WHO Pushes Expansion of PEN-Plus to 30 African Countries Ahead of Tanzania Conference
By Michael Gwarisa The World Health Organization (WHO) is preparing to expand its PEN-Plus programme to 30 African countries beginning this year as governments, health experts and development partners gather momentum to tackle the continent’s growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The planned expansion comes ahead of the 3rd International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa (ICPPA
Read More
WHO Africa Director Calls for Greater Investment in Safe Blood Systems as Region Marks World Blood Donor Day
By Michael Gwarisa As the world commemorates World Blood Donor Day 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Prof Mohamed Yakub Janabi, has called for stronger investment in blood services across the continent, warning that demand for safe blood continues to outpace supply. In his World Blood Donor Day message, Prof Janabi
Read More
WHO, Africa CDC launch US$518 million continental Ebola preparedness plan
Michael Gwarisa The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have launched a US$517.7 million joint continental preparedness and response plan aimed at containing the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak and preventing its spread across Africa. The six-month plan, covering June to November 2026, seeks to strengthen surveillance,
Read More
Mozambique Rolls Out Lenacapavir for HIV Prevention
Michael Gwarisa Mozambique yesterday joined other African countries that have introduced and added Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable HIV prevention drug, into their biomedical prevention methods. Other countries that have introduced the HIV prevention drug include Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In Mozambique, the official launch was hosted at the
Read More
Condom Price Hikes Spur Africa Manufacturing Push
Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says rising global condom prices should serve as a wake up call for African countries to scale up local manufacturing and reduce dependence on imports. The warning follows a recent announcement by Karex, one of the world’s largest producers, of price increases of up to
Read More
The Cost of Inaction: Urgent Attention to Abortion Law in Zimbabwe
By Mildred Mushunje (PhD) & Dean Mutata (BSc, MSc) Background Zimbabwe’s health crisis is often framed in terms of economic decline or health financing gaps. Yet there is another crisis, silent, gendered, and entirely preventable, rooted in abortion policy inaction. Trapped between inherited colonial law, religious anxiety, and political discomfort and misinformed moralistic judgemental attitudes,
Read More
World Health Day Theme Reflected in Zimbabwe’s IVF Breakthroughs
Staff Reporter Zimbabwe joins the world in marking World Health Day today (April 7) under the theme “Together for Health. Stand with Science.” This year’s theme highlights how scientific innovation is transforming healthcare, making advanced solutions more inclusive and accessible. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of the most striking examples of science at work.
Read More
Prescribing Knowledge: Health Literacy Initiative Africa to Launch Movement That Could Transform Health Outcomes
Michael Gwarisa Preventable diseases continue to devastate families across Africa. The impact goes beyond individual households, overstretching healthcare systems and limiting access for those in need. These outcomes are no longer explained solely by medicine shortages or weak infrastructure. Health experts increasingly point to a widespread lack of health literacy as a silent but critical
Read MoreGlobal Fund Appeals for Support Ahead of 8th Replenishment, Calls for African Ownership of HIV Programs
By Michael Gwarisa in Durban The Global Fund last night took to the platform at the ongoing 4th CPHIA Conference in Durban, South Africa, to call for support towards the 8th Replenishment, aimed at strengthening HIV programs amid shrinking donor support. The Global Fund’s 8th Replenishment is a campaign launched in 2025 to raise 18
Read More