EnviroHealth Archives

Zim Scales-Up Efforts To Control Invasive Alien Species

September 19, 2023 Kuda Pembere

Zimbabwe will soon be reviewing its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) expected to be giving prominence to the management of Invasive Alien Species. By Kuda Pembere In a speech read on his behalf, Permanent secretary in the Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Ministry Ambassador Tayerera Faranisi said they are about to commence the revision of NBSAPs. He said they are behind in their schedule for producing an NBSAP. Colleagues, this is an important topic for us as Ministry of Environment. Just to highlight for you, we are discussing…

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Getting Tough On Vaping Drives People Into Smoking Combustible Tobacco

September 7, 2023September 7, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

Despite the massive crackdown on smoking in the form of bans and taxes, coupled with well-coordinated misinformation around emerging Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) alternatives, World Health Organisation (WHO) data shows that at least 8 million smokers continue to die from smoking-related diseases on an annual basis while one million non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke also die from passive smoking. By Michael Gwarisa Overall smoking rates in Africa remain low by international comparisons, with a prevalence of 8.4 percent across the continent. While smoking prevalence is relatively low on…

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Murehwa Hospital Installs Medical Oxygen Reticulation System

August 31, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

In a bid to improve timely access to medical oxygen for patients in need of critical care, Murehwa District Hospital has installed a piped Oxygen reticulation system in most of its wards at the facility. By Michael Gwarisa The installation replaces the old system of Oxygen Supply where they would procure Oxygen using Oxygen tanks, store the Oxygen at the facility, and in times of need, they would deliver or distribute it in the wards using Oxygen stands. Dr Joseph Taruona, the District Medical Officer (DMO) for Murehwa said the…

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The curious case of Cement Dust Pollution in Mabvuku: The healthcare cost and who is paying for it

August 31, 2023 Dr Nyasha Manyeruke

By Dr Nyasha Manyeruke WHOSE fault is it? Compensation and reparations? The debate on healthcare and industrial, and air pollution is a global quagmire. Is the industrial industry at fault when it is concurrently spearheading economic growth and job creation? Are the people who continue to live in polluted air partly to blame for their own health circumstances. Clearly these questions have no binary answers (yes or no) because the problem itself is not binary. Studies have linked cement dust toxins to not only lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive…

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ED declares Harare a State of Disaster

July 31, 2023July 31, 2023 Kuda Pembere

ZIMBABWE’S President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the uncleanliness of the country’s capital Harare, a state of disaster. By Kuda Pembere This was done in terms of section 27(1) of the Civil Protection Act [Chapter 10:06]. Through the Statutory Instrument 140 of 2023, Government expressed concern over the state of environment in Harare Metropolitan Province. Wheres Government has noted with great concern the deplorable state of cleanliness of the Harare Metropolitan Province, characterised among other things by litter and waste dumps accumulating in business and residential areas of the Province, open…

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Zimbabwe-China Partnership Launches Pilot Project To Eliminate Bilharzia

July 24, 2023July 24, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

A new China-Zimbabwe cooperation pilot project for the control and elimination of Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) could fast-track Zimbabwe’s efforts to eliminate the disease, HealthTimes has learned. By Michael Gwarisa in Shamva The project follows the successful signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which has seen Zimbabwe become the first country on the continent to benefit from the China-Africa Corporation Initiative for the elimination of Schistosomiasis. The study has been jointly initiated by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) in Zimbabwe, and…

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Three Neglected Tropical Diseases Pose Health Threat To Over 5 Million Zimbabweans

July 11, 2023July 11, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) Principal Director Public Health, Dr Munyaradzi Dobbie says Zimbabwe is still saddled with the burden of three Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs, namely Schistosomiasis (SCH) & Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH) and lymphatic filariasis. By Michael Gwarisa This was revealed during a Results dissemination Workshop for the 2021 National Geospatial mapping for the three NTD’s, namely Schistosomiasis (SCH) & Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH) and 2023 Confirmatory Mapping of lymphatic filariasis in Zimbabwe in the Capital, Harare where it was revealed that 35 percent of…

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Zimbabwe at risk of Zoonotic TB in humans

July 3, 2023July 3, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

THE removal and vandalism of perimeter fences separating wildlife reserves from grazing areas for domestic animals as well as human habitats in most communal areas in Zimbabwe, poses a risk of transmission for Bovine Tuberculosis, a renowned Veterinary expert has said. In 2019, President Emmerson Mnangwga announced that government would erect perimeter fences around national parks as part of measures to reduce human-wildlife conflict which if left unchecked, could lead to the uncontrolled spread of Zoonotic diseases such as Bovine Tuberculosis also known as Zoonotic TB. A Zoonotic disease or…

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More Than Half Of Oil Based Paints Produced In Zimbabwe Contain Deadly Substance-Study Finds

June 22, 2023June 22, 2023 Healthtimes

A study done by the University of Zimbabwe has revealed that 70 percent of oil based paints manufactured in the country contain dangerous levels of lead. By Staff Reporter The study done last year in partnership with the Lead Exposure Elimination Project (LEEP) sought to determine the presence of lead in paint made in Zimbabwe. A one-day workshop was held to raise awareness on the dangers of lead poisoning and for players and stakeholders to come up with means to reduce its impact. In 2022, the University of Zimbabwe and…

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Zimbabwe’s Health Sector Goes Green with Solar Powered Electronic Health Records

June 13, 2023June 13, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), is rolling out “Impilo,” an Electronic Health Records (EHR) system, which is meant to improve efficiency in the health sector through enhancing data collection, management, patients’ care as well as improve communication between health practitioners and patients. By Michael Gwarisa According to the Ministry of Health, they intend to have fully deployed the system in the entire healthcare sector by December 2023. The roll-out of the Impilo is being supported by key specialized systems like the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), the…

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