Why Africans and Europeans React To Medicines Differently: Zimbabwean Scientist Tests Effectiveness of Pharmacogenetics in African Populations

Michael Gwarisa

While some patients experience adverse drug reactions (ADRs) when taking medicines, others do not, and in some cases, others do not receive therapeutic benefits from treatment regardless of dosage. One reason for this inter-individual variation in response is differences in genes that code for proteins important in drug response. This has given rise to the field of Pharmacogenomics (PGx), which seeks to identify biomarkers that predict drug response and apply them in the provision of PGx-guided precision medicine. Following years of repeated Pharmacogenomics (PGx) research, which sought to identify biomarkers…

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UNICEF Issues Emergency Tender To Secure Mpox Vaccines For Crisis-hit African Countries

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter UNICEF has announced that it has issued an emergency tender for the procurement of mpox vaccines. Vaccines can play a critical role in containing the mpox outbreak which was declared a public health emergency by both the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The UNICEF tender is issued to help secure mpox vaccines for the hardest hit countries in collaboration with Africa CDC, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO, the Pan American Health Organization and other partners. This collaboration…

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Africa CDC Develops Mpox Surveillance Reporting Protocol for African Union Member States

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a bid to enhance existing mpox surveillance in Africa, identify at risk populations as well as understand the epidemiology, natural history and risk factors associated with mpox, the Africa Centre for Diseases Control (Africa CDC) has developed an Mpox surveillance protocol for member states. The new protocol recommends enhancing surveillance within communities and health facilities and, at the point of entries, linking these efforts to national and regional laboratories for confirmation. Countries are encouraged to share the case-based data with the African CDC and the WHO…

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CIMAS Acquires Mobile Clinic

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwairsa In a groundbreaking development, Cimas has acquired a mobile clinic, a customised motor vehicle that will be staffed by a combination of health experts to bring essential healthcare services on wheels directly to communities in need. The Cimas mobile clinic was being showcased at the just ended Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) in Harare, an internationally recognised exhibition where industrial and agricultural trends, ideas, and innovative products are unveiled. This year’s theme was “Cultivating Prosperity: Growing Business. Innovating for Change. Nurturing our Future”. Cimas Health Group Chief Executive…

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Junk and processed Foods Driving Non-Communicable Diseases in Zimbabwe’s Young People

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is experiencing a surge in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) linked to poor lifestyles and consumption of unhealthy diets, the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has warned. Recent data from the annual Obesity Atlas shows that 2.9 million Zimbabwean children will be having high Body Mass Index (BMI) by year 2035 and the number of children who had high BMI in 2020 was 1,155,173. This according to the report will likely trigger an increase in stroke related health complications, diabetes linked to BMI among other conditions.…

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OPHID Hosts Workshop To Address Healthcare Infodemic in Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Kadoma In a bid to capacitate health communicators from the government, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), local authorities and health media, the Organisation for Public Health Interventions and Development (OPHID), is holding a three-day Infodemic Management capacity-building workshop. The infodemic management workshop is happening in Kadoma in collaboration with Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) and project partner organisations, JFKapnek, and ZNNP+ – with technical support from USAID. An infodemic by definition is an excessive amount of information about a problem that is typically unreliable, spreads rapidly,…

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The reality behind the ‘Chinese debt trap’ myth in Africa

Healthtimes

By Hannah Ryde For years, there have been sweeping concerns of African countries falling “victim” to a Chinese “debt trap” – whereby Chinese lenders provide unsustainable loans to African countries. Such narratives are problematic, as African countries are portrayed as inferior or incompetent in their engagement with Chinese creditors, while their Chinese counterparts are presented as predatory in their engagement with Africa. Indeed, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed these narratives emerging once again, despite vast amounts of data debunking this theory. This narrative is also extremely harmful, as it…

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Monkeypox: A Global Health Threat – who sounds the Alarm?

Healthtimes

By Dr. Amit Singh Monkeypox is a viral disease of animal origin. It occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions.  Common symptoms of mpox include a rash which may last for 2–4 weeks. This may start with, or be followed by, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen glands (lymph nodes). The rash looks like blisters or sores, and can affect the face, palms of the hands, soles of the feet, groin, genital and/or anal regions.…

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#BREAKING: Tanzania’s Ndungile Lands WHO Afro Director Job

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter Member of Parliament and Tanzania’s Medical Doctor, Dr Faustine Ndugulile has been elected the new Regional Director for Africa at the World Health Organization (WHO). He takes over from Dr Matshidiso Moeti, from Botswana, first woman to be elected to the position who had steered the ship for 10 years since 2015. Ndugulile is a Medical Doctor who specialized in Public Health and Medical Microbiology. Dr. Ndugulile joined politics in 2010 and he has been a Member of Parliament for Kigamboni Constituency in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania…

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Unpaid Care Work Widens Economic Gap For Women In Zimbabwe- Report

Ntokozo Gudu
Musa Hove Safaids hands over SOF Report to Minister Mutsvangwa

By Ntokozo Gudu A new report, the State of The Father Report shows that men in Zimbabwe participate in more financially rewarding work while women struggle with the burden of unpaid work. The report was launched in Harare by SAfAIDS in partnership with ADA partners, Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises (MWACSMED) and Sonke Gender Justice in a bid to improve their understanding on the state of fathers towards unpaid care work project. Findings from the report reveal a widening care-giving gap, as women in Zimbabwe take…

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