DR FUNGAI KAVENGA Archives

In Zimbabwe, a Mobile App “One Impact” Has Enhanced Human Rights Outcomes for Persons with TB

August 5, 2024August 5, 2024 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa As a young person who has survived Tuberculosis (TB), Munyaradzi Saruchera (27) from Dzivarasekwa in Harare now wants to make an impact in Zimbabwe’s TB response. He volunteers as a TB champion under the Stop TB Partnership Zimbabwe. His roles encompass getting feedback from the TB community regarding access to services, monitoring TB patients, and following them up to check if they adhere to medications. He also monitors the availability of TB services and commodities such as TB medicines, and screening services. However, collecting data and feedback…

Zimbabwe’s TB Financing Timebomb: 95% Of Zimbabwe’s TB Financing Comes from Donors

April 19, 2024April 19, 2024 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Tuberculosis (TB) is by far one of the world’s most ancient diseases, dating back to about 9000 years ago when TB was first detected in humans in Atlit Yam, a city now under the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Israel. History has it that Archaeologists found TB in the remains of a mother and child buried together. Despite being a disease from medieval times, Tuberculosis is one of the world’s second-leading infectious killers after COVID-19 (above HIV and AIDS). According to the World Health Organisation (WHO)…

El Nino Induced Drought Presents Bleak Future For TB Patients In Zimbabwe As Many Could Discontinue Treatment

March 23, 2024March 24, 2024 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The heat wave is blazing hot in Shurugwi, a small town in the Midlands province, and Brighton Mangwiro (30), is preparing to go to the gold mine shaft where he temporarily works. Due to the El Nino weather patterns, the heavens have not been so generous in the just-ended 2023-2024 cropping season, and many farmers in Shurugwi are already counting their losses. This has pushed more young men, and women in the area into artisanal gold mining in a bid to fend for themselves and loved ones.…

Workplace Stigma Against TB Survivors On The Rise In Zimbabwe

July 21, 2023 Kuda Pembere

Documented cases of discrimination against TB patients and survivors in the workplace environment, have been increasing over the years been reported in most settings in Zimbabwe with some employers going to the extent of dismissing survivors under unclear circumstances. By Kudakwashe Pembere recently in Kwekwe This was revealed during the presentation of the Community Rights and Gender Assessment findings in Kwekwe on Wednesday by Jointed Hands Welfare Organization (JHWO) director Dr Donald Tobaiwa. He said they learned from the assessment that a lot of former miners were dismissed without getting…

Ministry of Health to deploy advanced AI Tool for TB detection

July 3, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

AT a time the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare has grown across the globe, the Ministry of Health and Child (MoHCC) is set to launch a Computer-Aided Detection Artificial Intelligence tool (CAD AI), to screen for Tuberculosis (TB). By Michael Gwarisa The move comes at a time Zimbabwe is making headway towards addressing the TB burden as evidenced by the country’s removal from the world’s top 30 list of countries heavily burdened by TB. Zimbabwe now has a double burden of TB/HIV and MDR-TB. In an interview with…

Where Are The Mobile TB X-Ray Trucks?

July 23, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), has come under fire from Tuberculosis (TB) activists and advocates for delaying to release nine new mobile X-Ray vehicles that are meant for screening Tuberculosis (TB) in communities. By Michael Gwarisa According to initial plans, the nine trucks were supposed to be commissioned at an official ceremony on World TB Day on March 24, 2022 where the Vice President and Minister of Health, Dr Constantino Chiwenga was supposed to be the guest of honour. However, the event did not happen as planned…