Month: May 2019

Health CSOs Should Be Held Accountable: ZAN

Healthtimes

IT is crucial for civil society organisations dealing with health issues be socially accountable even unto themselves and Government to ensure Zimbabwe is on track of Universal Health Coverage, a Zimbabwe Aids Network official said. By Kudakwashe Pembere Recently In Kadoma At a time when CSOs are always on the state’s case regarding its progress to ensure Zimbabwe achieves UHC, ZAN National Coordinator Mr Taurai Nyandoro said social accountability was similarly important within the CSO circuits. ZAN is a national network organization comprising of AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) and other…

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Safaids Rolls Out Safe Abortion Campaign

Healthtimes

SAFAIDS has intensified efforts to promote safe abortions in the SADC region under a three year campaign dubbed “My Choice our choice”.  By HealthTimes Correspondent  The campaign comes at a time when Zimbabwe’s abortion rate stands at 18% as most women carry out unsafe terminations owing to the restrictive abortion laws in the country. Speaking on the sidelines of the Launch workshop held in Harare, Safaids  executive director Lois Chingandu said the campaign will also underscore the right of women to take control of their sexual and reproductive health. “The…

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Integrated Nutrition And WASH Project Transforms Binga Fortunes

Michael Gwarisa

NUTRITION is a basic human right and has been identified as the most pertinent and key component in ensuring countries achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS), hence the need for a multisectoral nutrition security approach towards realising nutrition goals for citizens. By Michael Gwarisa in Binga Despite most governments including Zimbabwe having committed to advancing nutrition centered solutions as well as ending malnutrition by the year 2030, more still needs to be done to realise this vision. In Binga, the issue of food insecurity as a result of reoccurring droughts has…

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RBZ Ignores Looming ARV Crisis

Healthtimes

THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s reluctance to release the much needed US$6 million by the National Aids Council of Zimbabwe (NAC) could plunge the nation into Antiretroviral shortage imminently. By Kudakwashe Pembere This was said by the CCM Coordinator Mr Oscar Mundida at a Civil Society Organisation workshop on Universal Health Coverage organized by UNAIDS and Zimbabwe Aids Network. Mr Mundida said NAC is yet to get their hands on the US$6 million to settle arrears they owe to ARV suppliers. The CCM Coordinator explained that Zimbabwe has nothing to…

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Health CSOs Keen On Tackling UHC Issues

Healthtimes

ZIMBABWEAN civil society organisations tackling HIV/AIDS have shown interest in ensuring that the country achieves universal health coverage ahead of the September penciled United Nations High Level Meeting on UHC. By Kudakwashe Pembere in Kadoma A consultation workshop to come up with a Civil Society Organisations’ position on UHC was organized by the UNAIDS and Zimbabwe Aids Network. This commitment comes after an observation that health CSOs have not been as pro-active as they are when advocating for sexual reproductive health and HIV/AIDS. In separate interviews on the sidelines of…

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Cash Transfers Bring Hope to Drought Stricken Binga

Michael Gwarisa

VILLAGERS in Binga, Matebelend north province have been thrown a lifeline following the introduction of a cash transfer initiative which seeks to address the prevailing food insecurity situation dogging the district. By Michael Gwarisa in Binga The cash transfer initiative is being funded by Save the Children through funds from different member organisations of the Save the children and support from the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC). Briefing Journalists during a nutrition field visit in Binga district, Save the Children nutrition manager, Mthulisi Dube said Binga needed urgent…

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Calls For Free Sanitary Pads Mount

NewsRoom

CALLS for government to provide free sanitary pads for Zimbabwean young girls grow at a time they are still beyond the reach of many. By Kudakwashe Pembere Despite government announcing its plans to introduce this much needed initiative, organisations dealing with menstrual health feel much can be done to improve the lives of girls. Sanitary pads are a very critical component for women and girls reproductive health requirements but owing to their exorbitant cost, most are having to look for alternatives some of which could have undesirable after effects in the long run.…

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68 Clefts Successfully Operated At Mpilo, Harare Hospital…Three Anesthetic Machines Fixed

Healthtimes

OPERATION of Hope’s 28th round in Zimbabwe saw 68 successful operations for cleft lip/palate in Harare and Bulawayo. By Kudakwashe Pembere The Bulawayo leg at Mpilo Hospital saw about 48 people getting free surgeries with 20 more done at Harare Central Hospital. In an interview, Operation of Hope chief executive officer Jennifer Trubenbach said they were pleased with the operations done. “We had 68 surgeries in total that is at Harare central hospital and Mpilo,” she said. Of the Mpilo surgeries, she said the Mpilo mission went as expected doing…

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Cultural Beliefs Hamper Uptake of Alternative Menstrual Health Products

Michael Gwarisa

LACK of information, coupled with strong cultural beliefs around virginity and womanhood have slowed down uptake of alternative menstrual health products in marginalised communities. By Michael Gwarisa Most young girls and women in rural and other marginalised communities in Zimbabwe lack access to affordable and safe sanitary care products. Over the years, various companies in Zimbabwe have come up with innovative means of managing menstrual health in the form of menstrual cups, menstrual pants and reusable sanitary pads. In an interview with HealthTimes, United Nations Population Fund   (UNFPA )…

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PSI Zimbabwe Treats 10 000 Cervical Cancer Cases

Healthtimes

OVER 125 000 women have to date been screened for cervical cancer with 10 000 receiving treatment at Population Services International Zimbabwe’s New Start Centres. By Kudakwashe Pembere This was said by PSI Zimbabwe Deputy Country Representative Dr Ngonidzashe Madidi last week. “With support from DFID and the Swedish Embassy, PSI has cumulatively screened over 125,000 women to date for precancerous lesions and treated over 10,000 women with precancerous lesions through the New Start Centre Network,” he said. The organisation is looking at making women collect samples from HPV DNA screening…

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