Zimbabwe’s Medicines Regulatory Body Registers Lencapavir
By Michael Gwarisa The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has announced the expedited approval of Lenacapavir, an innovative long-acting medicine for pre exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV-1 infection. The MCAZ Director-General, Mr. Richard T. Rukwata, said “the rapid approval of Lenacapavir reflects the Authority’s dedication to accelerating access to trusted, high-quality health products
Read MoreHigh Demand Pushes America to Increase Lenacapavir Supply as Eswatini Gets First Shipment
By Michael Gwarisa The Kingdom of Eswatini has received its first shipment of the lifesaving HIV prevention drug Lenacapavir, a few months after becoming one of the few African countries earmarked for the rollout to take delivery. The twice-a-year injectable drug will be introduced under the America First Global Health Strategy, which guides the United
Read MoreZimbabwe to Prioritise Local Funding in New HIV Strategy
By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is set to begin developing its fifth Zimbabwe National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (ZNASP V), which will guide the country’s HIV response from 2026 to 2030. The forthcoming strategy follows the successful implementation of ZNASP IV, which runs until 2025 and has seen major progress in the fight against HIV.
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US Unveils $65 Million Bridge Plan to Sustain Zimbabwe’s HIV Respons
By Michael Gwarisa The United States Department of State, through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), has unveiled a new HIV and AIDS support fund worth US$65.1 million for Zimbabwe. The initiative, known as The Bridge Plan, will run for the next six months, with renewal contingent on the Government of Zimbabwe meeting
Read MoreNAC Hands Over Blood and Renal Units to Parirenyatwa Hospital
By Michael Gwarisa The National AIDS Council (NAC) has officially handed over two critical health projects, a Family Blood Bank and a Renal Diagnostic Unit, to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, in a move set to boost the quality of healthcare services in Zimbabwe. Speaking at the
Read MoreUnited Nations Proposes Shutting Down UNAIDS In 2026
By Staff Reporter The United Nations (UN) agency focusing on the HIV/AIDS pandemic could close by the end of next year as the UN restructures in the face of a funding crisis, according to a UN document published online. UNAIDS will “sunset” by the end of 2026, the document published on Thursday reads, part of
Read MoreZimbabwe Selected Among Ten Countries to Roll Out Breakthrough HIV Prevention Drug, Lenacapavir
By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has been selected as one of ten countries globally to roll out lenacapavir, a revolutionary new HIV prevention drug that is being hailed as a game-changer in the global fight against HIV. The announcement was made on the official U.S. Embassy Zimbabwe Facebook page, marking a historic milestone in the country’s
Read MoreAnother Devastating Blow to HIV Funding as US Congress Advances $2 Billion in Cuts
By Michael Gwarisa The future of the United States’ HIV response hangs in the balance after the House Appropriations Committee advanced a spending bill that would slash nearly $2 billion from federal HIV programs. Advocates and public health leaders are warning that if enacted, the cuts could dismantle decades of progress in the fight against
Read MoreDust, Gold, and Infection: Midlands Province Grapples with Mining-Driven HIV Epidemic
By Michael Gwarisa in Midlands Province As one descends the winding Boterekwa curves in Shurugwi in the Midlands province, the scale of mining activity becomes impossible to ignore. The landscape has transformed dramatically since the turn of the millennium. In the distance, rocks are blasted from the earth, sending thick clouds of dust into the
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UNAIDS Welcomes US Move to Expand HIV Prevention Access
By Staff Reporter UNAIDS welcomes the announcement by the US State Department that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) will be supporting an initiative by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria to provide lenacapavir to up to 2 million people in countries with high burdens of HIV. Lenacapavir, an American-based
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