Drug Harm Reduction Expert Raises Red Flag Over Zimbabwe’s Militarised Rehabilitation Centres
By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe’s growing drug and substance abuse crisis has renewed debate over how people who use drugs are treated, with harm reduction expert Wilson Box questioning the effectiveness of militarised and highly regimented rehabilitation programmes. Box argues that drug dependence should be approached primarily as a public health issue rather than through punitive
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ZCLDN Challenges Lenacapavir Rollout Over Exclusion of People Who Inject Drugs
By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network (ZCLDN) has challenged the country’s rollout of lenacapavir, raising concern that people who use and inject drugs are being left out while other key populations have been identified among the priority groups for the HIV prevention technology. Speaking at a media advocacy dialogue in Harare on
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All I Need Is a Warm Hug”: For Rio’s Drug Users, Harm Reduction Begins With Humanity
By Michael Gwarisa For more than a year, 59-year-old Lilian Leonel has lived on the streets of Maré, one of Rio de Janeiro’s largest favela complexes. Her journey there, she says, was shaped by a complicated mix of personal struggles, family circumstances and drug use. But Leonel is quick to challenge what she believes is
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Is your child talking to someone you don’t know?
Abigail T.S Mudokwani If you have a teenager at home, this scene may feel familiar. They are in their room, door slightly closed. The phone is in their hand. They smile, maybe even laugh quietly. You call out, “Uri kuita sei?” or “What are you up to?” “Nothing,” they answer. And life moves on. But
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Zimbabwe Dismantles 31 Drug Bases as Nearly 3 000 Suspects Are Taken to Court
Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has intensified its fight against drug and substance abuse, with authorities dismantling 31 drug bases, arraigning nearly 3 000 suspects before the courts, and expanding rehabilitation and youth empowerment programmes across the country. Presenting an update during a recent Cabinet briefing, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said the government, through the Zimbabwe National Committee on
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Africa CDC Trains Diverse Leaders to Close Africa’s Mental Health Treatment Gap
WATCH: Africa CDC Trains New Leaders to Close Africa’s Mental Health Treatment Gap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW1XAFxxtVE&t=34s Michael Gwarisa In 2015, Pamhidzai-Violet Togara lost her job. A few months later, her marriage collapsed, pushing her into a severe mental health crisis. “My husband took another wife soon after I lost my job. He told me to take it
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New Global Research Grants Open for Mental Health Nurse Practitioners to Study Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
Michael Gwarisa Pharmaceutical company Alkermes plc has unveiled a new research funding initiative aimed at supporting psychiatric nurse practitioners who are working to improve treatment for serious mental health conditions. The company announced that applications for the first Alkermes Pathways APN Research Awards™ will officially open on March 16, 2026, offering funding opportunities to advanced
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Africa CDC, UZ Train New Cohort to Tackle Mental Health Burden
By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe is hosting the Africa CDC–University of Zimbabwe Mental Health Leadership Programme for the second consecutive year, as efforts intensify to address the growing burden of mental health disorders across the continent. Convened for the Southern African region, the two-week training course began on Monday and will run until 13 March. This
Read MoreGambling: The New Mental Health Crisis Stalking Zimbabwe
By Method Moyo (Counselling Psychology Intern) Gambling, while often viewed as a form of entertainment, can lead to addiction and devastating consequences. Take, for example, Tawanda (not his real name), a 32-year-old man from the Makoni area of Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. Initially a promising professional, Tawanda’s casual gambling evolved into a compulsive behavior fueled by cognitive
Read MoreThe silent weight of love – a mother’s journey raising a child with disability
Abstract The birth of a child with a disability presents significant psychological challenges for mothers, often resulting in heightened emotional distress, including grief, depression, and anxiety. Mothers raising children with disabilities often bear a profound, yet silent, emotional and physical burden. This article reviews the psychological effects experienced by these mothers, identifies contributing factors, and
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