Coronavirus – WhatsApp: WHO Health Alert brings COVID-19 facts

This easy-to-use messaging service has the potential to reach 2 billion people and enables WHO to get information directly into the hands of the people that need it Today, WHO (www.WHO.int) is launching a messaging service with partners WhatsApp and Facebook to keep people safe from coronavirus. This easy-to-use messaging service has the potential to…

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SAA suspends international flights

South African Airways (SAA) has announced that it will immediately suspend all international operations until 31 May 2020 in response to a government travel ban aimed at stopping the transmission of the Coronavirus (Covid-19). The COVID-19 pandemic and attendant travel restrictions resulted in a substantial decline in demand for air travel. The situation caused many airlines across…

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ILO fears 25 million jobs could be lost because of coronavirus

An initial assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on the global world of work says the effects will be far-reaching, pushing millions of people into unemployment, underemployment and working poverty, and proposes measures for a decisive, coordinated and immediate response. The economic and labour crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic could increase global unemployment by…

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Theatre in the Park: nexus between creatives and the digital world in combating coronavirus

“In these trying times, it’s incumbent upon the creative and cultural industries to provide relief to an otherwise potentially depressed human race. Without theatre, film, music, dance and many other art forms, humanity would find itself in an abyss. Covid 19, demands us creatives to be dynamic and outward thinking in ensuring we do our…

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FRIDA Makes Strides in Building Transnational Solidarity Against COVID-19

By Joyce Mukucha Across the world, everyone is grappling with an unprecedented large-scale crisis. The rapid spread of COVID-19 to over 100 countries all around the globe has left many struggling with uncertainty and upheaval from cancelled flights and postponed meetings to closed schools and the effects of distancing and quarantines and many more measures…

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Oxfam’s We Care project breaking unpaid work barrier for women

Oxfam’s Women Economic Empowerment and Care (WE CARE) also known as the ‘Work your Dreams project in Zimbabwe’ is working on exploring how to break the barrier of unpaid care work that limits women’s empowerment and their participation in all spheres of life.   Basically the project explores how unpaid care work serves as a…

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Institute preventative hygiene etiquettes to keep out coronavirus: ZCC

Although there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 cases in Zimbabwe, the old adage “prevention is better than cure” is important in curbing an outbreak of this pandemic, the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) has said. The umbrella body of churches said with cases on the increase in South Africa, Zimbabwe’s largest trading partner,…

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Oxfam enhances stakeholders’ collective capacity to respond to humanitarian emergencies

Oxfam is working towards enhancing stakeholders’ collective capacity to respond to humanitarian emergencies.   Mirjam Van Dorssen, Country Director of Oxfam in Zimbabwe made the remarks while officially opening contingency planning and emergence response training workshops for stakeholders that rolled to life in Harare on 16 March 2020.   “These two workshops should equip us…

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Stakeholders join hands in fighting sexual gender based violence

By Joyce Mukucha As it continues to take strides in fighting Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) through urging women to speak out, Katswe Sistahood has partnered with Trocaire, Plan International, Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), Adult Rape Clinic and government of Zimbabwe by hosting a girls and women’s symposium in Epworth. The gathering which has come…

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Namibia gets AfDB water and sanitation grant

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (https://www.AfDB.org/en) on Wednesday approved a $121.7 million loan (ZAR 1.893 billion) and Euro 3 million grant from the Rural Water Supply Sanitation Initiative Trust Fund to support Namibia’s “Water Sector Support Program”. The program will facilitate sustainable production and transfer of water resources to improve access…

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COVID-19 Preparedness at Robert International Airport Not Convincing

By Joyce Mukucha and Anyway Yotamu Despite the Zimbabwean government’s claims that the country is ready to deal with the coronavirus (Covid-19), a Government official said operations of staff at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport lacked the capacity to effectively deal with the disease. The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health, Dr Ruth…

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Government majoring on misplaced priorities: FreeZim Congress

Joseph Makamba Busha, the President of FreeZim Congress Party has thrown a tantrum on government for neglecting pressing needs of the populace in preference to programmes that do not change people’s lives positively.   Speaking to journalists in Harare today, Makamba singled out government’s prioritisation of a new Parliament building and possibly a new city…

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Tourism ready to play part in tackling COVID-19

As the current outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) continues to develop, the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe (TBCZ), the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) and the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry (MECTHI) are committed to working together in guiding the travel and tourism sector’s response to COVID-19. Today the tourism sector players…

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Consistent power supply critical in the value chain for blood processing

George Mavunganidze, the Laboratory Services Manager of the National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ) has said consistent power supply is a critical component in the value chain for blood processing. Mavunganidze made the remarks during a tour of the facilities on the occasion of the NBSZ Media Workshop for Harare Metropolitan Province held on Thursday 5…

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Renewed commitment to reduce maternal mortality on the African Continent

The Committee on Gender, Family, Youth and People with Disability jointly sitting with the Committee on Health, Labour and Social Affairs have reiterated the PAP’s commitment to reducing maternal mortality on the African continent. This commitment speaks directly to Sustainable Development Goal 3 that seeks to ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at…

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UNFPA committed to providing comprehensive SRHR services: Dr. Julitta Onabanjo

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) regional director Dr. Julitta Onabanjo who is on a mission in Zimbabwe after attending the African Regional Summit on Sustainable Development Goals in Victoria Falls has reiterated the UN agency’s commitment towards providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights services (SRHR) in the country. The UN Senior Official…

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Coronavirus and Christian Church caught in the middle of Political Game

The rapid proliferation of the coronavirus (COVID-19) resulted in 13 deaths and 1,766 confirmed cases as of February 27 in South Korea. While the cause and solution of the infection are not identified, Shincheonji Church, with over 500 members, has become the target of scapegoating and blame. On February 19 South Korean President Moon Jae-In…

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“African children are our future. It is our responsibility to protect them” – Hon. Chief Charumbira

The Pan-African Parliamentary Forum on Online Child Sexual Exploitation (OCSE) has started ahead of the Sitting of the Permanent Committees in Midrand, South Africa. Jointly convened by the Department of Social Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC) and the PAP, the consultation aims to harness the role of Parliamentarians in policy formulation and ensuring…

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Sekuru Banda intervenes in Tytan and Olinda Chapel squabbles

Singer Njabulo Nkomo better known as Tytan’s social media revelation that his erstwhile former wife and popular socialite Olinda Chapel hid her ‘HIV positive’ status from him has led famous traditional healer Sekuru Banda to add a voice regarding relationships and marriages.   “In marriages and relationships conflicts are bound to happen. It’s common cause…

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UN bemoans slow pace of poverty reduction in Africa

Noting that Africa has made considerable progress in education, health and other social outcomes, Amina J. Mohammed, the United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary-General has said the pace of poverty reduction is slow on the continent while inclusive growth still remains elusive. Mohammed made the remarks during a Special Session of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for…

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Zimbabwe hosts Triathlon and Shooting competitions

Dr. Kirsty Coventry, the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation has said Zimbabwe will be hosting major sporting events in the month of February namely the African Sporting Shooting Championships, the African Championship of Compak Sporting and the Bonaqua Troutbeck (ATU) Triathlon African Cup. Addressing journalists in Harare today, Minister Coventry said the Troutbeck…

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Jedidiah Trust rehabilitating and re-integrating inmates into the community

By Byron Mutingwende   Norton-based Jedidiahh Trust is positively impacting society by rehabilitating and re-integrating inmates into the community.   Speaking to Spiked Online Media in Norton, Lovemore Chikwanda the founder and Executive Director of Jedidiah Trust said his organisation came up with this initiative after realising the plight of the incarcerated.   “As Jedidiah…

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Plays, performing arts should communicate to persons with disabilities

By Lovemore Chazingwa in Kadoma Stakeholders at the Berina Community Arts (BCA)-organised annual strategic planning workshop have called for performing arts and plays that effectively communicate to people living with disabilities, this publication can reveal. The call was made by BCA  director Lloyd Mujuru, to raise awareness to participants at the Mhondoro-Ngezi District focused workshop….

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AU Summit: African leaders call for action to end malnutrition by 2025

Leaders acknowledged the scope of the challenge but sounded a note of optimism African countries have made progress toward eradicating malnutrition and stunting but need to do more to hit United Nations malnutrition targets by 2025. This was the main message of a meeting that took place during the 33rd African Union Summit. Speakers at…

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SAfAIDS Continues to Strengthen and Support HIV Prevention Response

By Joyce Mukucha As the Southern Africa HIV and AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SafAIDS) in collaboration with other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Government officials, policy makers, beneficiaries and implementing partners launched the 2019 Zimbabwe HIV Prevention Shadow Report, a plethora of recommendations have been made for Zimbabwe to meet the global and national prevention response…

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Masiyiwa urges unity of purpose in fight against Coronavirus

Econet Founder and Group Chairman Strive Masiyiwa has urged businesses to join hands with Government to fight the Coronavirus outbreak. Writing on his Facebook blog, Masiyiwa called on people to lay aside their differences and combat the outbreak, which the World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency. Masiyiwa wrote: #Chinese Businesses are on…

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African Leaders for Nutrition To Hosts Presidential Dinner

The African Development Bank (https://www.AfDB.org/), the African Union Commission, along with the government of Lesotho, will host a dinner for the African Leaders for Nutrition (ALN) on Saturday 8 February 2020, on the sidelines of the 33rd African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The dinner is an opportunity for African leaders to draft recommendations…

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