March 2024 - HealthTimes

World Bank Closes 13-Year Health Sector Development Support Project In Zimbabwe

March 28, 2024March 29, 2024 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The World Bank has officially handed over the Health Sector Development Support Project (HSDSP), to Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), as part of efforts to institutionalise and create continuity of projects beyond donor funding. Initiated in 2011, the Health Sector Development Support Project was characterised by different funding cycles including the latest additional financing. Through the project, Zimbabwe has recorded positive gains on the maternal and child health side of services through innovative health systems strengthening approaches, supported by an investment of US$78 million…

Sweden Injects US$1.9 Million towards Zimbabwe’s Anti-Drug Abuse Campaign

March 28, 2024March 29, 2024 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a bid to support Zimbabwe’s efforts to curb the souring drug and substance abuse crises, the Embassy of Sweden in Zimbabwe has availed an amount to the tune of US$1.9 Million towards “The Strength is in You” anti-drug campaign. The US$1.9m grant for the Anti-Drugs Campaign is part of the Swedish Embassy’s overall efforts to address negative practices in Zimbabwe. The campaign is being implemented by the Population Solutions for Health (PSH), and is aimed at raising awareness on the dangers of drug use, provide support…

Rebuilt from Ruin: Overcoming the Psychological Scars of Injury

March 28, 2024 Healthtimes

For professional athletes and gym rats, a major injury is a brutal blow. It’s not just the throbbing pain and logistical nightmares, but the mental gut punch of being benched from your passion. After physio purgatory and a clean bill of health, you might think you’re good to go. But hold up – there’s often a mental hurdle to clear. Fear of re-injury or losing your skills can leave you stuck on the sidelines. This awfully often happens with the players in the Premier League in recent years, making managers…

Zim modern contraceptive use rises

March 28, 2024 Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere The latest modern Contraceptive Prevalence Rate in Zimbabwe stands at 69 percent up 1 percent from 68 percent in 2021. This was attributed to the partnership between the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Despite this enviable CPR, the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) acting executive director Mr Farai Machinga said they while they are aiming to get the unmet need for family planning at 6 percent, they are at 10 percent which has not changed from 2022. And…

UNICEF Zimbabwe launches campaign on children and climate change

March 28, 2024 Kuda Pembere

By Staff Reporter UNICEF Zimbabwe has launched a communication campaign which seeks to involve children’s participation in climate change issues which are increasingly affecting them. The campaign also comes at a time when Zimbabwe is enduring an El-Nino induced drought. “The Climate Change Crisis is a Child Rights Crisis. Climate change is impacting the lives of children worldwide, also in Zimbabwe. “It creates scarcity in access to safe water and food, impacts on the health of children, increases children’s vulnerability to exploitation and abuse, and jeopardises their well-being, even threatening…

Taking Pregnancy Testing To Women’s Doorstep: How Village Health Workers Are Bridging the Maternal Health Divide In Rural Mutare

March 26, 2024March 27, 2024 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is currently on a positive trajectory regarding maternal health amidst indications of a decline in maternal mortality at the back of numerous interventions by the government and several partners. Data from the Zimbabwe Statistics Agency (Zimstat) Vital Statistics report of 2023 shows that infant and maternal mortality rates have declined by 20 and 36 percent respectively. The 2022 Population and Housing Census data shows that maternal mortality in Zimbabwe reduced from 960 per 100,000 live births in 2010, to 363 in 2022. Despite the milestones recorded,…

My Age Zimbabwe Becomes Collaborative Partner of IPPF

March 26, 2024 Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter My Age Zimbabwe, has entered into a collaborative partnership with the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). This partnership marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for young people in Zimbabwe. My Age Zimbabwe, a leading youth-led organization dedicated to advocating for comprehensive SRHR education and services, has been at the forefront of empowering young people and championing their rights. The organisation was founded by Onward Gibson Chironda in 2011 as a young person who had a passion…

Child protection and access to safe abortion

March 26, 2024 Memory Kadau

By Memory Pamella Kadau In the past few weeks, two unrelated developments have captured media attention and triggered thoughts about safe abortion and child protection. The first development was the lawsuit filed by Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA), challenging the validity of some sections of the Termination of Pregnancy (ToP) Act. The second case was the raid and arrest of a cult which operated on a farm in Nyabira, some 30 kilometres west of Harare. Some 251 minors stayed at the farm where they were denied access to…

UNFPA Zimbabwe Hands Over 19 Vehicles To Strategic Partners

March 25, 2024March 25, 2024 Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has handed over 19 vehicles to its partners to enable them to do their work in reaching out to vulnerable populations as well as the youth. The handing over of these vehicles is part of its five year program cycle where they get vehicles for partners and hand them over at the end of the program. At the end of that country program cycle, we actually hand over the equipment that has been purchased during the course of the country program.…