Breastfeeding Support Must Begin in Communities, Says Nutrition Action Zimbabwe
By Staff Reporter As Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Breastfeeding Week 2026, Nutrition Action Zimbabwe (NAZ) has called for stronger community-led support systems to help more mothers exclusively breastfeed their babies, saying communities—not mothers alone—hold the key to improving child nutrition and survival. This year’s World Breastfeeding Week, observed from
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Harare’s Scabies Outbreak Started at Hopley Daycare, 70 Cases Now Reported
By Michael Gwarisa A scabies outbreak has spread through Harare’s overcrowded informal settlements, with health authorities confirming 70 cases in Hopley and Stoneridge, raising fresh concerns about the health risks posed by rapid urbanisation and poor living conditions. While the City of Harare recently alerted residents to the outbreak, HealthTimes has established that at least
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UNICEF Warns Plumpy Nut Shortages Loom Amid Global Funding Crunch
By Kuda Pembere After three decades of treating child malnutrition with Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) such as Plumpy Nut under United Nations Children’s Fund support, Zimbabwe faces new risks as funding shortages strain supply pipelines. RUTF, an energy-dense food used to treat children with severe acute malnutrition, has significantly reduced the need for
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Each Year, Zimbabwe Loses a Town the Size of Kariba in Under-Five Deaths – UN
By Michael Gwarisa More than 32,000 children in Zimbabwe die before their fifth birthday every year. The figure, drawn from the latest UN child mortality estimates, places the country among those making the slowest progress in reducing under-five deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. That number is easier to grasp when placed in context. It is roughly
Read MoreChildhood Obesity Emerging as a Global Public Health Crisis
By Staff Reporter Childhood obesity is rapidly becoming one of the most pressing public health challenges worldwide, with millions of children now overweight or obese, according to a new global nutrition report. The report reveals that between 1990 and 2022, the number of children living with obesity soared from 31 million to 58 million, while
Read MoreZimbabwe Targets Sharp Drop in Neonatal Mortality
By Kuda Pembere The Health and Child Care Ministry is upbeat that Zimbabwe’s neonatal mortality rate will drop to 20 deaths per 1,000 live births within the next two years. Currently at 37 deaths per 1,000 live births, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Aspect Maunganidze, told HealthTimes on the sidelines of a Health Sector Working Group
Read MoreUNICEF Raises Alarm Over Surge in Vaccine Hesitancy Among Zimbabwe’s Urban Elite
By Michael Gwarisa While vaccine resistance has traditionally been associated with impoverished communities and apostolic sects, Zimbabwe is now experiencing a concerning rise in vaccine hesitancy among affluent urban populations. Recent data from the WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC), 2024, shows that approximately 34,000 children in Zimbabwe go without basic vaccinations each year.
Read MorePrioritizing Zimbabwe’s Children future in an uncertain time for Global Aid
By Etona Ekole One of the greatest joys of my work is meeting Zimbabwean children—bright, resilient, and full of dreams. There’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing how a school meal, a safe classroom, or a kind health worker can transform a child’s life. However, with every success story, I see the urgent needs that remain—a
Read MoreBotswana Achieves Gold Tier Status in Eliminating Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV
By Staff Reporter Botswana has achieved gold tier status in its efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. The country received this recognition during the plenary session of the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly, awarded by the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2021, Botswana became the first country in the world to
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