Zimbabwe Fails to Immunise 34,000 Children Every Year
By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is falling behind in its efforts to fully immunise every child, with approximately 34,000 children going without basic vaccinations each year. This alarming statistic, contained in the latest World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC) report released on July 15, 2025, highlights the persistent vulnerability of Zimbabwe’s
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They Earn More Money, But Some Migrant Health Workers Say It’s Not Worth It
By Gamuchirai Masiyiwa, GPJ Zimbabwe HARARE, ZIMBABWE — When Tanya moved to Ireland for care work in 2022, she was certain of three things: Her family would join her soon. Her husband would find work. And her children would attend a good school. Initially, her move was smooth. Visas and permits were no problem. But once
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STIs Time-Bomb for Zimbabwe: Majority of STI carriers are asymptomatic and undiagnosed
By Michael Gwarisa The burden of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STIs) in Zimbabwe has been increasing over the past few years amidst indications that the majority of infected persons do not show any symptoms and could be spreading the STIs unknowingly. According to official data from the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), the number of
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From Brake Fluid Manufacturer to Pharmaceutical Powerhouse: Varichem’s 40-Year Journey In Zimbabwe
By Michael Gwarisa When you walk into a pharmacy or a hospital in Zimbabwe, chances are high that the medicine you’re prescribed or dispensed is manufactured by Varichem. From its humble beginnings as a manufacturer of automobile lubricants and brake fluids, Varichem Pharmaceuticals has grown to become a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer with a footprint that spans
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The Hidden Health Toll of Urban Heat: Africa’s Concrete Jungles and the Rise of Climate-Sensitive Diseases
By Michael Gwarisa Africa is battling a number of adverse climatic catastrophes, and over the past five years, climate change is no longer a distant threat across the continent. In African cities, it has become an everyday reality, intensifying urban heat and deepening public health risks. Rising temperatures, prolonged heatwaves, and shrinking green spaces are combining
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Suspended HIV Services Resume in Masvingo as CAB-LA, Vaginal Ring Return for Key Populations
By Michael Gwarisa, recently in Masvingo For the past 12 months, Wellington*, a 41-year-old Masvingo man who has sex with men (MSM) and a male sex worker, has relied on oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce his risk of HIV infection. He has also used condoms and occasionally Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). At the start of 2025,
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Broken Clinics, Broken Promises: The Cost of Delayed Devolution
Broken Clinics, Broken Promises: The Cost of Delayed Devolution June 22, 2025 Michael Gwarisa By Kuda Pembere In Zimbabwe, the issue of healthcare spending remains a thorny one. While much of the attention tends to focus on the Ministry of Health and Child Care, a closer look reveals that local authorities—both urban and rural—are grappling with the
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Op-ed: Adolescents and young people today, leaders tomorrow: commemorating the Day of the African Child
Authored by: Mr Henry Damisoni, UNAIDS Representative, Ms Etona Ekole, UNICEF Representative, Mrs Miranda Tabifor, UNFPA Representative, Dr. Desta Tiruneh, WHO Representative In a local health clinic in Zimbabwe, Patience, a nurse and midwife, counsels and supports women and girls on a daily basis – some who are trying to prevent a pregnancy, those who are soon to
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A 75-Seater Bus of Newborns Crashes Every 12 Hours in Zimbabwe. We Must Hit the Brakes
By Michael Gwarisa Every twelve hours in Zimbabwe, an unimaginable tragedy unfolds. A fully loaded 75-seater bus carrying newborn babies crashes, leaving no survivors. The nation would demand answers, declare emergencies, and mobilize every resource to prevent another disaster. Yet this exact horror plays out in silence daily. According to the 2023-24 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health
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16 percent Childhood Asthma Prevalence in Harare: ACACIA Study
By Kudakwashe Pembere With childhood asthma becoming increasingly prevalent in Africa’s major cities, a new study has found that Harare has a childhood asthma prevalence rate of 16%, the Achieving Control of Asthma in Children in Africa (ACACIA) study findings stated. The study was an observational study aimed at gathering evidence on paediatric asthma in urban areas of Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, South
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