CWGH Archives - HealthTimes

Relying On Donor Funding Threatens UHC Attainment in Zimbabwe

November 11, 2020 Michael Gwarisa

COMMUNITY Working Group on Health (CWGH) Executive Director, Mr. Itai Rusike says the current scenario whereby the health sector is heavily reliant on donor funding was unsustainable. By Michael Gwarisa Addressing media training of Health Budgeting reporting, Mr Rusike said the country’s vision of attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC) was hanging by a thread owing to poor funding towards the healthcare sector and should donors one day pull the plug, Zimbabwe could be found in an even worse health situation. When the Global Fund is no longer able to fund…

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President must appoint Minister of Health and a Substantive Secretary of Health

July 23, 2020 Michael Gwarisa

THE Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) has implored President Emmerson Mnangagwa to urgently appoint a minister of Health and Substantive Secretary of Health. By Michael Gwarisa CWGH Executive Director, Mr Itai Rusike said the health ministry can not continue to run on auto pilot. Without a Minister of Health and Child Care (MOHCC) and a substantive Secretary for Health, surely the health ministry is on auto-pilot drive. And the situation on the ground is telling. That there is no Minister of Health to lead from the front to deal…

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Naming & Shaming Quarantine Escapees Fuel COVID-19 Stigma

June 15, 2020June 15, 2020 Michael Gwarisa

IN as much as disclosure of names and details of quarantine escapees is good for managing and controlling the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19, the practice fuels stigma and discrimination for escapees and COVID-19 affected and infected individuals, the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) has warned. By Michael Gwarisa In a statement, CWGH Executive Director, Mr Itai Rusike said as an organization, they abhor the naming and shaming of people who escape from the country’s quarantine centres by government as this excerbates and entrenches stigma and discrimination against the escapees…

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Gvt Criticised For Dumping COVID-19 Expenses On Citizens

May 4, 2020 Michael Gwarisa

THE Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) has taken a swipe at government for imposing mandatory testing and wearing of face masks for citizens and employees without putting in place measures to ensure the services are available to citizens at subsidized rates or no cost at all. By Michael Gwarisa A survey conducted by HealthTimes indicates that a COVID-19 test at a private health facility is within the range of US$25 and US$50 per worker whereas in some instances, some facilities are charging between US$60 and US$70 per employee. According…

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CWGH Salutes Zim Front-line Health Workers Fighting COVID-19

April 30, 2020 Michael Gwarisa

THE Community Working Group On Health (CWGH) has paid tribute to health workers at the forefront of the COVID-19 battle despite Zimbabwe’s health delivery system being in shambles. By Michael Gwarisa In their workers day solidarity day message, CWGH Executive Director Mr Itai Rusike said it was high time government recognizes health workers and pay meaningful and livable wages. This year’s national Worker’s Day theme; “Stop Covid-19 Pandemic: Scale up social protection and dialogue, save jobs and pay a living wage”, befits the current environment which emphasizes stopping the spread…

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Consult Before Extending Lockdwon, Health Experts Warn

April 14, 2020 Michael Gwarisa

PUBLIC health experts have called on President Emerson Mnangagwa to consult various stakeholders from all sectors before instituting a lockdown extension. By Michael Gwarisa Even though President Emmerson Mnangagwa has not announced any plans to extend the Lockdown, various sections of the economy believe an extension should not be a copy and paste scenario. Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) Executive Director, Mr Itai Rusike said the lockdown extension needs extensive consultations lest innocent lives will be endangered especially those who rely heavily on the informal sector. The lockdown extension…

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#COVID-19: Share Correct Information To Avoid Stigma & Discrimination

March 26, 2020 Michael Gwarisa

THE Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) has called on government and its stakeholders to be consistent in theory information dissemination processes to curd stigma and discrimination associated with the virus. By Michael Gwarisa CWGH Executive Director, Mr Itai Rusike said in as much as they commend the government for putting additional precautionary measures against the possible spread of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), there should be a systematic means of sharing information to the public. Zimbabwe has so far recorded three confirmed cases of the disease which has killed thousands of…

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Desperate Zimbos Turn To Crowd Funding For Healthcare Financing

January 20, 2020January 20, 2020 Michael Gwarisa

IN a country where medical aid coverage is less than 10 percent, ordinary Zimbabweans who can’t afford medical aid cover and health insurance have found solace in crowd funding initiatives for critical surgeries and treatment for complicated ailments. By Michael Gwarisa According to the Association of Healthcare Funders Zimbabwe (AHFoZ), medical aid coverage has dropped from a high of 10 percent in 2018 to the current 9 percent, making it untenable for majority of Zimbabweans whose life savings and hard earned cash has turned into manure since August 2018 at…

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CSOs Pressure Gvt To Appoint New NAC Board and CEO

January 13, 2020 Michael Gwarisa

THE National AIDS Council (NAC) which has gone for more than 365 days with neither a substantive board nor Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has come under fire from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) who believe the development was impacting negatively on the national HIV response. By Michael Gwarisa Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo dissolved the NAC board a year ago a few weeks after former NAC CEO, Dr Tapuwa Magure had resigned. Since January 2019, Mr Raymond Yekeye the NAC Operations Manager and Mr Alfred Manenji the Finance…

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Cut Expenditure On Military and Channel Funds To Health

November 21, 2019 Michael Gwarisa

THE Zimbabwe national budget should cease prioritising military expenditure and channel funds towards the ailing health sector in order to reduce internal conflict from disgruntled healthcare workers. By Michael Gwarisa Giving an analysis of the 2020 Health Budget, Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) Executive Director, Mr Itai Rusike said the 2020 budget has remained static and largely uninspiring and the humongous allocation of fund to the military was worrisome. While the Ministries of Basic Education and Health got the second and third highest votes after agriculture, their allocations at…

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