PEPFAR Archives - HealthTimes

CATALYST Study To Inform National Scale-Up Of PrEP Products in Zimbabwe

November 22, 2023November 22, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Following the approval for the use of three Pre-Exposure Prophylaxes (PrEP) products for HIV prevention by the Zimbabwean government, the country is conducting a three-year study to evaluate and inform the national HIV response’s rollout of PrEP products. The study named CATALYST, which stands for Catalyzing Access to New Prevention Product to Stop HIV is a multi-country study that will characterise and assess the implementation of an enhanced service delivery package providing informed choice of PrEP products among women at the sites where the study is being…

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CATALYST HIV Research Study Launched In Zimbabwe

July 5, 2023July 5, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

THE Maximizing Options to Advance Informed Choice for HIV Prevention (MOSAIC) consortium, has launched CATALYST, a research study that evaluates delivery of HIV prevention methods in women and girls at greater risk oF new HIV infections. By Michael Gwarisa The three-year, multi-country implementation study builds on decades of research related to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention and is aimed at assessing the delivery of multiple PrEP methods to women in real-world settings in five African countries, including Zimbabwe. The study will deliver choice among three PrEP methods — daily…

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Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Ban To Reverse HIV/AIDS Gains Says PEPFAR

March 23, 2023March 23, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

THE recently appointed leader of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Ambassador Dr. John N. Nkengasong says the recent move by the Ugandan government to pass a bill that makes identifying as LGBT a crime punishable by death, was not only inhuman but jeopardizes HIV efforts. By Michael Gwarisa According to results of the 2020 Uganda Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA), the current prevalence of HIV among adults aged 15 to 49 years in Uganda is 5.5 percent. However in Uganda, it is estimated that there are…

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‘It’s been 20 Years of Saving Zimbabwean Lives’: PEPFAR’s Carey Speaks on 20 years Anniversary

February 27, 2023February 27, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

THE year 2023, January 28 to be precise, marked exactly 20 years since American President George W. Bush announced the creation of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (#PEPFAR) during his State of the Union address. The new initiative included the goal of providing HIV treatment to two million people living with HIV over five years with a budget of USD$15 billion dollars. This was the birth of PEPFAR, now the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease. The new initiative included the goal of…

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Condoms “Too Small” For Some Zimbabwean Men says MP

November 28, 2022November 28, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

MUFAKOSE Legislator, Honorable Susan Matsunga has asked government, the National AIDS Council (NAC) and all partners involved in the procurement and distribution of condoms to consider the size of sexual organs for some Zimbabwean men whenever they place orders from manufactures overseas. By Michael Gwarisa She made these remarks during a question and answer session at a High Level Advocacy Meeting to Discuss Bottlenecks Affecting the Condom Market in Zimbabwe that was held in Harare weeks ago. I am an MP in my constituency and I get feedback from the…

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US Government Injects US$54 Million Towards FACT’S DREAMS SMART Girls and Space for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children Programs

November 10, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

The Family AIDS Caring Trust (FACT-Zimbabwe) and its partners with funding from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched critical programs worth more than US$54 million to help fight HIV in Manicaland and Masvingo. By Michael Gwarisa The programs are Sustaining Prevention, Increasing Access to Care and Empowerment for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (SPACE for OVC) and the DREAMS- Support, Maintain, Advocate, reduce Risk and Transform (SMART) Girls. Representing the Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister, Mr Pastense Tarondwa, said…

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Over 6,000 Children and Young People Virally Suppressed through Zvandiri’s Game-changer Project

October 3, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

THE Game-Changer program that was being implemented by Zvandiri, through a five year US$20 Million grant support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through USAID and the Centre for Diseases Control (CDC) has resulted in the consistent uptake of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) has attained 94% Viral Load (VL) suppression. By Michael Gwarisa Among some of the key achievements of the Fame Changer project include a Viral Load (VL) Coverage of 74% (6800/9191) and cumulatively, Zvandiri supported 412 health facilities on the Game Changer grant with over…

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Scrap Import Duty and VAT on Condoms…Partners Plead With Gvt, As Zimbabwe Records 15 Million Condom deficit

September 1, 2022September 1, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

RELIANCE on donor funding for the National Condom program, coupled with a restrictive tax regime has resulted in Zimbabwe failing to meet its condom obligation of 173 million condoms per year, a development that could reverse progress made so far in the HIV response, HealthTimes has learnt. By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe’s national condom program comprise of public sector condoms, private sector condoms and Social Marketing condoms. However, increased donor fatigue has seen major donors such as the USAID and PEPFAR cutting their funding towards the procurement of public sector and…

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Outcry As Major Funders Pull The Plug On Dapivirine Vaginal Ring Rollout

May 27, 2022May 27, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

A cloud of uncertainty has gripped the envisaged roll-out of the Vaginal ring or Dapivirine ring in Sub-Saharan Africa amidst indications that two of the major funding partners, the USAID and PEPFAR won’t be paying for the rollout of the ring but will now only support implementation studies. By Michael Gwarisa The development comes despite some progress that had been registered on the African continent where some governments had already approved use of the Dapivirine ring as a method of preventing new HIV infections in women. Zimbabwe and South Africa…

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From Heaven To Hell In 12 Months: A GBV Survivor’s Story

April 20, 2022April 20, 2022 Michael Gwarisa

NOMAGUGU Hurumba (22) is an orphan and a single mother to a three year old son. Growing up in Chiredzi, especially after the demise of her parents was never easy. To compound her woes, when she was in Form 3, Noma had to drop out of school after her siblings had indicated that they were no longer able to shoulder her school fees burden. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Chipinge She moved from Chiredzi to stay with her sister in Chipinge. However, persistent economic hardships in the country pushed her…

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