwean law does not allow health practitioners
Michael Gwarisa In Zimbabwe, the majority of people face significant barriers to accessing health insurance. Over 80% of the population do not have any form of medical coverage, according to official data from the Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ). Only about 10% of Zimbabweans are currently enrolled in
Michael Gwarisa In 1985, Zimbabwe recorded its first confirmed case of HIV, marking the start of a national epidemic. By the mid-1980s, cases were rising rapidly, particularly in Hurungwe District, where formal surveillance began in 1986. By the end of the decade, nearly 10 percent of Zimbabwe’s adult population had
Michael Gwarisa For many women, sanitary pads are an essential part of daily life. They help manage menstrual hygiene and keep women comfortable and active. But a recent South African study has revealed a hidden risk, some pads and panty liners may contain chemicals that interfere with hormones and could
Kuda Pembere A coalition of girls’ rights and health advocates has condemned the deletion of Clause 11 from the Medical Services Amendment Bill, arguing that the decision preserves outdated administrative hurdles that continue to obstruct women and girls from accessing legal abortion care. Following the deletion of Clause 11 from
Kuda Pembere The first batch of cancer treatment equipment acquired under the Sugar Tax programme is now in Zimbabwe, with two machines earmarked for Parirenyatwa and Mpilo hospitals, a top Government official said on Friday. These are low energycancer machines which are currently housed at the National Pharmaceutical Company of
Michael Gwarisa More than one in three American adults lives with obesity, and scientists have long known it fuels chronic inflammation linked to diabetes, heart disease, and fatty liver. Now, an NIH-funded study has uncovered the biological chain reaction behind this process, opening the door to new treatments beyond weight
Michael Gwarisa More than 7,400 patients in Japan have contributed to a breakthrough study identifying a hidden genetic mismatch that significantly increases the risk of life-threatening immune complications after umbilical cord blood transplantation. The research, led by Associate Professor Takakazu Kawase of Fujita Health University and the Japanese Society for
Kuda Pembere The Government of Zimbabwe has commissioned a Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) machine at the National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ), a development expected to significantly reduce turnaround times and enhance the safety of blood transfusions. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglass Mombeshora described
Michael Gwarisa In a major step forward for HIV prevention, Zimbabwe has officially launched the rollout of Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable drug that provides new protection options for communities at high risk of HIV infection. Zimbabwe joins South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, and Eswatini among the African nations already administering the
Michael Gwarisa After days of speculation and heightened public debate, Zimbabwe’s Medical Services Amendment Bill [H.B. 6A, 2025] has passed Parliament, but without the contentious Clause 11, which was formally deleted during the legislative process. The Bill was considered during the Committee Stage in the Parliament of Zimbabwe, where Clauses
Michael Gwarisa After a week of intensive discussions on the draft annex for Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS), countries around the world have outlined a clear roadmap to implement the pandemic agreement effectively. The PABS framework is an essential part of the WHO Pandemic Agreement. It is designed to
Michael Gwarisa In a move aimed at strengthening collaboration to advance health security, workforce development, and resilient public health systems across Africa, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with FHI 360. The MoU sets in motion a structured framework for cooperation
Michael Gwarisa A daring local manufacturer of a herbal aphrodisiac, known as Hubaba, has come under fire for using the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) logo without the organisation’s consent. MCAZ is responsible for registering pharmaceutical products and consumables in Zimbabwe. However, a growing trend has emerged where herbal
Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe’s Cabinet has approved a Contingency Fund for the Ministry of Health and Child Care to bolster its readiness and response to seasonal disease outbreaks. Speaking to journalists during a Post-Cabinet Media Briefing, Information Minister Dr Soda Zhemu explained that the fund aims to improve the Ministry’s capacity
Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has set the stage for the rollout of Lenacapavir, a long acting injectable HIV prevention medicine that is expected to significantly strengthen the country’s HIV response. The injectable drug, which is administered only twice a year, is being introduced as part of Zimbabwe’s expanded HIV prevention strategy
Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe has begun the process of drafting its new National Health Strategy which also aimes to ensure all health financing is properly managed and effectively utilized, a top Cabinet official has said. This includes the much-anticipated National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which is set to provide financial protection
Michael Gwarisa More than 7,400 patients in Japan have contributed to a breakthrough study identifying a hidden genetic mismatch that significantly increases the risk of life-threatening immune complications after umbilical
Kuda Pembere The Government of Zimbabwe has commissioned a Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) machine at the National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ), a development expected to significantly reduce turnaround times and
Michael Gwarisa In a major step forward for HIV prevention, Zimbabwe has officially launched the rollout of Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable drug that provides new protection options for communities at
Michael Gwarisa After days of speculation and heightened public debate, Zimbabwe’s Medical Services Amendment Bill [H.B. 6A, 2025] has passed Parliament, but without the contentious Clause 11, which was formally
Michael Gwarisa After a week of intensive discussions on the draft annex for Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS), countries around the world have outlined a clear roadmap to implement
Michael Gwarisa In a move aimed at strengthening collaboration to advance health security, workforce development, and resilient public health systems across Africa, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention