By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has been selected as one of ten countries globally to roll out lenacapavir, a revolutionary new HIV prevention drug that is being hailed as a game-changer in the global fight against HIV. The announcement was made on the official U.S. Embassy Zimbabwe Facebook page, marking a historic milestone in the country’s
Read MoreBy Kuda Pembere Health and Child Care Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora has warned private health players who fail to provide data on Mother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT) programs, saying such facilities risk closure. He gave the warning during the National Validation Committee (NVC) Meeting for the Triple Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B
Read MoreBy Shamiso Yikoniko in Kigali, Rwanda A groundbreaking diagnostic tool recently prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO) is set to revolutionize efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of three major infections: HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B. Dubbed the “Triple Elimination Test,” the innovative tool adopts a ‘one visit, one test, three results’ approach, allowing
Read MoreBy Health Times Correspondent The International AIDS Society (IAS) has applauded a bipartisan effort in the U.S. Senate to safeguard the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) from a proposed $400 million funding cut that had originated from President Donald Trump’s rescission package. However, advocates caution that the battle is far from over.
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By Michael Gwarisa The burden of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STIs) in Zimbabwe has been increasing over the past few years amidst indications that the majority of infected persons do not show any symptoms and could be spreading the STIs unknowingly. According to official data from the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), the number of
Read MoreBy Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe has the second highest proportion of people who experienced HIV-related stigma while seeking HIV or other health services in the past year, according to the latest UNAIDS report. Drawing from the People Living with HIV Stigma Index 2.0 (2020–2024), the UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2025 shows that Iran tops the list
Read MoreBy Michael Gwarisa As Zimbabwe grapples with persistently high levels of stigma against people living with HIV (PLHIV), the media has been called upon to champion responsible, inclusive, and stigma-free reporting to support national HIV response efforts. Despite international targets urging countries to reduce HIV-related stigma to below 5% by 2025, Zimbabwe’s HIV Stigma Index
Read MoreBy Michael Gwarisa, recently in Masvingo For the past 12 months, Wellington*, a 41-year-old Masvingo man who has sex with men (MSM) and a male sex worker, has relied on oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce his risk of HIV infection. He has also used condoms and occasionally Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). At the start of
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By Michael Gwarisa, recently in Masvingo For the past 12 months, Wellington*, a 41-year-old Masvingo man who has sex with men (MSM) and a male sex worker, has relied on oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce his risk of HIV infection. He has also used condoms and occasionally Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). At the start of 2025,
Read MoreBy Michael Gwarisa UNAIDS is set to cut half of its workforce as the organization grapples with significant funding shortfalls and a shifting global donor landscape. According to internal communications, staff were informed during a town hall meeting on Tuesday that the number of employees will be reduced from around 600 to between 280 and
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