By Edinah Masiyiwa In response to the pressure from early marriages and the rise of adolescent pregnancy, a new law was passed in Zimbabwe that raised the age for sexual consent from 16 to 18 years. This is known as the Criminal Laws Amendment (Protection of Children and Young Persons Act 2024) and it criminalises having sex with persons under the age of 18 years. The law also criminalises deliberate infection of the child with HIV or any other sexually transmitted disease. This is a law that has been passed because Zimbabweans…
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Demystifying Medical Aid In Zimbabwe
By Health Reporter Medical aid is a form of insurance where members pay a monthly fee (called a contribution or premium) in return for financial cover for medical treatment or related medical expenses when the need arises. Medical aid members contribute money into a pool on a regular basis to cover health related expenses for any one of the contributing members as and when the need arises. The medical aid concept operates on the principle of cross subsidy. The well subsidize the sick, and the young subsidize the old. Due…
Read MoreMajor Unethical Medical Experiments That Rocked Zimbabwe
By Michael Gwarisa Ethics can be defined as principles of morality, particularly those dealing with right or wrong of an action. Just like any profession, medical practitioners are expected to adhere to ethical practices in their day to day conduct as the profession involves saving lives and restoring hope in people. The profession is more than just a white coat where professionalism should transcend technical expertise. A report on Ethics in the medical field by Avalon University states that Ethical practices lead to more informed decisions, fewer errors, and better…
Read MoreIs it seasonal flu, COVID-19 or something else?
By Dr Grant Murewanhema We are at the peak of our winter in Zimbabwe, and there is a strong bug in circulation. Recent reports of several hospitalised people and deaths attributable to ‘flu’ over the past few weeks have led to some distressed calls. A few weeks ago, our Ministry of Health and Child Care issued a statement, boldly stating that the current ‘bout of flu’ is due to seasonal influenza. However, in Zim, preCOVID-19, people were generally not aware of people dying from ‘flu’. Those living in Western countries…
Read MoreThe Church’s Role In Addressing Mental Health Challenges Amongst Believers
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…
Read MoreThe Need For Youth-Friendly Adolescent Sexual And Reproductive Health Services
By Olindah Tariro Chademana According to the United Nations, youths are individuals aged between 15 and 24 years. Youth-friendly services, as defined by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), are health services that respect the rights of young people and take their diverse sexual and reproductive lives into account. The World Health Organisation (WHO) supports this definition and adds that youth-friendly health services should be trusted and catered specifically to young people, with the principles of accessibility, acceptability, equity, appropriateness, and effectiveness in mind. It is crucial that health and…
Read MoreMaking Waves with Adolescent Girls and Young Women In HIV and AIDS Programing
By Young Female Leaders in the HIV HIV remains a significant public health threat. Without addressing the social determinants, the status quo persists. Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in the Sub-Saharan region, including Zimbabwe, still face limited leadership opportunities in the HIV response. The 2023 World AIDS Day theme serves as a reminder that communities must lead for interventions to be sustainable. It’s time to shift the perspective on AGYW—from mere service users to capable service providers. According to the Global AIDS Strategy 2021-2026, community-led organizations, especially those led…
Read MoreMaking abortion safe: Reflections from SRHR Champions from Zimbabwe:
By Mildred Mushunje (PhD) Introduction Access to safe abortion remains a contenscious issue for activists keen to see the liberalisation of abortion in Zimbabwe. Currently, the 1977 Termination of Pregnancy Act allows for an abortion under the restricted circumstances of rape, incest and health (ToP, 1977). There are various advocacy efforts underway in the country to expand the circumstances. One such effort is that supported by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RCOG), which is a professional membership organization in the United Kingdom that sets standards and provides guidance…
Read MoreLeveraging Private Sector to Reduce Unsafe Abortions
Dr Munyaradzi Murwira Due to the restrictive abortion laws in Zimbabwe, both medical and non-medical individuals clandestinely perform most of the abortions. Legal and administrative barriers coupled with stigma among both women and health service providers, and fear of social repercussions as well as risking imprisonment are barriers to access legal abortion in Zimbabwe. The legal termination of pregnancy is performed only in public health facilities at district, provincial and central hospitals, after authorisation from the magistrate. Rather than reduce abortion incidence, the restrictive abortion laws result in women pursuing…
Read MoreKey highlights of Zimbabwe’s CAC guidelines and next steps
By Memory Pamella Kadau Introduction Zimbabwe’s recently updated and adopted Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC) Guidelines. However, the legal framework remains the biggest stumbling block to access to safe abortion under the Termination of Pregnancy (ToP) Act. The article focuses on key aspects of the CAC guidelines, such as consent and counselling, medical eligibility for post-abortion care, infection prevention and control strategies, and standard precautions. Additionally, the article suggests advocacy initiatives that are necessary to facilitate the effective implementation of these guidelines, thereby enhancing abortion care and supporting women’s bodily autonomy.…
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