Health
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COVID-19: Government commends US$234 million support from development partners
By Staff Reporter The government has acknowledged and appreciated the support from Development Partners towards the Covid-19 pandemic response in Zimbabwe. The nation is in the middle of fighting the second wave of the pandemic which witnessed increased infection rates resulting in an increased number of deaths as compared to the first wave. The cases…
MSF: Southern Africa urgently needs COVID-19 vaccines as new strain ravages region
Brienne Prusak As a highly infectious new strain of COVID-19 spreads through Southern Africa, the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is calling for COVID-19 vaccines to be distributed equitably, prioritizing frontline health workers and people at highest risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19. Health workers in Mozambique, Eswatini,…
SALT Africa Curbing GBV During Lockdown through Mental Counselling Services
By Joyce Mukucha In pursuit of ending gender-based violence (GBV) in communities during the lockdown, Someone Always Listens To-you (SALT) Africa, a local organisation that focuses on mental health, is making huge strides in offering assistance to GBV victims and survivors through a cocktail of measures to ensure that this scourge does not escalate. SALT…
ARUKA Foundation Working to Eradicate Stigma Against People with Mental Illness
By Joyce Mukucha More than half of people with mental illness do not seek help for their disorders, they even avoid or delay seeking treatment due to concerns about being treated differently or fears of losing their jobs and livelihood. Worldwide, stigma, prejudice, and discrimination against people with mental illness still remain a problem that…
5 Best Medicinal Herbs To Try In 2021
We live in a world of prescription medicines. How much are we aware of the impact of powerful herbs on humans? Medicinal plants are an alternative approach to healing and boosting physical and mental well-being. At the beginning of the 21st century, WHO recognized 11 percent of the 252 essential drugs of flowering plant origin….
IAS calls for legislation preventing the return of the global gag rule in the future
On 28 January 2021, US President Joseph R. Biden signed an executive order repealing the harmful U.S. Mexico City Policy, more commonly known as the global gag rule. President Biden lifted these restrictions by signing the “Memorandum on Protecting Women’s Health at Home and Abroad.” “IAS – the International AIDS Society – welcomes the end…
COVID-19 Agency: What Africa and its Diaspora Should Do and How
By Professor Arthur G. O. Mutambara Clearly, it is not sufficient to merely articulate the lack of collective agency facing the African continent and its diaspora with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic. We must proffer solutions that address both ‘what’ should be done and ‘how’ it could be accomplished. The Work to be Done on…
Public Health Lock-down Order: Extension of Lock-down
By Veritas The current tight lock-down has been extended until the 15th February. The lock-down was to have been lifted or relaxed at the beginning of February, but in a statement broadcast last Friday the Acting President, who is also exercising the functions of Minister of Health and Child Care, announced the decision to extend…
Masiyiwa humbled by 60th birthday tributes
Billionaire businessman and philanthropist Strive Masiyiwa, who turned 60 on Friday (Jan 29), has spoken of how touched he has been by the thousands of messages he received from around the world on his birthday. The Zimbabwe-born business leader and global influencer took the time to thank everyone – from friends, relatives, Presidents, business associates,…
Corruption is killing people: Transparency International
By Transparency International On 28 January 2021, we released our Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2020, and the results make one thing clear – corruption kills people. COVID-19 is not just a health and economic crisis, but also a corruption crisis. Our research shows that countries where corruption is more pervasive are less able to provide health care for their citizens and…
2020: Worst year in tourism history with 1 billion fewer international arrivals
By UNWTO Global tourism suffered its worst year on record in 2020, with international arrivals dropping by 74% according to the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Destinations worldwide welcomed 1 billion fewer international arrivals in 2020 than in the previous year, due to an unprecedented fall in demand and widespread travel restrictions….
ZLHR rescues couple jailed over Mnangagwa’s false death report
By Kumbirai Mafunda A Beitbridge couple has been released from prison after Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) members arrested and charged the duo with publishing or communicating falsehoods by sharing a message on a WhatsApp group stating that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had died after being administered a vaccine to treat him of coronavirus. The couple, Vongai…
Africa to get 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine by December
The African Union Special Envoy on the COVID crisis, Strive Masiyiwa, has said that Africa will get more than 1 billion doses of vaccines by December 2021. He said international donors had already pledged 700 million free doses this year, using a global finance initiative called COVAX. This would be enough to vaccinate at least…
Novartis renews WHO medicine donation pledge with aim of ending leprosy
A renewed partnership agreement signed by Novartis and the World Health Organization (WHO) will drive the global push towards making leprosy history. The five-year extension of the partnership – which was first signed in 2000 – will see Novartis continue to donate multidrug therapy (MDT) medicines to treat leprosy up to the end of 2025….
EMA Working Towards Reducing Mercury Usage in Zimbabwe
By Joyce Mukucha Following Zimbabwe’s ratification of the Minamata Convention banning the use of mercury in mining and regulatory measures for its release from industrial equipment, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) said it will continue to fully monitor the use of the substance as a way to reduce or even phase out its usage and…
AfCFTA: A key to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
By Chido Pamela Mafongoya The long-awaited trading within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) finally began on 1 January 2021, marking a very important milestone for African trade. The AfCFTA creates a single continental market for goods and services, with the aim of increasing intra-African trade by reducing tariffs by approximately 90 percent and harmonising…
Tendai Biti blocking COVID-19 eradication efforts: Zimbabwe Citizen Forum
By Staff Reporter The Zimbabwe Citizen Forum Leader Alex Gakanje has accused the MDC-Alliance Vice president, Tendai Biti of blocking the nation from accessing the Covid-19 relief fund resulting in the deaths and suffering of poor citizens. Speaking at a press conference in Harare on Monday, Gakanje said the current suffering of Zimbabwe and failure…
Finding strengths in local food markets amid the pandemic
By Charles Dhewa Since March 2020 when COVID19 first showed up in Africa, mass food markets have continued to play their critical functions although policy support has continued to be directed to processing companies and supermarkets. In 2021, COVID19 did not just confirm the importance of a strong immune system but has also revealed the strengths…
Rosemary’s story: Passion for saving lives remains undimmed by COVID-19
By The Global Fund For Rosemary Wanjiru, a community health volunteer in Nairobi’s Soweto Village, fighting TB in the time of COVID-19 has meant making impossible choices. For instance, she was torn between keeping herself and her family safe at home or going out to see patients, who desperately needed her help. The mother of…
Equip Health Practitioners, Facilities Adequately To Fight Covid-19: Prof Sibanda
By Desire Tshuma GAMMA laboratories proprietor Professor Elopy Sibanda has urged the government to consider the safety of medical practitioners and adequately equip them with enough personal protective equipment (PPEs) so as to successfully win the battle against the deadliest Covid-19 pandemic. As the coronavirus continues to claim the lives of many people around the world,…
Fake COVID-19 tests: Pathlabs Committed to Protecting its Integrity
By Joyce Mukucha As it strives to be a preferred provider of world-class quality, innovative and comprehensive pathological services, the Pathology Laboratories (Pathlabs) has noted with concern the rise in fraudulent activities with regards to the usage of the body’s intellectual property in the form of its letterheads. The letterheads are being used to produce…
An analysis of Zimbabwe and its politics of healthcare access
By Dr Raymond Chamba From early 2009 to the end of 2010 I put together a national primary health proposition under the banner Community Healthcare Options with funds that i made from BACOSSI. It was a bold proposition to roll out within 24 months 500 community primary health care centers all throughout the country. I…
Coronavirus in Africa could reverse 30 years of Wildlife conservation gain
By Edwin Tambara For wild animals in Africa on the verge of extinction and the tight knit communities who protect them, COVID-19 is a specter, disrupting a delicate balancing act of survival for both humans and endangered species. African officials and conservation experts from Kenya, Uganda and Gabon briefed members of Congress on May 12…
Women bemoan COVID-19 adverse impacts
By Joyce Mukucha In the wake of the ongoing novel coronavirus global pandemic, the Women in Agriculture Union (WAU) has bemoaned the adverse implications of COVID-19. The pandemic is negatively impacted the agriculture sector, productivity and supply chain with women farmers being worst hit. The WAU chairperson and founder who is also a woman farmer,…
How Will We Finally End COVID-19? – The Medical Futurist Pledge On Vaccination
Bertalan Meskó, MD, PhD In 2020, we all suffered a blow. No matter where you live or what industry you work in, you got hit by the pandemic. Out of nowhere, our everyday lives have significantly changed. Most of us tried to pull it together and find out how to move forward; and ultimately it…
Bail Granted for DJs Fantan, Levelz, and Dammer
By Joyce Mukucha Zimdancehall producer DJ Fantan whose real name is Arnold Kamudyariwa, Chillspot Records co-founder Levelz (Rodger Tafadzwa Kadzimwe) and Simbarashe Chanachimwe known as Dammer have been granted bail this afternoon. The three were given a sentence of six months imprisonment before the magistrate conditionally suspended six months. They were arrested on January 4…
United States Provides 20 Ventilators to Zimbabwe to Respond to COVID-19
The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), donated 20 brand-new, state-of-the-art ventilators to Solidarity Trust Zimbabwe to help Zimbabweans fight COVID-19. “We are pleased to deliver 20 ventilators, which complement Zimbabwe’s efforts to combat COVID-19 and demonstrate the United States’ ongoing commitment to supporting the people of Zimbabwe through this crisis…
MDC Alliance Mourns Late Foreign Affairs Minister SB Moyo
By Staff Reporter MDC Alliance, the Zimbabwe’ biggest opposition political party led by Advocate Nelson Chamisa has expressed its bereavement following the passing on of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Retired Lieutenant General Sibusiso Moyo. Expressing its condolences in a statement yesterday, the MDC Alliance said,” Our party would like to extend our heartfelt…
Minimise on COVID-19 herbal prevention concoctions: Sekuru Banda
As COVID-19 intensifies its toll on citizens, famous traditional healer Sekuru Banda has warned people against consuming excess concoctions as a preventive measure against the virus. “We understand that COVID-19 is ravaging people across the globe with Zimbabwe listed as a hotspot for the pandemic. My advice is that when you are not COVID-19 positive,…
Foreign Affairs Minister SB Moyo is no more
Zimbabwe has lost a liberation war hero, Retired General Sibusiso Busi Moyo, who was the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. This publication first got the news of his passing on the Twitter Handle of Heart and Soul radio station before reliable sources within the government confirmed the general’s death. Minister Sibusiso B Moyo…
Where To Track COVID-19 Vaccinations
Bertalan Meskó, MD, PhD In 2020 – or the year that drew so many parallels to the dystopian sci-fi show Black Mirror that its creators decided to write a comedy instead – we were all in a race. A race to curb the novel coronavirus’ spread and “flatten the curve”; with dismal results. In 2021, we are yet in another race. A…
Harare Water workers appeal for government intervention
Workers for Harare Water Sewerage Department are appealing for the government to intervene in a dispute with their employer regarding the improvement of working conditions and salaries to enable them to offer residents efficient service delivery. On 4 January 2021, the workers downed tools and approached the Harare City Human Resources department to present to…
Zimbabwe Music Awards Postponed Due To Lockdown
By Joyce Mukucha Stiff lockdown measures imposed by the government to curtail the spread of the vicious Covid-19 global pandemic have not spared the music industry as it necessitated the adoption of safe practices, and among others discouraging gatherings or holding of live events. The Zimbabwe Music Awards (ZIMA) ceremony that was scheduled to take…
Brity Yonly Drops A Song of Hope
By Tsitsi Ndabambi China-based Zimbabwean songbird Brity Yonly dropped a new music video titled “Celebrate Life” which sends positive vibes to the viewer especially in this age where many have lost their lives to the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking of her new offering she had this to say, “I wrote this song to instill hope, happiness…
Blessing Muroti Gomo Urges Artists to Diversify into Other Businesses
By Desire Tshuma South Africa based artist Blessing Muroti Gomo has called on his fellow colleagues in the music industry to venture into other businesses so as to survive during the Covid 19 lockdown. As the second wave of Covid-19 is taking it’s toll and forced Zimbabwe to go back to a 30-day lockdown, multi-talented musician-cum-business…
How to Get Safe CBD Vape Juice
By Ross D The vaping industry has witnessed a tremendous growth rate over the past few years. And if recent projections are anything to go by, the industry may not be slowing down anytime soon. One of the reasons behind the meteoritic rise in the vaping culture is the fact that most people no longer…
Involving Young People Key in Winning the Fight Against COVID-19
By Joyce Mukucha As the world grapples with unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, young people are demonstrating their continued support, leadership, and care in their communities and countries. According to a new UN plan to address COVID-19, young people are some of the most affected populace by the pandemic’s socio-economic impacts. Nevertheless, youths…
Emergency Committee on COVID-19 Advises on Variants, Vaccines
By Staff Reporter The COVID-19 pandemic continues to constitute an extraordinary event, a public health risk to other states through international spread, and continues to require a coordinated international response, the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and World Health Organisation (WHO) Emergency Committee (EC) on COVID-19 has revealed. In a virtual meeting conducted…
Go Green! Our potential way out
By Dexter Chagwena This Covid 19 pandemic has brought special attention to herbal remedies or functional foods, naturally regarded for both their nutritional and health benefits. Most of us commonly know these as herbs or complementary and alternative medicines. Everyone is busy looking for something traditional to use, with an aim to boost our immunity…
Chitungwiza Municipality Temporarily Closes St Mary’s Clinic
By Joyce Mukucha The shortage of health professionals has forced Chitungwiza Municipality to temporarily close St Mary’s Clinic with immediate effect. Chitungwiza Municipality Acting Town Clerk, Dr. Tonderai Kasu revealed that the shortage of health professional staff is attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic which has seen front line health workers being infected and others losing…
ZNOART provides virtual outreach programmes during the lockdown
By Joyce Mukucha In a bid to address the plight of residents in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, the Zimbabwe National Organisation Association of Residents Trust (ZNOART) has said its outreach programmes will continue to be virtually conducted so as to contain the spread of the virus. The Chairperson for ZNOART, Shalvar Chikomba said his…
7 Digital Health Trends We’ll Keep An Eye On In 2021
Bertalan Meskó, MD, PhD Summing up 2020 I was asked many times about the changes COVID-19 have brought about in healthcare. Well, throughout the past year, here at The Medical Futurist we were continuously posting about the technological advancements in the medical field: telemedicine, at-home lab tests, robotics and even doing sports have changed dramatically. Most of these changes are likely to…
SARW Appeals for Distribution of the COVID-19 Vaccine to Include Mining Communities
Masutane Modjadji When the first Covid-19 cases were reported in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) in March 2020, no one could have prepared for the devastation that the virus would bring. Countries responded swiftly (and rightly so) to the global public health emergency but this has had unintended consequences as a result of the…
Public Health Lock-down Order: Courts, Lawyers, and the Lock-down
By Veritas Two further amendments to the Public Health Lock-down Order have been published in the past few days. The first, in SI 11/2021 of 5th January 2021 [link], declared courts to be an essential service for the purpose of the Order; the second, in SI 13/2021 of 8th January 2021 [link], declared legal practitioners to be performing an essential…
Zimbabwean girls and young women plead for access to comprehensive SRHR services
By Joyce Mukucha Zimbabwean young women and girls are pleading with the government and other youth-oriented organisations to challenge the legal frameworks that are not favourable for young people to access sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services that lead to many health problems especially when it comes to safe abortion. When faced…