Category: #ICASA2023

Zim rolls out Child-friendly ARV formulations to keep children on treatment

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Minister of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), Dr Douglas Mombeshora says more than 87 percent of children in Zimbabwe are now on child-friendly Dolutegravir (DTG) based formulations. His remarks follow indications that children in Zimbabwe were lagging regarding treatment coverage and data from 2022 shows that only 69 percent of children living with HIV were on Antiretroviral Treatment compared to 95 percent of adults on ART. Speaking during a panel session of Accelerating the Implementation of the Global Alliance Country Action Plan to End AIDS in…

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Zim-TTECH Rides on Four Grants to scale-up HIV Treatment and Care at Community level

Kuda Pembere

By Michael Gwarisa As of October 1, 2023, the Zimbabwe Technical Assistance, Training and Education Centre (Zim-TTECH) is now the prime recipient of three PEPFAR grants, through the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) which will scale up HIV and Tuberculosis Treatment and Care in Zimbabwean communities. The three grants include the Care and Treatment grant, the DREAMS grant and the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) grant. Speaking to HealthTimes at the ICASA conference, Zim-TTECH Demand Creation and Training Advisor, Abisha Jonga said they aim to capacitate communities in the HIV…

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ICASA spotlights worrying trend of Viral Hepatitis in Africa

Kuda Pembere

By Michael Gwarisa More than 91 million Africans live with Hepatitis B or C, which are the deadliest strains of the virus, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) scorecard that was launched in 2021. The Viral Hepatitis Scorecard 2021 which looked at data from the African region but focused on Hepatitis B and C, both of which cause liver cirrhosis and cancer showed that in 19 countries, more than 8 percent of the population is infected with Hepatitis B, while in 18 countries, more than 1 percent of the…

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Point of care testing helps reduce MTCT

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Point of care testing in children helped Zimbabwe reduce Mother to child Transmission (MTCT), infant mortality and morbidity over the past two decades, Professor Lynn Zijenah an immunologist says. Nationally, MTCT in the early 2000s amidst the absence of HIV interventions was more than 30 percent till it dropped to 8 percent according to latest figures. Presenting a research at the Cepheid Booth at the ICASA 2023 conference, Prof Zijenah said in the research where 500 HIV positive pregnant women were enrolled they MTCT rate was 1.55…

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Africa must rope in private sector in funding HIV Programs

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere WITH the discourse on funding for HIV programs being dominated by the Government and donor partners, a leading Malawian researcher says involving players is critical through innovative means such as taxes and levies. While countries such as Zimbabwe came up with the innovative AIDS levy, it has been an envy of many African countries. Professor Ann Maureen Phoya while addressing the media at an ICASA press conference Wednesday said the private sector should be roped in the HIV response financing. “We also need to raise money through…

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Alcohol abuse and under nutrition increasing TB mortality and morbidity in Africa

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere AFRICA must also address the issue of undernourishment to prevent mortality in TB patients, a tuberculosis World Health Organization Africa regional office official  has said. Head of the Green Light Committee for TB at WHO Afro Dr Jean-Louis Abena told delegates during a session at the ICASA conference that the issue of undernutrition and alcohol use disorder are proving to be a thorn in the flesh for the continent. “But this year, undernutrition becomes one of the most contributing factor that make people become ill in TB. And…

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Zim commences Multidrug resistance TB survey to improve case detection

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe recently began a survey to sasses the burden of Multiple-drug resistance TB in the country amidst the background of low case detection, a Ministry of Health and Child Care Official said. Addressing delegates at an ICASA side event on TB, Zimbabwe’s Health ministry TB/HIV officer Mr Manners Ncube said one of the measures they are implementing to improve case detection, particularly in MDR TB is a survey. And then MDR TB case detections, 35 percent. But when you reference now to the TB in general of…

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Taxes good for increasing child budgeting for HIV says Prof Mthuli Ncube

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Minister of Finance and Investment Promotion, Professor Mthuli Ncube has defended his recent tax regime citing that it was one of the guaranteed means of boosting domestic financing for healthcare, especially HIV care. Professor Ncube recently announced a $58,2 trillion Budget for 2024 where he introduced new taxation on wealth and sugary beverages including alcohol starting January next year. He said the new levy on the sugar content of beverages was in response to growing concerns about the adverse effects of consumption of sugar, particularly in beverages.…

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East and Southern Africa Region records rise in new HIV infections among older women

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa While progress has been made regarding improving HIV health outcomes for Adolescent Young Women and Girls (AGYW) in the East, Southern African (ESA) region, a worrying trend shows that more new cases are now being recorded among older women aged between 25 to 34 years. HIV data shows that women are the face of HIV on the African continent, with 63 percent of all new infections in the continent being recorded in women and is even more pronounced among adolescent girls and young women. HIV infection rates…

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University of Zimbabwe secures US$45 Million USAID grant to Develop and Test New HIV Vaccines

Michael Gwarisa
Dr Nyaradzo Mgodi MBChB, MMed, Investigator of Record, HPTN-084 Zimbabwe – University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences Clinical Trials Research Centre, and HPTN Executive Committee Member

By Staff Reporter The University of Zimbabwe and regional partners have been issued a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) award of over US $45 million to implement the HIV Vaccine Innovation, Science, and Technology Acceleration in Africa (HIV-VISTA) program. This groundbreaking initiative aims to develop and test novel HIV vaccines in an 8-country African consortium, led by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) CEO and President, Prof Glenda Gray. The BRILLIANT (BRinging Innovation to cLinical and Laboratory research to end HIV In Africa through New vaccine Technology) consortium,…

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