Tag: VACCINES

Zim Oral Cholera Vaccination Coverage Reaches 90 Percent Milestone

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Uptake of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCVs) in Zimbabwe has reached 90 percent in the districts where vaccines were deployed since the onset of the campaign on February 29, 2024, HealthTimes has learnt. Zimbabwe successfully applied for Oral Cholera Vaccines and the country was awarded 2.3 million dosses from what was requested. A total 892,296 OCV dosses were initially received, followed by an additional 493,150 vaccines which arrived February 5, 2024, bringing the total number of vaccines the country has received to 1,884,536 vaccines. The final batch of…

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Africa CDC Establishes Platform To Boost Manufacturing Of Vaccines, Therapeutics and Diagnostics in Africa

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Diseases Control (Africa CDC), has established a new system, the Platform for Harmonised Africa Health Products Manufacturing (PHAHP), that will see the continent coordinating the manufacturing of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, a top Africa CDC official has said. While the continent has already made inroads regarding local manufacturing of vaccines following the setting of the Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing of Vaccines (PAVM) in 2021, which sought to ensure Africa at least manufactures 60 percent of vaccines locall, the PHAHP platform seeks to…

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Zim Inks US$6.6 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Grant

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE’S finance ministry, the World Bank Group, as the Fund Administrator of the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program and the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Trust Fund have singed a US$6.6 Million COVID-19 response grant with the aim of supporting the deployment and management of COVID-19 vaccines. By Staff Reporter According to the World Bank, financing for the project, which comes in the form of a grant, aims to support the deployment and management of COVID-19 vaccines and strengthen related health system capacity in Zimbabwe. the grant will ensure adequate…

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WHO Technical Advisory Team Warns That Omicron Reduces Vaccine Effectiveness…Calls For Development Of Stronger Vaccines

Michael Gwarisa

PRELIMINARY data from the World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC) shows that the mutational profile of the Omicron strain reduces vaccine effectiveness in symptomatic patients. By Michael Gwarisa The technical advisory team also called for the urgent development of COVID-19 vaccines that have high impact on prevention of infection and transmission, in addition to the prevention of severe disease and death, are needed and should be developed so as to reduce the need for booster doses. Until such vaccines are available, and as the…

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People living with HIV at higher risk of COVID-19 illness but have lower access to COVID-19 vaccines

Michael Gwarisa

AN increasing body of evidence indicates that people living with HIV who acquire SARS-CoV-2 infection are at heightened risk of requiring hospitalization and having poor clinical outcomes. Data from the United States of America show that people living with HIV who acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection were much more likely to require hospitalization and suffer severe illness than people who were HIV-negative, while studies from England and South Africa have found that the risk of dying from COVID-19 among people with HIV was double that of the general population. Advanced HIV disease…

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As The Third Wave Wreaks Havoc, Lets Act Responsibly To Reduce & Break Chains Of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission

Dr Grant Murewanhema

AFTER a period of relative stability from March to May 2021, Zimbabwe entered into the much dreaded third wave of the COVID-19 local epidemic. The current wave, which began at the beginning of June, has seen a substantial rise in the number of confirmed and hospitalised cases and fatalities over the past three weeks. By Dr Grant Murewanhema Reports of full or overwhelmed health facilities have started emerging, with increasing numbers of symptomatic people with severe to critical illness. Sadly, in the past seven days, we have also two medical…

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United States Gvt Becomes Worlds Largest Sharer Of Vaccines

Michael Gwarisa

THE United States Government (USG) has announced that it will be sharing 20 million more vaccine dosses from its own stocks, in addition to the 60 million AstraZeneca doses that were announced previously by President Joe Biden. By Michael Gwarisa This brings the total number of vaccines added by the government to the vaccine mix to 80 million, making them the largest sharer of vaccines in the world. Speaking during a Telephonic Press Briefing, USG State Department Coordinator for the Global COVID Response and Health Security, Gayle Smith said they…

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Allergies Are Not Vaccine Side Effects- Dr Chivaura

Michael Gwarisa

FAMILY Practitioner and medical expert Dr Audrey Chivaura says not all reactions being experienced after getting COVID-19 jabs were side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines but could be as a result of underlying allergies. By Michael Gwarisa By definition, an allergy is a condition in which the immune system reacts abnormally to a foreign substance. At times the immune system reacts even to a substance or exposure to something that is not even harmless. Dr Chivaura said people should make an effort to know their allergic history before taking vaccines…

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Intensify COVID-19 Prevention and Vaccination of Teachers and Pupils Health Experts Warn

Patricia Mashiri

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) Zimbabwe representative, Dr Alex Gasasira says there is need to support schools in ensuring they adhere to set COVID-19 prevention guidelines to avoid a spike in COVID-19 cases. By Patricia Mashiri The call comes hot on the heels of  the recent reopening of schools in the midst of concerns being raised by public health experts that the country could be headed for a catastrophic third wave in the midst of new COVID-19 strains. In an interview with HealthTimes, Dr  Gasasira, said schools should be supported…

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UNICEF To Stockpile Over Half A Billion Syringes By Year End, As Part Of Efforts To Prepare For Eventual COVID-19 Vaccinations

Healthtimes

AS the world awaits a COVID-19 vaccine, UNICEF has begun laying the groundwork for the rapid, safe and efficient delivery of the eventual vaccine by purchasing and pre-positioning syringes and other necessary equipment. SOURCE: UNICEF COMMUNICATION As soon as COVID-19 vaccines successfully emerge from trials and are licensed and recommended for use, the world will need as many syringes as doses of vaccine. To begin preparations, this year, UNICEF will stockpile 520 million syringes in its warehouses, part of a larger plan of 1 billion syringes by 2021, to guarantee…

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