IN a move that is likely to bring convenience to breastfeeding female legislators and parliament employees as well as boost nutritional needs for babies, the Zimbabwe Civil Society Organisations Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (ZCSOSUNA) is in the process of finalizing the setting up of a lactation room inside the Zimbabwe Parliament premises. By Michael Gwarisa According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a child should be exclusively breastfed for six months and the first 1000 days of an infant are most crucial in the brain development and general development of…
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#JUSTIN: Zim MPs Test Positive For COVID-19
TWO members Zimbabwean Members of Parliament (MPs) have tested positive for COVID-19. HealthTimes According to Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda confirmed, Parliament has since suspended business after two legislators and a journalist tested positive for Covid-19, The legislators were part of a delegation of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport who were on field visits across the country. The driver of a bus hired by the legislators for the visit also tested positive for the virus. Everyone who was part of that team is now in self-quarantine in line with…
Read MoreZim Experts Warn Of Rise In Unintended Pregnancies After Lockdown…Should Young People Adopt Long-term Contraceptives?
FAILURE by young women and girls to access modern contraceptives and reproductive health services during the lockdown could spell doom and possibly reverse the gains that have been attained in terms of reducing Early Unintended Pregnancies (EUPs). By Michael Gwarisa According to the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS) 2015, sexually active unmarried women are more likely to have the highest risk of unintended pregnancy. This is because more than 70% of them are on short-acting contraceptives, condoms, and orals. Under a lockdown scenario as ours, supply can easily be disrupted…
Read MoreZim Progresses In Putting Abortion Act On National Agenda
ZIMBABWE is amongst a few countries on the African continent which have made strides in discussing about the need to have a progressive Termination of Pregnancy Act (TOP) at a national level, a sign the country is warming up to the need of having an abortion friendly law, a sexual reproductive health official has said. By Michael Gwarisa At least 14 countries are having dialogue on the issue of Termination of Pregnancy but Zimbabwe seem to have moved a step further as compared to other countries which are currently at…
Read MoreHealth Minister Dumps NatPharm Retail Pharmacies
GOVERNMENT has put plans of establishing NatPharm owned retail pharmacies on hold following indications that government has decided to prioritise public health institutions, a Cabinet Minister revealed on Wednesday. By Kudakwashe Pembere Briefing a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health today, Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo said it wqas uncalled for to pursue the NatPharm deal. “Then you said are you going to be filling your NatPharm pharmacies. We are not even thinking of NatPharm Pharmacies. We will be very silly to be even thinking of that. “We…
Read MoreFears Rise Over Public Health Bill Delay
THE Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) says the continued delays in finalising the Public Health Act (PHA) Ammendment Bill was worrying as failure to have the Act in place before expiration of the present parliament could spell doom for the health sector. By Michael Gwarisa Since 2010, civil society organisations (CSOs), Parliament, the Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB) and the general public since have been working tirelessly in coming with a comprehensive Bill but fears are rife that all efforts might come to naught if the Bill does not go…
Read MoreParly To Summon Parirenyatwa Over Health Bill
By Michael Gwarisa THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee has accused Health and Child Care minister Dr David Parirenyatwa for deliberately delaying approval of the Public Health Bill as he is now reportedly running the health ministry from overseas, HealthTimes Online can reveal. The developments came to light during what was supposed to be a Final Follow-up Meeting on the Public Health Act organised by Save The Children, where the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Dr Gerald Gwinji sent an ill-preprepared Director for Policy Planning and Coordination Dr Steven Banda to present on the current…
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