Tag Archives: Africa

AMR Soccer Tournament lives to billing

…as Seke High 1 are crowned champions

 

Some of the Seke High 1 students receiving their winners’ medals

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

 

The Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) awareness high schools soccer tournament which was part of the continental celebration of the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) 2023 in Harare, lived to its expectations as many people from different community backgrounds attended.

The tournament which was held at Prince Edward High School on Sunday (November 19), saw several schools battling out for the honours but the glory was to belong to Seke High 1 who were crowned champions.

Seke High 1 defeated Glen Norah 2 High in finals which were decided by the dreaded penalties.

Speaking on the sidelines of the final match, Dr Mohamed Sirdar, Sub Regional Programme Coordinator for Southern Africa at World Health Organisation for Animal Health, said he was happy that the event lived to their expectations.

“The soccer tournament was creating awareness on antimicrobial resistance and its effect on our health systems, either for the humans, animals and environmental plants.

“And we hope that awareness to the high school pupils or students is one of the powerful tools so that we can have the message spread in the community and thats why we chose football for the high schools for this tournament to be able to enhance awareness on AMR in Zimbabwe.”

Dr Sirdar added that having many people from various community backgrounds was the icing on the cake as the message was being delivered to many people.

“Given that we have almost 500 spectators, having people from different community backgrounds and also we are happy one of the football legends Oscar (Machapa) is here with us and having also some of our representatives from all these organisations.

“So I can say we believe that we have exceeded our expectations,” said Dr Sirdar.

And indeed the AMR message was really being emphasized at the tournament as the talented soccer commentator was also spreading the message as he went about his commentary much to the appreciation of the crowd.

And the message was also clearly spread to the students as some of those interviewed by this reporter spoke on the dangers of abusing medication.

“This subject (AMR) was new to me but I’m happy that I have learnt that we should not self medicate, I have also learnt that I should use the right medication for the disease and only after being prescribed by the doctor,” said one student.

Zimbabwe with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), in partnership with African Union agencies, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU IBAR) is hosting WAAW 2023 with several events lined up.

The commemorations which started on November 18 and will end this Friday, are running under the theme, “Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance Together”, which emphasizes the importance of collective action to address the global health challenge of antimicrobial resistance.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.

 

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Zim ready to host ICASA

Health and Child Care Minister
Dr Douglas Mombeshora

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

All systems are in place for the country to host the 22nd edition of the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa at the Harare International Conference Centre, Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora has said.

Minister Mombeshora revealed that all was being arranged to make sure that the conference which will be held from the 4th to the 9th of December, lives up to its billing.

“All our systems from security, banking, accommodation, transportation, health and others have been checked and tested and I want to assure our visitors that Zimbabwe is ready.

“The security of delegates is guaranteed both in Harare and elsewhere as they go out about attending the conference and enjoy our rich heritage across the world acclaimed tourist destinations.

“We have also strengthened the health delivery and surveillance systems to ensure that our visitors and locals have access to needed health services,” said Dr Mombeshora.

He also allayed cholera fears, saying the isolated cases were being dealt with adequately, as he further praised the country’s surveillance system saying it is exceptionally effective and has picked all cases which have all since been treated.

Dr Mombeshora also revealed that it was an honour that the country will be hosting two high level meetings as a precursor to ICASA.

“We are very excited as government about the two high level meetings which we are going to host on the 2nd of December in Victoria Falls as part of the build up towards ICASA.

“We will have a meeting of African First Ladies to be hosted by our First Lady Her Excellency Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa.

“This meeting will focus on addressing prevention of mother to child transmission and elimination of newborn infections in Africa.

“On the same day, we will also host the African Ministers of Finance who will attend a meeting focusing on addressing domestic financing of the HIV response to reach the UN 2025 Goals and the African Union Agenda 2063.

“As you are aware, Zimbabwe has already been praised globally for the home grown domestic funding initiative in the form of the National AIDS Trust Fund popularly known AIDS Levy.

“We are therefore very proud to be hosting this meeting to share our best practice while learning from the rest of the continent on other initiatives that all together can increase Africa’s domestic financing of HIV and other epidemics without totally relying on external funds.

“These two meetings will come just a day after Zimbabwe will have commemorated the World AIDS Day which we will have in Victoria Falls at Chinotimba Stadium.

“ICASA delegates who will already be in the country and are able to finance their trips to Victoria Falls are invited to attend the World AIDS Day commemorations which are going to be held under the theme, “Let Communities Lead,” he added.

He further reiterated all transport logistics and accommodation had been arranged to ensure that the conference goes on without any challenges.

The conference will be running under the theme “AIDS is not over: address inequalities, accelerate inclusion and innovation.”