United For Prevention Coalition Sensitises Parliament on Need to Integrate Drug and Substance Abuse In the National HIV Prevention Response

By Michael Gwarisa In a bid to capacitate members of Parliament with information and share the latest data and trends regarding the scourge of drug and substance abuse in Zimbabwe, SAFAIDS recently held a one-day capacity-building workshop with members from the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health. While traditional methods of administering drugs and substances such as smoking and ingestion remain prevalent, the latest trends such as drug injection and Bluetooth or Flashblood whereby a syringe full of intoxicated blood is passed from someone who has just injected heroin to someone…

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Parents of children with CHD lobby Parly

PARENTS, guardians of children with heart diseases are forking out USD30 000 for open heart surgeries which are done overseas, parliamentarians heard on Tuesday. By Kuda Pembere Brave Little Hearts Zimbabwe, an organisation representing the interests of children with heart diseases on Tuesday petitioned the Health and Child Care parliamentary portfolio committee to look into challenges facing these children. BLHZ director Ms Tendai Moyo said the most common of pediatric heart diseases can be corrected in Zimbabwe instead of going abroad. Most of the children are born with a complete…

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Public Expenditure Tracking Survey Initiative Could Curb Funds Abuse In Healthcare Sector

THE Parliamentary portfolio committee on Health and Childcare in partnership with the Coalition to build Momentum, Power, Activism, Strategy and Solidarity in Africa (COMPASS) project are set to implement the first ever Public Expenditure Tracking Survey (PETS) for the health sector in Zimbabwe. By Mary Mundeya PETS are a micro level tool that tracks resource flow from central government through line ministries and intermediary administration units such as provinces, districts to the service delivery units (clinics) whose purpose is to determine the extent to which actual spending on services is…

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Zimbabwe Urged To Invest Heavily Towards Biomedical HIV Prevention Research

THERE is need for Zimbabwe to mobilise domestic financial and technical resources for the purposes of enhancing HIV Biomedical research and development, experts have said. By Michael Gwarisa This was revealed during a mini Biomedical HIV-Prevention Forum (BHPF) that was held in Harare.  The Biennial Forum is an official pre-conference of the International Conference on AIDS and STIs      in Africa (ICASA). The BHPF in 2021 is the fifth such event, following the successful events hosted in 2013, 2015, and 2017. Three countries, Cote d’Ivoire, Zimbabwe and Rwanda will be hosting…

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ZNFPC Engages Parliament Over Teen Pregnancies And Child Marriages

THE Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) has met the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education where they presented challenges faced by adolescents and young people in accessing Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services. By Patricia Mashiri The meeting was a precursor to the numerous other assemblies scheduled for the no so distant future where they intend to find lasting solutions to the growing burden of early child marriages and teenage pregnancies. In her presentation,Fadzai Mandishona, the ZNFPC Programme Officer Adolescents Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) said there was need…

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Red Cross Offers First Aid Training To Zim Members Of Parliament

THE Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCR), has just completed a week long basic first aid training for legislators in a bid to equip them with first aid skills requisite in resuscitating accident survivors in the event of an emergency. By Michael Gwarisa According to the Red Cross, they kicked off the training with Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport who will then cascade the skills  to the general public in their respective constituencies. Speaking during a basic first aid training for the motoring public for the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport…

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Shamwari yeMwanasikana Responds To Health Minister’s Remarks On Access To SRH Services

Shamwari yeMwanasikana, a Non- Governmental Organization that provides support for and supports the empowerment and emancipation of the girl child in Zimbabwe has vowed to continue fighting for adolescents and girls to access  Sexual Reproductive Health Rights Services (SRHS) without any restrictions. By Staff Reporter The development comes at the back of media reports that the ministry of health had shot down a request by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and the Thematic Committee on HIV and AIDS to have Section 35 of the country’s Public Health Act amended…

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Retail Pharmacists Association Petitions Parliament Over Obsolete Public Health Act amendment

THE Retail Pharmacists Association (RPA) has submitted their petition to Parliament seeking the amendment of the Public Health Act. By Patricia Mashiri Giving Oral Evidence to the Health and Child Care Parliamentary Portfolio committee, Jocelyn Chaibva the Chairperson, RPA Association said the Public Health Act was crafted in 1924 when medical related professions were still few and it does not recognize them although other health related have increased. The Health Public Act was registered long before some of the health professionals came into existence hence they are not recognised by…

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Local NGO Sets Up Breastfeeding Room At Parliament

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…

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