Malaria kills 151

Malaria has to date reportedly killed more than 150 people in Zimbabwe with over 92 000 cases having thus far been recorded this year. By Staff Reporter The disease according to the Ministry of Health and Child Care Weekly Diseases Surveillance report for the period 17 to 23 October was endemic in Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central as each provinces had more than 400 cases recorded. “Meanwhile, the 2022 cumulative cases for Malaria stand at 92 310 and 151 deaths,” the Ministry of Health and Child Care said The Health…

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Five Malaria Causing Species

Malaria is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium – single-celled organisms that cannot survive outside of their host(s). Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for the majority of malaria deaths globally and is the most prevalent species in sub-Saharan Africa. The remaining species are not typically as life threatening as P. falciparum. Plasmodium vivax, is the second most significant species and is prevalent in Southeast Asia and Latin America. P. vivax and Plasmodium ovale have the added complication of a dormant liver stage, which can be reactivated in the absence of…

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Cyclone Idai Pushes Up Malaria Cases and Deaths

MALARIA cases and deaths rose by 11 percent and 18, 5 percent respectively from the beginning of the year on the back of flooding caused by Cyclone Idai, a Health and Child Care Ministry official said on Thursday. By Kudakwashe Pembere Speaking on behalf of Health Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo, the ministry’s Acting Permanent Secretary Dr Gibson Sibanda told journalists that change in weather patterns hamper the efforts made in eliminating malaria in Zimbabwe. “However despite these achievements there were some challenges. This year’s weather changes which alternated between long…

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Substantial Drop In Zim Malaria Cases and Deaths

ZIMBABWE recorded 192 malaria deaths in 2018 representing a significant 63 percent drop compared to the previous year. By Kudakwashe Pembere A progress in eliminating malaria, the country achieved another feat where malaria cases were reduced by 44 percent in the same period. “There were 264 278 malaria cases and 192 deaths in Zimbabwe in 2018. This represents a substantial decline from the previous year: a 44 percent reduction in cases and a 63 percent reduction in deaths,” said the ministry. This feat could not have been achieved without the assistance…

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First Malaria Vaccine To Be Tested In Malawi

A large-scale trial of what has been called the world’s first malaria vaccine to give partial protection to children is due to start in Malawi. The RTS,S vaccine trains the immune system to attack the malaria parasite, which is spread by mosquito bites. SOURCE: BBC Earlier, smaller trials showed that nearly 40% of the 5-to-17-month-olds who received it were protected. Malaria cases appear to be on the rise again after a decade of success in combating the deadly disease. “This is a landmark moment for immunisations, malaria control, and public…

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WHO Okays Gvt Oral Cholera Vaccines Request

HEALTH and Child Care Ministry will in less than a fortnight receive the oral cholera vaccines they requested after their order was approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO). By Kudakwashe Pembere Health Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo told HealthTimes they expect the 475 000 OCV within two weeks. “The world health organisation has okayed our order for oral cholera vaccine. They have given us at least 14 days before we start receiving them. So we are waiting for that order to arrive then we shall go out and vaccinate the…

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Global Fund Team on Funds Tracking Visit To Zim

A Global Fund Team will arrive in Zimbabwe in a fortnight to assess the implementation and procurement progress of projects they fund. By Kudakwashe Pembere This emerged out of the Zimbabwe Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) update meeting on Wednesday which is regularly held to track funding, procurement and implementation patterns for Malaria, HIV and Tuberculosis. It was established in response to requirements and recommendations of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (” The Global Fund ” – GF) where GF processes at country level should be led by…

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#BREAKING: Public Health Bill finally gazetted

By Daniel Phiri  THE much awaited Public Health Bill (PHB) that seeks among other things to replace the outdated Public Health Act enacted in 1924 has been gazetted and will soon be making its way to Parliament for First Reading. Although it has been designated as urgent, the Public Health Bill has faced a lot of delays along the way which include a shortage of staff at the Attorney General’s office coupled with other delays at the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) offices owing to unavailability of the…

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MDC blames Govt for Tsholotsho accident disaster …says Ministry of Health was negligent

By Daniel Phiri MDC-N says government especially the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) are to blame for the accident which killed about 21 health workers along Tsholotsho-Sipepa Road on Saturday. The deceased people were part of a 69 team of malaria campaigners and environmental health technicians who were travelling in a MoHCC Nissan UD truck on their way to start spraying in Tsholotsho after finishing Binga, Nkayi and Lupane. In a statement, MDC-N Matabeleland North Chairperson Leonard Mhlanga said his party was moved by the disaster considering the…

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21 Malaria Technicians Perish In Tsholotsho Accident

By Michael Gwarisa A team of 21 Malaria sprayers and environmental health technicians died while several others were injured in a road accident in Tsholotsho while on duty. Details of the cause of accident are yet to be ascertained: Speaking to HealthTimes in an interview, Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) National Malaria Coordinator, Dr Joseph Mberi said he was saddened by the loss and was proceeding to Tsholothso to get the details as to what actually transpired. “I just also received the news and I am just going…

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