Category: NON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Zimbabwe Makes Inroads In Addressing Severe NCDs Through The PEN-Plus Strategy

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) data, more than 560 000 avoidable deaths occur annually among the world’s poorest children and young adults with nearly 100 000 of these deaths being caused by only four conditions namely Type 1 diabetes mellitus, sickle cell disease, rheumatic and congenital heart disease. Just like most countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, Zimbabwe is experiencing a huge burden in Severe Non-Communicable Diseases which, unlike ordinary NCDs, do not get much public health attention despite them accounting for several deaths every…

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Turning Lemons into Lemonade: How Type 1 Diabetic Survivor Tinotenda Dzikiti Is Conquering The World Stage

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa At age 13, in 2010, Tinotenda Dzikiti accompanied his parents for the Christmas holidays in the village. Unbeknown to him, his life was about to change in the coming few days. What started as normal festive mood cravings for fizzy drinks, food and sweet things later turned out to be symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes, a condition he has had to live with ever since. Even in the few weeks preceding the Christmas holidays, Tino started losing weight and developing an insatiable appetite for fluids and sweet…

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Calls for Africa to Scale Up Newborn Screening for Sickle Cell Disease to Address Growing Burden Get Louder

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Globally, about 8 Million people live with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), according to the Lancet 2023 data. The disease is largely prevalent in populations with ancestral ties to Sub-Saharan Africa, regions in the Western Hemisphere namely, South America, the Caribbean, and Central America), Saudi Arabia, India and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy. Sickle Cell Disease is a lifelong chronic disease and most of the children born with the disease in Sub-Saharan Africa struggle to access services due to lack of diagnostic tools, and proven…

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Communities A Vital Cog In Addressing Severe NCDs In Africa-Dr Benido

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), continue to exert unwarranted pressure on Africa’s healthcare system, with data from the 2022 World Health Organisation (WHO) NCDs progress monitor estimating that between 50 percent and 88 percent of deaths being recorded in seven African countries, mostly small island nations, are due to non-communicable disease. The UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.4 calls for all Member States to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by one-third in 2030 through prevention, treatment and promoting mental health and well-being. However, over the years,…

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NCDs In African Children Put On The Spotlight As Inaugural ICPPA Conference Kicks Off In Tanzania

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania The First International Conference on the PEN-Plus Regional Strategy to Address Severe Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Africa (ICPPA), has commenced in Tanzania, amidst calls for increased investment towards prevention, research and care for childhood NCDs. The four-day confrence is running from April 23 to  April 25 2024, under the theme, “Prioritising Person-Centered Approach to Chronic and Severe NCDs-Type 1 Diabetes, Sickle Cell Diseases, and Childhood Heart Diseases.” The conference is being hosted by the  Tanzania Ministry of Health in Tanzania and the…

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Challenges hamper cervical cancer fight in Zim

Kuda Pembere

By Kudakwashe Pembere A plethora of challenges within the public health sector are stalling Zimbabwe’s progress in the elimination of cervical cancer which despite commendably rolling out some programs, the country is ranked fourth regionally and globally in terms of the disease burden. The battle against cervical cancer in Zimbabwe is far from being won until these challenges bedeviling the public health delivery system are resolved. Amongst the challenges mentioned are the malfunctioning radiotherapy machines, shortage of cervical cancer specialists and staff as well as laboratory equipment and pathologists. This…

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Touching The Light Again After Losing Eyesight In Adulthood: Dorothy Duncan Braille Library’s Legacy To Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Imagine growing up functioning like any normal child, only to lose your eyesight in your adulthood. Such is the story of 33-year-old Tendai David Muranganwa, who in 2015 lost his eyesight following a severe Meningitis diagnosis. In early November of the same year, before the Meningitis diagnosis, Tendai was involved in a minor car accident which subsequently led to a series of headaches. On November 20, 2015, Tendai was hospitalised and diagnosed with a severe case of Meningitis. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Meningitis is…

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More than Half of Zimbabwe’s population could be Obese by 2035

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Despite having a small population of 15.99 million according to the 2022 National Population and Housing Census Data, Zimbabwe’s obesity levels could soon engulf more than half of its population amidst indications of an increase in the prevalence of early disability and death due to obesity. Recent data from the annual World Obesity Atlas shows that 79% of adults with overweight and obesity will live in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) by 2035 while 88% of children with overweight and obesity will be living in LMICs by…

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Zim’s National Cancer Control Plan on cards

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere The Ministry of Health and Child Care is on the verge of completing the National Cancer Control Plan to guide Zimbabwe in the management of cancer in the country. This was said by Mr Lee Nkala from the Health Ministry’s Non-Communicable Diseases Department during the commemorations of International Childhood Cancer Day at KidzCan Offices in Harare last Thursday running under the theme, “Unveiling Challenges.” International Childhood Cancer Day is a global collaborative campaign to raise awareness about childhood cancer and to express support for children and adolescents…

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Parirenyatwa Hospital Receives US$50,000 Worth Of Chemotherapy Drugs

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a bid to ease the burden of costs associated with accessing cancer treatment, TM Pick n Pay, CABS, in partnership with the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe (CAZ), have donated Chemotherapy Drugs to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals Oncology department. The drugs are worth US$50,000 and will be administered free of charge to Cancer patients in need of treatment. In his acceptance speech, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals Clinical director, Dr Morgan Mhlanga said many patients struggle to access Chemotherapy drugs due to the exorbitant costs associated with the…

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