Tag: Schistosomiasis

Manicaland Targets Over 200 Wards In Mass Drug Administration For Bilharzia and Intestinal Worms

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Mutare An estimated 85 percent of coverage is targeted by the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) for Schistosomiasis (Bilharzia) and Soil-transmitted helminthiases (Intestinal Worms) underway in Manicaland province. The MDA which has kicked off in several districts across the country is running from 14 to 21 October 2024 and is targeting children aged 2 to 14 years in selected areas. Data from a 2021 Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Community-Based Mapping exercise conducted by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) shows that approximately 252 wards in…

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Zimbabwe Pilots Rapid Diagnostic Testing for Prompt Bilharzia Testing and Case Identification At Point of Care

Michael Gwarisa

Professor Qin Zhiqing, an Associate Professor at the China National Institute of Parasitic Diseases (NIPR) has been in Zimbabwe for the past two months and together with a team from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), a department in the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), they have been conducting a Schistosomiasis pilot study in Shamva District. By Michael Gwarisa As part of their study, they are also assessing the use of Rapid Diagnostic Testing (RDT) to detect and identify Schistosomiasis Cases in communities. At a laboratory site…

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Zimbabwe To Manufacture Praziquantel For Schistosomiasis Treatment

Michael Gwarisa

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) and the China National Institute of Parasitic Diseases (NIPD), will see Zimbabwe becoming a manufacturing powerhouse for Praziquantel, a drug used to treat Schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever or bilharzia. By Michael Gwarisa This comes after Zimbabwe was selected to become the first country to benefit under the Africa-China Cooperation for the Elimination of Schistosomiasis program, which targets to capacitate African countries to manage and control the spread and infection of Bilharzia in communities.…

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Zimbabwe-China Partnership Launches Pilot Project To Eliminate Bilharzia

Michael Gwarisa

A new China-Zimbabwe cooperation pilot project for the control and elimination of Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) could fast-track Zimbabwe’s efforts to eliminate the disease, HealthTimes has learned. By Michael Gwarisa in Shamva The project follows the successful signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which has seen Zimbabwe become the first country on the continent to benefit from the China-Africa Corporation Initiative for the elimination of Schistosomiasis. The study has been jointly initiated by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) in Zimbabwe, and…

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WHO supports Ministry of Health Train Mass Drug Admin Implementers Against Schistosomiasis & Soil Transmitted Helminths in Mash Central

Michael Gwarisa

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) in Zimbabwe is supporting the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) to train Mass Drug Administration (MDAs) implementers in preparation for the 2020 Schistosomiasis (SCH) and Soil Transmitted Helminths (STH)MDAs campaign. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking to HealthTimes, WHO Communications Officer, Tatenda Chimbwanda said WHO was supporting Mount Darwin and Shamva get ready for these, the SCH/ STH Mass Drug Administration campaign in these two districts in Mash Central. “The province will conduct the MDA from 21 to 30 September 2020. The training for MDA…

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