Inequalities Derail World Target To End AIDS By 2030

THE Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has launched a powerful new report, “Dangerous Inequalities” which spotlight the need to end inequalities in terms of access to HIV and AIDS services. By Michael Gwarisa The report coincides with 2023 World AIDS Day commemorations which  is an event and moment to honour over 40 million lives lost to AIDS, take stock of the AIDS response, and commit to ending AIDS. In her remarks following the launch of the report, Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS said all was not gloom …

Read More

Gutu High, Gutu Primary win NAC National Quiz Competitions

GUTU High School were crowned the 11th edition of the National Aids Council (NAC) National School Quiz Competition champions which were held in Harare on Tuesday. By Kudakwashe Pembere The school representing Masvingo province emerged victorious in a tight race which saw it outsmart St Eric’s High School and St Faith’s Mission High School and the rest. The quiz show was organised by the National Aids Council (NAC) together with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. Questions asked were tough but all the contestants soldiered on. Some of the…

Read More

NAC unveils World Aids Day 2022 Theme, Song and Logo

The National AIDS Council (NAC) on Wednesday unveiled the theme, logo and song ahead of this year’s World AIDS Day commemorations to be held on December 1, 2022. Addressing the press, NAC chief executive officer Dr Benard Madzima said this year’s commemorations will be held in Marondera. “Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the home of the national response to HIV and AIDS. “As you are aware the World AIDS Day commemoration is tomorrow at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera. “As part the…

Read More

Monkeypox Disease Gets New Name, It’s Now Called “Mpox”

Following a series of consultations with global experts, WHO will begin using a new preferred term “mpox” as a synonym for monkeypox. Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while “monkeypox” is phased out. By Own Correspondent When the outbreak of monkeypox expanded earlier this year, racist and stigmatizing language online, in other settings and in some communities was observed and reported to WHO. In several meetings, public and private, a number of individuals and countries raised concerns and asked WHO to propose a way forward to change…

Read More

Nearly 40 million children are dangerously susceptible to growing measles threat

Measles vaccination coverage has steadily declined since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, a record high of nearly 40 million children missed a measles vaccine dose: 25 million children missed their first dose and an additional 14.7 million children missed their second dose, a joint publication by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. This decline is a significant setback in global progress towards achieving and maintaining measles elimination and leaves millions of children susceptible to infection. In…

Read More

Condoms “Too Small” For Some Zimbabwean Men says MP

MUFAKOSE Legislator, Honorable Susan Matsunga has asked government, the National AIDS Council (NAC) and all partners involved in the procurement and distribution of condoms to consider the size of sexual organs for some Zimbabwean men whenever they place orders from manufactures overseas. By Michael Gwarisa She made these remarks during a question and answer session at a High Level Advocacy Meeting to Discuss Bottlenecks Affecting the Condom Market in Zimbabwe that was held in Harare weeks ago. I am an MP in my constituency and I get feedback from the…

Read More

UMP chiefs commit to protect the girl child from sexual abuse and child marriages

CHIEFS from Uzumba, Maramba and Pfungwe (UMP) have launched the Chiefs’ commitments on promoting child protection and ending child marriages in an effort to reduce harmful practices that perpetuate child sexual abuse and marriages. By Patricia Mashiri With the help of Rozaria Memorial Trust, Ministry of local governance and public works and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium  Enterprises Development, the chiefs  who pledged their commitment are Chief Nyajina of Uzumba, Chief  Chipfiyamiti of Uzumba, Chief Chinhanga of Maramba and Chief Chitsungo of Pfungwe. Addressing the National…

Read More

HIV self-testing proves popular …as tailor-made service improves access

I have listened to people who are hesitant to get an HIV test, the moment they reach the health facility, they back off, for fear of the unknown. They have consoled themselves that, “It is better not to know, what you don’t know does not kill you.” Catherine Murombedzi How wrong it is, in health issues, what you don’t know has the potential to kill you. With many HIV infected males reporting at health facilities late, what they don’t know can be fatal. Thanks to HIV self-testing kits. For those…

Read More

TB patients can now be treated in less than two months

A promising study presented at The Union World Conference on Lung Health 2022, the TRUNCATE TB trial, has revealed that some people who have TB can be treated in as little as two months, as opposed to six months of treatment that has been the standard of care in most countries since the 1980s. The rationale behind the TRUNCATE TB study, according to Erlina Burhan, a TB expert from the Faculty of Medicine Univeritas Indonesia, is that we are overtreating majority of people who have drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB) who would…

Read More

We are not closing says PSMAS

ZIMBABWE’s largest medical aid service provider the Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) says it is not going anywhere as claimed on various platforms. By Kuda Pembere PSMAS in a statement rubbished these claims as an attempt to soil its image and reputation. Premier Service Medical Aid Society notes with concern rumours circulating on various platforms of its alleged closure from 2023. The society categorically dismisses these rumours as not only false, malicious and misleading but bent on tarnishing the organisation’s image and reputation,” PSMAS said. The medical aid service…

Read More