Author: Michael Gwarisa

Editor for HealthTimes, Zimbabwe's leading online health news publication

Zimbabwe Records 90 Days Without Mpox

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is among the few African countries that have not recorded any new Mpox cases in the past three months, a top official at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has said. In October 2024, Zimbabwe reported its first cases of Mpox, two months after the Africa CDC declared Mpox a public health emergency of continental concern. However, recent data indicates that Zimbabwe has not recorded any confirmed cases during the past 90 days. Eight countries are now in the control phase, four…

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Zimbabwe Gains Ground in Cholera Battle

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa As 2025 began with a surge in cholera cases, particularly in Mazowe’s Glendale area and Kariba, recent developments indicate that the outbreak is now under control due to swift interventions by the government and its partners. The current cholera outbreak started on November 24, 2024, in Gachegache, Kariba district. Cases have since been reported in the Glendale area of Mazowe district, with sporadic instances in Chiredzi, Chipinge, Bikita, Bindura, Shamva, and Kadoma. However, sustained community transmission did not follow these isolated cases. The number of new daily…

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Zimbabwe Records Over 600 Dog Bites in One Week

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has raised alarm over the increasing number of dog bites, with a significant proportion of these bites attributed to unvaccinated dogs. According to the Weekly Disease Surveillance Report for the week ending January 5, 2025, a total of 635 dog bite cases were reported, with no deaths recorded. Of these cases, 141 (22%) involved vaccinated dogs, 118 (18%) involved unvaccinated dogs, and 366 (60%) involved dogs of unknown vaccination status. In an interview with HealthTimes, Dr. Isaac Phiri, the…

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Critical Gaps in Vital Monitoring Threaten Care Outcomes In Those Ageing With HIV In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa For 21 years, Martha Tholanah (60) has lived with HIV. She has experienced it all, from the days when an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence to today, when people living with HIV can lead healthy, fulfilling lives. Testing positive on January 3, 2003, Martha recalls her heartbreak when health workers informed her that her CD4 count was below 200. I had fallen sick and had to get tested. I had also just been accepted for a new job, so I needed to know where I stood.…

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Meet Dr. Dhodho: The Once Sickly Village Boy Who Transformed Rural Zimbabwe’s HIV Response

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa He wears many hats. Dr. Efison Dhodho is currently the Knowledge Manager for the Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians, a dedicated researcher, and the Director for Strategic Information, Evaluation, Learning, and Information Technology Systems at the Organization for Public Health Interventions and Development (OPHID). Born into a family of 13 as the fifth child, Dr. Dhodho recalls how his fragile health as a child necessitated moving to live with his mother, a rural nurse in Mwenezi District, while his siblings stayed with their father, a teacher.…

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Renowned Health Journalist Rumbidzai Zinyuke Appointed to National AIDS Council Board

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Seasoned health journalist and the current senior health reporter at The Herald, Rumbidzai Zinyuke, has been appointed to the National AIDS Council (NAC) board. Zinyuke will represent the media on the board, bringing her expertise to the national fight against HIV and AIDS. Commenting on her appointment, Zinyuke said, “I am honored to be appointed as a board member representing the media on the National AIDS Council board. The media plays a critical role in the fight against HIV and AIDS, not only in raising awareness about…

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Zimbabwe Nurses Council Warns Employers of Fake Certificates of Good Standing

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Nurses Council of Zimbabwe (NCZ) has urged global employers to verify the authenticity of Certificates of Good Standing (CGS) issued to nurses from Zimbabwe. This follows a surge in the circulation of fake documents by unscrupulous organizations. A Certificate of Good Standing is a legal document verifying a nurse’s professional reputation and good behavior within the community. It has become one of the most sought-after documents in Zimbabwe, as it significantly enhances a nurse’s chances of securing employment in the international market. Mr. Benjamin Maheya, Registrar…

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Glendale’s Failing Sewer and Water Systems Spark Deadly Cholera Outbreak

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In Glendale, mornings are no longer a time of fresh beginnings. Instead, residents wake to an unbearable reality, human excreta strewn across their doorsteps. Burst sewer pipes, left unrepaired for months, spew waste into the streets, forcing entire neighborhoods to navigate pools of sludge. The stench of decaying matter clings stubbornly to the air, invading homes and harassing nostrils with every breath. Among those most affected is the Nyirongo family residing in the Highway section of Glendale, whose ordeal serves as a chilling reminder of the public…

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Cancer Association of Zimbabwe Warns Against Oral Sex-Linked Cancer Risks

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Cancer Association of Zimbabwe (CAZ) has cautioned young people against engaging in risky oral sex, warning that it increases the risk of transmitting the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) just like any unprotected sex activity, which causes cancer. This warning comes in the wake of research by global oncologists showing a rise in oral cancers linked to oral sex, particularly among individuals with multiple sexual partners in the United Kingdom and the United States. Since the mid-2000s, cases of oropharyngeal cancer, a specific type of oral cancer, have…

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Zimbabwean Government Urged to Be Proactive Amid Rising HMPV Cases in China

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Following a surge in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in northern China, one of Zimbabwe’s leading public health experts has warned against complacency and urged the government to implement preventive measures promptly. Concerns are mounting as many draw parallels between the current HMPV outbreak and the early, grim days of COVID-19. Social media footage has shown overwhelmed medical facilities in China, with parents holding sick children in long queues outside pediatric care units, even late into the night.   Speaking to HealthTimes, Community Working Group on Health (CWGH)…

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