Month: January 2022

150 000 New HIV infections Recorded Among Children In 2020

Michael Gwarisa

THE Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) says most of the 150 000 new HIV infections recorded among children in 2020 could have been prevented if interventions targeting the most affected groups had been implemented. HealthTimes Reporter According to the UNAIDS weekly update, a strong start would be to better engage women and girls at significant risk of acquiring HIV infection in integrated antenatal care and HIV services, including HIV prevention and testing, delivered at the local level, and to ensure that those who are HIV-positive receive…

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WHO Calls For Equitable Health Services For All To End NTDs

Michael Gwarisa

TO mark World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day (WNTDD) , the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on everyone, to rally to confront inequalities that characterize NTDs and  ensure that the poorest and marginalized communities who are mostly affected by neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) receive the health services they need. HealthTimes Reporter In his message for World NTD day, WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus   said, “the COVID-19 pandemic has thrust millions of people deeper into poverty and affected those who already have limited access to health services.” He urged the global…

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#BREAKING: Schools Open On 7 February As Gvt Relaxes Lockdown Measures

Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), has announced that the general school calendar will resume on February 7, 2022 as the country eases the lockdown measures that were meant to curtail the spread of the Omicron variant. By Michael Gwarisa In a statement, acting health and child care minister, Professor Amon Murwirwa said the country over the past two weeks recorded a decline in new COVID-19 cases, hence the move to allow schools and other economic sectors to reopen. The National COVID-19 epidemic curve is indicating that the…

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NAC In Drive To Scale Up HIV Treatment And Testing Coverage In Males

Michael Gwarisa

THE National AIDS Council in Zimbabwe (NAC), has devised a number of strategies to bring men and boys on board, with the aim of increasing HIV treatment and testing coverage in males. By Michael Gwarisa The development comes in the midst of indications that globally, men continue to lag behind across the HIV testing and treatment continuum. According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) special analysis of 2021, globally, the testing and treatment targets for 2020 were almost reached among adult women (15 years and…

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Building Bridges Project Reignites Feminism Energy In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

THE Building Bridges  for the Feminist Movement in Zimbabwe, has awakened the urge to champion women and girls rights in more than 70,000 young and budding feminists in at least four provinces in Zimbabwe where the project is being implemented. By Michael Gwarisa   The program came at the back of indications that the women’s movement was experiencing a decline in activism, as experienced women human rights defenders (WHRD) move on and young women have not necessarily had the opportunity to gain the skills, experience, finance and capacity to push…

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Zimbabwe Red Cross Deploys Support Team And Assistance To Floods Affected Areas

Healthtimes

THE Zimbabwe Red Cross Society, ZRCS, has deployed surge support and started assessments in Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central and Manicaland Provinces, while also distributing response materials to worst affected areas with the support of Danish Red Cross and Finish Red Cross. Own Correspondent Part of the response also includes offering first aid to the injured while pre-positioned relief materials will be distributed in response to needs assessment include tents/ tarpaulins, hygiene kits, blankets, jerrycans and mosquito nets. ZRCS volunteers are already on standby, while in some places such…

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Omicron Related Diseases Severity Lower Than Other Variants- CDC

Healthtimes

DESPITE the Omicron variant having recorded the highest reported numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations during the pandemic, disease severity indicators, including length of stay, ICU admission, and deaths as a result of the strain were lower than during previous pandemic peaks.  According to a weekly morbidity and mortality report by the American Center for Disease Control (CDC) that analyzed trends in Disease Severity and Health Care Utilization During the Early Omicron Variant Period between the December 2020–January 2022 period, the majority of the cases were mild compared to previous…

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People Hospitalised for COVID-19 In 2020 At Greater Risk Of Readmission or Death- Study

Healthtimes

A new study led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), the University of Oxford and clinical software provider TPP has gathered that people who had been hospitalised for COVID-19 in 2020 – and survived for at least one week after discharge – were more than twice as likely to die or be readmitted to the hospital in the next several months compared to the general population. HealthTimes Reporter Previous research has suggested that people with COVID-19 may face a greater risk of health issues for several…

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Generation Health Joins the Cervical Cancer Awareness Movement

Healthtimes

Compliments of the new season! A time we plan for the year and what a better time to keep urging women to get screened for cervical cancer. According to the Lancet Journal, “each year, more than half a million women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and the disease results in over 300 000 deaths worldwide.” To bring it closer to home it accounts for close to one third of cancers in Black Zimbabwean women and is also the number one cause of cancer deaths in Zimbabwe. Caroline Mbofana – Dyirakumunda…

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Harare Residents Concerned Over Rise In Child Sex Work and Drug Abuse

Michael Gwarisa

MOST Harare suburbs are experiencing a surge in cases of drug and substance and child sex work which many residents believe is being driven by the prolonged time the kids have spent outside learning institutions due to lockdown restrictions. By Michael Gwarisa Following the prolonged closure of schools due to recurring lockdown restrictions since 2020, most children have found solace in harmful practices such as sexual experimentation and drug and substance abuse. The massive job losses due to retrenchments and closure of some businesses during the lockdown have also impacted…

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