Month: May 2023

Exclusive breastfeeding in Zimbabwe improves

Michael Gwarisa

EXCLUSIVE breastfeeding of children in the country has improved since 2020 when it was less than 50 percent to about 80 percent this year, a Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZIMVAC) 2023 Urban Livelihoods Assessment Report notes. By Kuda Pembere The 10th annual ZIMVAC Urban Livelihoods Assessment Report was presented before the Cabinet by Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care, Gen. (Rtd) Dr Constantino Chiwenga who is the Chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Food Security and Nutrition. Pertaining to Child Nutrition, a cocktail of strategies and measures…

Read More

Doctors/PSMAS Clash Over ‘Witch-Hunting’ Exercise

Kuda Pembere

THE Medical and Dental Private Practitioners of Zimbabwe Association (MDPPZA) has expressed dismay over a witchhunt on its members who are being arrested for overdrawing from Premier Service Medical Aid Society’s (PSMAS) with some instances for overcharging an amount as measly as ZW$1 000 for services. By Kudakwashe Pembere Working with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), the medical aid service provider instituted a blitz against doctors on fraud allegations. In an interview with MDPPZA president Dr Johannes Marisa, PSMAS is claiming medical services providers were using wrong tariff codes, a…

Read More

Zimbabwe’s HIV/AIDS Stigma Jumps to 69.7 Percent…Key Populations affected the most

Michael Gwarisa

WHILE Zimbabwe is on track to attaining the  UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, rising incidences of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV and sub population groups could derail the gains achieved so far. By Michael Gwarisa This was revealed during the launch of the Zimbabwe Stigma INDEX 2.0 Report in Harare where findings indicated that the overall stigma and discrimination in Zimbabwe was currently sitting at 69.7 percent, compared to 65.5 percent recorded in the 2014 Stigma Index report. According…

Read More

Launch of a Regional Initiative to Tackle Climate Change-related Health Challenges for Africa

Michael Gwarisa

At the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly, African governments represented by Ministers of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (WHO) and Amref Health Africa launched a regional initiative to tackle health impacts of climate change in Africa. This is an effort to harness the power of collaboration among countries and stakeholders through experience sharing and collective action in climate adaptation and mitigation. By Staff Reporter Besides enabling multisectoral work, the initiative seeks to strengthen the voice of health and well-being in Africa at the…

Read More

Predictive Science: the frontier in healthcare

Retlaw Matatu Matorwa

By Retlaw Matatu Matorwa Cholera has been a major public health concern in Zimbabwe for decades. Despite various efforts to stem the tide of the disease, outbreaks continue to occur, posing a threat to people’s health and economic development. However, recent advancements in predictive science have begun to offer hope in the fight against diseases such as Cholera and Malaria to mention, but a few, demonstrating how new analytical techniques and methodologies can be utilized to prevent or reduce the spread of disease. Predictive science has the advantage of gathering…

Read More

Police Worried Over Increasing GBV Related Murders In Zimbabwe

Healthtimes

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has raised concern over the number of murder cases being recorded throughout the country on weekly basis with most of these cases are mainly attributed to domestic violence (GBV) arising from accusations of infidelity on the part of couples. By Staff Reporter In a statement, police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said three women weree murdered on three separate occasions within  a space of three days. In one of the murder cases, Nyarai Masauso (41) died on 28™ May 2023 whilst admitted at Parirenyatwa Group…

Read More

Donates Sun Protection Products To Alcoz

Michael Gwarisa

Leading financial services institution, Stanbic Bank has donated an assortment of sun protection products worth ZW$38,5 million to the Albino Charity Organization of Zimbabwe (ALCOZ). By Staff Reporter The Standard Bank Group subsidiary donated 1000 units of sunscreen lotion; 1000 units of antibacterial soap; 1000 units of antiseptic liquid; 1000 units of lip balm and 1000 sunhats. Stanbic Bank Manager Events and Sponsorship, Lucy Dlodlo said the donation was one of the leading financial services institution’s most important calendar events owing to how it benefits people living with albinism. Dlodlo…

Read More

COALITION GROUP CALL ON GOVERNMENTS TO ACT ON GENDER EQUALITY AND PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS AT 76TH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY

Michael Gwarisa

A coalition of almost 20 global organizations has called on governments to act to ensure that citizens have access to adequate health services at the World Health Assembly (WHA76) this week in Geneva, Switzerland. According to the coalition: “Health is everyone’s human right, and it is the duty of all governments to fulfill its right. Governments must make health for all a reality.” Kinza Hasan, Policy and Advocacy Manager at Women Deliver, one of the coalition members, added: “This call is important now that governments worldwide are in the process…

Read More

Uganda approves Anti-LGBTQ Law

Healthtimes

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has signed one of the world’s harshest anti-LGBTQ laws, his spokesperson said on Monday, defying international condemnations and the risk of sanctions from donors. Same-sex relations were already illegal in Uganda, as they are in more than 30 African countries, but the new law goes further in targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. It imposes the death penalty for so-called aggravated homosexuality, which includes having gay sex when HIV-positive, and a 20-year sentence for “promoting” homosexuality. ALSO READ | Uganda outlaws identifying as LGBTQ,…

Read More

Stunting, Wasting and Overweight drops in Zim

Kuda Pembere

ZIMBABWE has been doing relatively well in improving the nutrition for children under five years over the past ten years as it reduced the stunting prevalence to 21.6 percent in 2022 from 31.1 percent in 2012, a joint United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and World Bank report shows. By Kuda Pembere For stunting Zimbabwe is in the high threshold. As for overweight, in 2012, the southern African country had a prevalence of 4.6 percent decreasing it to 2.7 percent in 2022 with a low threshold. The prevalence rate for wasting…

Read More