Author: Michael Gwarisa

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

African CDC and WHO launch joint continental plan to scale up mpox outbreak response

Michael Gwarisa

KINSHASA – In a significant step to strengthen and accelerate the response to the ongoing the mpox outbreak, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) today launched a joint continental response plan for Africa to support countries’ efforts to curb the spread of the virus, save and protect lives. The launch of the Mpox Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan follows the declarations of a public health emergency of continental security (PHECS) on 13 August 2024 by Africa CDC, and a public health emergency…

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UNDP Officially Hands Over Masvingo Natpharm Warehouse to Zimbabwe Government

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Masvingo Health facilities in Masvingo Province are set to benefit from a multi-million dollar Natpharm Pharmaceutical Warehouse facility constructed through a partnership between the government of Zimbabwe, the Global Fund and the United Nations Development Porgramme (UNDP). The 2,460 square meters new warehouse for NatPharm in Masvingo which holds 2,988 pallet spaces was constructed at a cost of US$ 3,667,724.51. Construction started in 2017 to be completed and handed over to NatPharm for occupation in the first quarter of 2020. Officiating the official handover ceremony of…

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DRC Receives First Shipment of Mpox Vaccines

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are pleased to announce the arrival of the first shipment of 99,100 doses of JYNNEOS mpox vaccine to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The shipment is expected to launch a critical vaccination campaign aimed at curbing the rising epidemic in the Democtratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The vaccine doses were officially received by the Minister of Health of the Democtratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Samuel Roger Kamba, alongside H.E. Dr.…

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Medical Aid Companies Urged To Be Innovative

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Douglass Mombeshora has called Medical Aid and Health Insurance companies to provide services that respond directly to the ever-changing health landscape And emerging challenges. He said this while officially opening the 15th edition of the Association for Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) Annual All Stakeholders Conference on Health IN Victoria Falls. The conference is running under the theme “Zooming in on Health Outcomes – “Making the Main Thing the Main Thing.” As you  gather at this year’s AHFoZ conference,  whose agenda…

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United States Government Invests Over US$100,000 to Improve Access to Safe Water In Harare

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a move that is set to improve access to safe water among Harare residents, the U.S. government has invested US$150,000 through the American Center for Diseases Control (CDC) in partnership with UNICEF to support water quality monitoring in Harare. The support is part of the CDC’s support to the City of Harare in the cholera emergency response in areas cholera-affected urban areas. The investment involves the insulation of Chlorine boosters at water reservoirs to help in the disinfection of water before it is pumped into households.…

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Gvt Bans Long Distance Traveling For Kombis to Curb Road Accidents

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Commuter Omnibuses or Kombis will no longer be allowed to ferry passengers beyond 60 Kilometres as part of efforts to reduce the growing scourge and burden of road traffic accidents. Under the new radius-based restrictions being implemented by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Kombis’ travel distance has been reduced from 120 km to 60 km. In a statement, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Honorable Felix Mhona, said the new restrictions were effective immediately. As the Ministry endeavors to mitigate against road traffic crashes…

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Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health Issues Mpox Alert

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter With Mpox cases currently on an upward trend in Africa, Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has issued an alert warning citizens to be vigilant and exercise extreme caution in the face of an impending crises. The number of Africa countries that have reported the Mpox outbreak have risen to 14 with the last being Guinea in West Africa. M-Pox (formerly known as Monkey Pox) in non-endemic countries, has also bee reported in  neighbouring South Africa. M-Pox is a rare viral infection endemic to Central…

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Why Africans and Europeans React To Medicines Differently: Zimbabwean Scientist Tests Effectiveness of Pharmacogenetics in African Populations

Michael Gwarisa

While some patients experience adverse drug reactions (ADRs) when taking medicines, others do not, and in some cases, others do not receive therapeutic benefits from treatment regardless of dosage. One reason for this inter-individual variation in response is differences in genes that code for proteins important in drug response. This has given rise to the field of Pharmacogenomics (PGx), which seeks to identify biomarkers that predict drug response and apply them in the provision of PGx-guided precision medicine. Following years of repeated Pharmacogenomics (PGx) research, which sought to identify biomarkers…

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UNICEF Issues Emergency Tender To Secure Mpox Vaccines For Crisis-hit African Countries

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter UNICEF has announced that it has issued an emergency tender for the procurement of mpox vaccines. Vaccines can play a critical role in containing the mpox outbreak which was declared a public health emergency by both the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The UNICEF tender is issued to help secure mpox vaccines for the hardest hit countries in collaboration with Africa CDC, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO, the Pan American Health Organization and other partners. This collaboration…

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Africa CDC Develops Mpox Surveillance Reporting Protocol for African Union Member States

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a bid to enhance existing mpox surveillance in Africa, identify at risk populations as well as understand the epidemiology, natural history and risk factors associated with mpox, the Africa Centre for Diseases Control (Africa CDC) has developed an Mpox surveillance protocol for member states. The new protocol recommends enhancing surveillance within communities and health facilities and, at the point of entries, linking these efforts to national and regional laboratories for confirmation. Countries are encouraged to share the case-based data with the African CDC and the WHO…

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