For Silicosis Patients, Solar Power Means the Difference Between Life and Death
Michael Gwarisa in Kwekwe A few metres away, the wife of 50-year-old Moses Ndaba stands quietly, her face weighed down by worry as she watches her husband struggle to breathe. Clad in a green dress, she reaches into a plastic bag, pulls out an apple and gently hands it to him. Ndaba stares at it
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Three Minutes to a Diagnosis: How Digital X-Rays Are Transforming Rural Healthcare
Michael Gwarisa in Manicaland Despite the scorching heat, 58-year-old Fibion Nyatsanza (Not his real name), from Saumani village in the Honde Valley is determined to find out what has been keeping him awake at night for the past three weeks. Shortly after midday, he walks through the gates of Hauna District Hospital, clad in a
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OPHID Joins MOHCC and Partners in Commemorating World TB Day 2026
Michael Gwarisa The Organization for Public Health Interventions and Development (OPHID) Executive Director, Dr. Tinashe T. Chinyanga, has joined the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), development partners, stakeholders, and the global community in marking World TB Day 2026. Aligned with this year’s global theme, “Yes! We Can End TB: Led by Countries, Powered
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The Damage We Breathe Today: How Lung Injuries Are Quietly Killing Adults Years Later
Watch: Struggling to Breathe: The Silent Burden of COPD & Asthma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ7zMOLo5C0&t=226s Michael Gwarisa in Cape Town For decades, Evelyn’s smoking and repeated lung infections from tuberculosis (TB) took a toll she barely noticed. What started as a simple cough or occasional shortness of breath gradually turned into a constant struggle for air. Now, even
Read MoreMinister Mombeshora Commends TB Progress, Calls for Innovation and Local Funding
By Kuda Pembere With several donors pulling out of tuberculosis (TB) programs, Zimbabwe’s dwindling funding base has renewed calls for sustainable domestic financing to keep the disease under control. Officiating the three-day National TB Conference in Harare, Minister of Health and Child Care Dr. Douglas Mombeshora commended healthcare workers for their efforts in helping Zimbabwe
Read MoreNSSA Partners Tshiamiso Trust to Support Ex-Mineworkers Affected by Silicosis and TB
By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tshiamiso Trust to pave the way for the compensation of former mineworkers in South African mines who suffered permanent lung damage due to silicosis and those who contracted work-related tuberculosis (TB). The MoU formalises cooperation between the Government of Zimbabwe, through the National
Read MoreUnion Zimbabwe Trust Rolls Out Groundbreaking TB and Silicosis Screening Drive in Mining Hubs of Mberengwa and Zvishavane
By Staff Reporter The Union Zimbabwe Trust (UZT), with funding from the Stop TB Partnership (Global), has launched an innovative tuberculosis (TB) screening outreach programme aimed at boosting early detection and treatment in high-risk artisanal mining communities in Mberengwa and Zvishavane. The initiative employs a mobile outreach model, featuring ultra-portable digital X-ray machines enhanced with
Read MoreBotswana Launches National TB Caucus to Combat Tuberculosis Crisis
By Michael Gwarisa Botswana has launched its National TB Caucus, a landmark initiative uniting policymakers, health experts, and civil society to accelerate efforts in tackling tuberculosis (TB). The launch, held in Gaborone, aligns with global targets set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on TB. With one of the
Read MoreGasping for Life: The Deadly Grip of Silicosis on Zimbabwe’s Artisanal Miners
By Michael Gwarisa A frail-looking Tinashe Chinove from Masimbaevanhu Village in Shurugwi sits quietly under the shade of a tree, gasping for air. Even from a few yards away, his labored breathing is evident. Each breath he takes is a painful reminder of the relentless toll silicosis has taken on his life. At just 40
Read MoreIn Zimbabwe, a Mobile App “One Impact” Has Enhanced Human Rights Outcomes for Persons with TB
By Michael Gwarisa As a young person who has survived Tuberculosis (TB), Munyaradzi Saruchera (27) from Dzivarasekwa in Harare now wants to make an impact in Zimbabwe’s TB response. He volunteers as a TB champion under the Stop TB Partnership Zimbabwe. His roles encompass getting feedback from the TB community regarding access to services, monitoring
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