Category: MENTAL HEALTH

Drug and Substance Abuse Hits Zimbabwe’s Working Class Hard

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwaris Contrary to the common belief that drug and substance abuse primarily affects unemployed youth and adolescents, recent data reveals that Zimbabwe’s working class faces a similarly high incidence of substance use. According to national data, males represent the majority of mental health cases linked to drug and substance use, underscoring the severe impact on mental health among this demographic. You find that the working class in Zimbabwe also has a high usage of illicit drugs and substances. Adolescents have a 37 percent rate of drug and substance…

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PSH Takes A Stand Against Drug And Substance Abuse In Harare

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Taking the fight against a disturbing trend of drug and substance abuse in Zimbabwe were Chadcombe and Msasa Park residents who held a campaign against this scourge in partnership with Faith Ministries International Chadcombe, alongside Population Solutions for Health (PSH), the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network (ZCLDN). Gogo Rwasunda a resident in Masasa Park told this publication  she had to attend the event as her son is battling with drug and substance misuse. She resonated with the motto, “The Strength is in you to turn down…

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Collaboration In Workplace Mental Health Leads To A Healthier Workforce

Abigail T.S. Mudokwani

By Abigail T.S. Mudokwani The World Health Organisation (WHO), estimates that depression and anxiety cause twelve billion lost working days annually, and that the diminished productivity caused by these two mental health issues alone costs the world economy $1 trillion (USD) annually. As a result, there is an increasing need for creating psychologically safe work environments. As employers deepen their focus on mental health, a debate has inadvertently been sparked on who between the employer and the employee is responsible for workplace mental health. One school of thinking holds that…

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The Burden Of Unpaid Care Work On The Mental Health Of Low-earning Women in Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Every morning, Felistas Makombe (32), from Ruwa has to wake up early and leave for work around 5:00 Am. She works as a cleaner in one of the leading cleaning companies in Zimbabwe. She has to take the earliest bus into town to ensure she gets to work on time and starts cleaning before offices open. With the ongoing road rehabilitation projects in Harare, most roads have been closed and motorists have to either make plans to leave work early or find alternative routes on time lest…

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PSH commemorates the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Population Solutions for Health (PSH) today joined the world in commemorating the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. At an event held at the Embassy of Sweden in Harare, youngsters from high school and some universities alongside other youths were commended for opening up on drug and substance abuse which the Ambassador of Sweden to Zimbabwe, His Excellency Per Lindgärde finds helpful in reducing further damage caused by this scourge. The commemoration comes at a time when PSH is spearheading a campaign dubbed The Strength…

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The Church’s Role In Addressing Mental Health Challenges Amongst Believers

Chaplain Simbarashe Chenjerai

By Chaplain Simbarashe Chenjerai The world is facing a plethora of challenges such wars, famines, unemployment, droughts, cyclones among other ills. This has resulted in a number of public health challenges including mental health related woes. Over the years, there has been an increase in the incidence of drug and substance abuse, depression, anxiety among other mental health challenges. It is against this background that this article seeks to explore the role of the Church in addressing the growing mental health scourge. Christians and believers are not immune to mental…

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United For Prevention Coalition Sensitises Parliament on Need to Integrate Drug and Substance Abuse In the National HIV Prevention Response

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a bid to capacitate members of Parliament with information and share the latest data and trends regarding the scourge of drug and substance abuse in Zimbabwe, SAFAIDS recently held a one-day capacity-building workshop with members from the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health. While traditional methods of administering drugs and substances such as smoking and ingestion remain prevalent, the latest trends such as drug injection and Bluetooth or Flashblood whereby a syringe full of intoxicated blood is passed from someone who has just injected heroin to someone…

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Parirenyatwa’s Kangaroo Mother care halves neonatal mortality in a month

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Immediate Kangaroo Mother Care (IKMC) has the ability of halving neonatal mortality as evidenced at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospital’s Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Hospital over the past month. Speaking to journalists during a tour of the IKMC unit, specialist neonatologist Dr Alexander Stevenson explained that preterm babies are instantly placed on the mother’s chest before the umbilical cord is cut. So, here’s my Christian and I have my Christian’s consent to share her story, because in fact we can tell the whole story in just those microcosms here.…

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“I Attempted Suicide Twice:” Songbird Pauline Gundidza Recounts Journey With Drug and Substance Addiction

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Drug and substance addiction is very common in the music industry, and Psychologists have identified several reasons why musicians find it easy to slide into addiction. These range from the easy accessibility of drugs since most of the time musicians play in clubs and pubs where drug peddling is rife. Fame and fortune, immaturity, money, nomadic lifestyles as they tend to be on the roads most of the time, and generally a Laissez-faire kind of attitude have been linked to the high prevalence of drug and substance…

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Sweden Injects US$1.9 Million towards Zimbabwe’s Anti-Drug Abuse Campaign

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a bid to support Zimbabwe’s efforts to curb the souring drug and substance abuse crises, the Embassy of Sweden in Zimbabwe has availed an amount to the tune of US$1.9 Million towards “The Strength is in You” anti-drug campaign. The US$1.9m grant for the Anti-Drugs Campaign is part of the Swedish Embassy’s overall efforts to address negative practices in Zimbabwe. The campaign is being implemented by the Population Solutions for Health (PSH), and is aimed at raising awareness on the dangers of drug use, provide support…

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