Health – NEWSSPACE

Samp Group, ZimSmart Villages in major healthcare initiative

**from left to right…Tawanda Njerere, (Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer, ZimSmart Villages), Ashkar Patel, (COO, Samp Group), Ritesh Patel (Founder and Chairman, Samp Group**)**, Admore Jokwiro (Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, ZimSmart Villages**) **and Maxwell Chitendeni (Postmaster General, Zimbabwe Postal Service)**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

In a groundbreaking initiative, Samp Group has partnered ZimSmart Villages in a healthcare investment which will see the establishment of 150 telehealth units across the country.

The Samp ZimSmart Villages initiative, will provide the much needed healthcare to millions of Zimbabweans, majority of them who live in the rural areas where services are scarce or sometimes nonexistent.

According to the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), “telehealth is broadly defined as the use of communication technologies to provide health care at a distance.”

It is further revealed that “telehealth has become a valuable tool thanks to combined advances in communications, computer science, informatics, and medical technologies.”

Speaking at a press conference last Saturday to mark their partnership, Dr Admore Jokwiro, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of ZimSmart Villages said The Samp ZimSmart Villages initiative will help improve healthcare access.

Dr Jokwiro said the current “doctor to population ratio in the country stands at 1:5000 people, hence this partnership will improve that not in terms of numbers, but in terms of hours and efficiency.”

He further revealed that, “this partnership sees ZimSmart Villages joining hands with the Samp Group to establish a new entity called Samp ZimSmart Villages and this entity will be democratizing access to health care by establishing 150 telehealth units.

“So the Samp Group is bringing in funding for the establishment of these 150 units and ZimSmart Villages is implementing, providing the telehealth service, coordinating, managing the electronic health systems; the clinical care, ZimSmart will be providing that.

“The Samp Group is going to establish the kiosk and also bring in medicines and bring in world class equipment for the telehealth kiosk,” said Dr Jokwiro.

He further revealed that what they have built and what they are building is something that is very important for the people of Zimbabwe, as the current statistics show that health access is quite low.

Dr Jokwiro also paid tribute to the Samp Group saying, “what you have done and what you are doing for our people is something that means a lot to us and in return we want to improve health outcomes.

“We want our impact and our footprints to be able to increase life expectancy in Zimbabwe; that’s the only way we are able to repay the investment that you are bringing to Zimbabwe.”

Founder and Chairman of Samp Group, Ritesh Patel said after coming in for their second season of the Zim Afro T10 cricket tournament, they had looked at something else they can do for Zimbabwe as the Samp Group.

Patel said they thought the telehealth concept perfectly fits in well with them.

He added that they would want to bring in latest equipment from the United States and also medicines from India and the US.

“We also want to provide medication which can be provided here at a lower cost and which will be able to help everyone.

“We really want to help out and the main reason behind this is I came from a community called BAPS community.

“So I really wanted to see what I can do on behalf of the community, to work something in Zimbabwe.

“The BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu organisation has always believed in serving society.

“In fact Guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj started BAPS Charities that provides medical, education, humanitarian, environmental and many other forms of outstanding care around the world, including Africa.

“My family and I have a strong belief in BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Sanstha. With the blessings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, Guru Hari Pramukh Swami Maharaj, and current Guru Hari Mahant Swami, Maharaj; we have taken this noble initiative to serve the people of Zimbabwe,” added Patel.

Postmaster General from the Zimbabwe Postal Service, Maxwell Chitendeni said through their partnership with ZimSmart Villages, they were ready to transform the nation, leaving no one and no place behind.

“Through our partnership with ZimSmart Villages, we are doing quite a lot by providing space as well as logistic services.

“We are happy that Samp has come along to assist, to grow this vision which in my view is also going to transform the livelihoods and the citizenry of Zimbabwe.”

Tawanda Njerere, Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer, ZimSmart Villages, said “this partnership that we are forging today is a great opportunity for both entities that have decided to come together to form a synergy around healthcare in Zimbabwe.

“One of our greatest ambitions as we were starting this project was for us to be able to position whichever product or service that we are offering to the populace at a global level.

“I mean the ambition has been to bring the best technology, to bring the best kind of research, to bring the best kind of evidence-based learning to the populace of Zimbabwe no matter where they are located, be it in rural areas, be it urban areas as a way of ensuring that the best service gets to the people.

“So this partnership that we are forging today allows us to do that,” said Njerere.

He added: “what it has basically done is that overnight because of the synergies that we are building with Samp, it has allowed us to position globally and act locally, so because of this, we are very much excited because the synergy is going to bring about expertise, is going to bring about medicines, it’s going to bring about access to advanced technology, all things that we have been looking forward to.

“This has really been part of our ambition.”

Collective efforts imperative to protect vulnerable members of the communities

**Dr Chidzewere Nzou, ZACH Programme Manager**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

There is need for collective efforts in raising awareness, supporting survivors, and advocating for policy changes that protect the most vulnerable members of our communities, Zimbabwe Association of Church-Related Hospitals (ZACH), Programme Manager, Dr Chidzewere Nzou has said.

Dr Nzou revealed this during the Annual National Media Conference to publicise policy issues emerging from SASA (Start, Awareness, Support and Action) communities.

According to The HIV/AIDS Network; SASA is a methodology and approach designed by the Uganda-based organisation, Raising Voices, which works with women and children to explore the gender aspects of power and to address the link between violence against women (VAW) and HIV/AIDS.

“The SASA model’s success is rooted in its holistic approach to community engagement.

“By involving community leaders, activists, and institutions, we have created a movement against violent behaviour.

“Traditional leaders, including Chiefs and their spouses, have become vocal advocates for the SASA model, further amplifying our message and impact.

“This collective activism is crucial in creating environments that do not tolerate abuse and in fostering a culture of respect and equality,” said Dr Nzou.

He also revealed that the SASA initiative has shown “that change is possible when we work together, and we are confident that with your continued support, we can achieve even greater milestones.”

Dr Nzou further revealed that while the recent amendment of the Criminal Law Code which has now set the age of consent at 18 is a welcome move, more still needs to be done to protect adolescent girls and young women.

“We must continue to educate our communities about the benefits of these laws and work together to protect all members, especially the girl child.

“Let us raise our voices, break the silence, and ensure a safer future for everyone.

“Despite these legal advancements, there is a pressing need to educate minors and their guardians about the benefits of this law.

“Many adolescent girls continue to engage in sexual activities before turning 18, and some cultural beliefs still perpetuate the notion that sexually active girls must marry their perpetrators.

“To address this, it is crucial to raise awareness and aligning national laws with customary practices, ensuring comprehensive protection for all community members, in particular the girl child,” said Dr Nzou.

He also revealed that gender based violence remains a vice which needs collective efforts to eliminate.

Speaking at the same conference; Maxwell Hombiro said it was necessary to prioritise adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) for the SASA model because of their high vulnerability.

“AGYW are at a higher risk of HIV infection and gender-based violence due to biological, social, and economic factors.

”They often face intersecting challenges such as limited access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, which can exacerbate their vulnerability.

”Targeted programs can help prevent HIV and GBV by providing education, resources, and support, empowering AGYW to make informed decisions about their health and safety.

”Investing in the health and well-being of AGYW can have a long-term positive impact on communities, as healthier and empowered young women contribute to the social and economic development of their societies.

”By focusing on AGYW, we can address the root causes of their vulnerability and create a safer, healthier future for them and their communities,” said Hombiro.

Sokuluhle Dube also revealed that pregnant minors and adolescent mothers continue to face significant challenges, despite the existence of the Education Amendment Act of 2020, which gives a second chance to pregnant girls and adolescent mothers to continue their education.

“Communities believe the government should provide material support in such instances.

“Families may find it challenging to provide care for an additional child due to economic hardships, which may result in the adolescent mothers dropping out of school to fend for their child.

“Zimbabwe is a signatory to international and regional conventions like the UNCRC and ACRWC.

“These commitments validate the community’s perspective that the government should play a more active role in supporting pregnant girls and adolescent mothers, ensuring they have the resources needed to continue their education and secure a better future,” said Dube.

She also revealed that there was need for several policy recommendations in order to address some of the challenges which are currently being faced.

And amongst those issues which need to be addressed is review of age restrictions.

“Review of laws and policies that restrict access to Sexual Reproductive Health services (SRH) based on age.

“Ensure that adolescents can access these services without parental consent where appropriate

”Support Adolescent Mother: introduce social grants and programs specifically designed to support the well-being of adolescent mothers and their children.

”Integrate SGBV and HIV/AIDS Programs: enhance the collaboration between Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and HIV/AIDS programs to provide holistic support to survivors.

“This should include joint training for healthcare providers and community workers on the intersection of SGBV and HIV/AIDS.

”Justice Sector Leadership in Awareness: key players in the justice services sector should lead efforts to raise awareness and educate communities about the consequences and effects of child sexual exploitation.

“They should also advise against promoting, aiding, or allowing child marriages,” added Dube.

“SASA changed my life”

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA recently in Mbire

SASA; a programme designed by a Ugandan-based non-governmental organisation, Raising Voices, has proved its worth in Zimbabwe, as it had helped to reduce violence against women and HIV infections.

And to add it onto its benefit, the SASA (Start, Awareness, Support and Action) programme has also managed to change some people who revealed they used to be perpetrators of violence against their fellow community members.

These people revealed their appreciation of the SASA programme during a National AIDS Council Media Tour of Mashonaland Central.

According to The HIV/AIDS Network; SASA is a methodology and approach designed by the Uganda-based Raising Voices, which works with women and children to explore the gender aspects of power and to address the link between violence against women (VAW) and HIV/AIDS.

“SASA is a Kiswahili word for “now” and also serves as an acronym for the key components of the programme: Start, Awareness, Support and Action.

“The programme seeks to prevent VAW and HIV by changing the attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate power imbalances in relationships between men and women.”

Gladness Mwale, aged 23, from Mbire District in Ward 3 was full of praises for the SASA programme, as she was honest enough to reveal that she used to be violent.

“Ini SASA yakatondibatsira nekuti ndaitombovawo munhu wacho aitokonzeresa mhirizhonga.

“Ndaingoti kugumburiswa ndaibva ndatoita mhirizhonga. “Ndaingoti kungokanganiswa chete, ndaisazvitora zvakanaka, asi pavakanditora, vachindidzidzisa kuti unochinja; hunhu hwangu hwakabva hwachinja.

“Ndaiva munhu wekuti ndaiti ndikanzwa zvataurwa nezvangu ndainobvunza, asi pakubvunza ndipo paikonzereseka dzimwe nyaya dzaizonetsa. (SASA programme helped me personally because I used to be violent. Whenever I got angry, I would engage in violence but it took me to be trained that I saw that what I was doing was wrong.)

Mwale revealed that when she was introduced to the SASA programme she didn’t understand it before she got hooked, in a good way.

“As a member of this programme, we were taught that before you expect to change other people, you have to change first.

“So I’m happy I did that, I did self-introspection and knew what I had to change about my behaviour.

“We were taught about things to do with gender based violence and all its key drivers. So we started going to villages and spreading this word on SASA.

“I started in 2019 and this year in December I will be completing this programme. We go into villages teaching people so that they know all that is to know about GBV. Many people did not even know what SASA was all about, but it all changed and many people got to know about SASA and it impacted them positively.

“Many also got to be serious about getting tested for HIV and also to book pregnancies early and it also helped in many other aspects of maternal health,” said Mwale.

She added: “cases of GBV have lessened because SASA speaks against such issues, it really helped us. We also got to engage in many other income generating projects, this really helped us a lot.

“SASA also helped us especially as young women because we got to learn about many projects because we used to have issues with financial management.

“Before SASA, we really used to have issues in our marriages, like our husbands would just use all the money on things which they wanted not considering the family but we have been empowered also such that we now have our own income generating projects.

“We have goat projects which has really helped.”

She also revealed that as a result of SASA, women can now stand for their rights, they now understand that they can report either to the police or other women’s organisations.

Cases of young women who used to be abused and the perpetrators getting away with such crimes have also lessened said Mwale.

Holiday Banda, a 37-year-old man who is also helping to spread the SASA ‘gospel’ said the programme had also helped him in his marriage because they used to have numerous misunderstandings with his wife, but that had since changed.

Banda said at first he didn’t understand what this programme was all about till they were trained.

“There are groups and in each group there are 25 people and in a month we meet three times, first month we discuss about GBV.

“Then second month we discuss about power dynamics in the house, then lastly we talk about HIV and AIDS,” said Banda.

Chipo Jongoro, Katswe Sistahood Field Officer, revealed that the programme had four phases and along with NAC, they are implementing it in Mbire District five Wards 2, 3, 4, 11 and 12.

“In Ward 2 and 3, it is in the Action Phase, which is the last phase of the project where we are looking to say when the project is done, what shall happen, who will remain to see that the project continues.

“So we are working with several government departments, like Ministry of Youth, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Health and we are also working with traditional leaders, church leaders and youths and women who have influence in the community so that when the project they will continue to talk about GBV and HIV issues.

“Our main aim as SASA is we are looking at women and young women who are facing abuse, linking them to get health services or getting help when they want to get report issues,” said Jongoro.

Edgar Muzulu, Provincial Manager for NAC in Mashonaland Central, said GBV was one of our key drivers of HIV so they were making use of the SASA approach, which is a model meant to bring about transformation in terms of how people relate, how people view their own norms and values.

“So it is transformative in nature in terms of how people look at what is valuable and in terms of traditional practices.

“You will find out that traditionally in a setting like Shamva, there was actually valuing those traditions like chiramu, kugara nhaka and so forth, which were some of the causes how HIV spreads.

“So you will find that because of the education, it actually focuses on traditional leaders, influential leaders, religious leaders and the approach seeks to make people introspect and relook at how they are living and see which are the practices which are wrong, which are in the negative, which need to be addressed,” said Muzulu.

He added that with the SASA model, people are equipped with skills of trying to raise awareness amongst themselves and they are also given skills of how to respond, how to encourage each other to avoid such practices.

Muzulu further added that they had noticed some positive outcomes as a result of the SASA model which is currently being employed in Shamva, in Bindura District under the Global Fund and in Mbire District under a Social Contracting Arrangement.

And during the week long NAC Media Tour, journalists managed to see and hear how SASA had changed lives, testament that this Uganda borrowed initiative, can also work well in Zimbabwe.

Combination Prevention Approach proves effective in Mash Central

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA in Mazowe

The Combination Prevention Approach being employed by the National AIDS Council (NAC) and other partners, has gone a long way in terms of reducing new HIV infections in Mashonaland Central Province.

The Province has a total burden of 111 000 people living with HIV, which translates to a 10,35 percent HIV prevalence and is currently on number five nationally.

It was also revealed that new infections used to be very high, but they have since reduced thanks to the Combination Prevention Approach.

According to the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), UNAIDS defines combination HIV prevention as rights-, evidence-, and community-based programs that promote a combination of biomedical, behavioural, and structural interventions designed to meet the HIV prevention needs of specific people and communities.

Speaking during a NAC media tour, Edgar Muzulu, Provincial Manager for NAC in Mashonaland Central said the province has eight districts, namely Mazowe, Bindura, Shamva, Mount Darwin, Rushinga, Muzarabani, Guruve and Mbire, where various responses to key drivers of HIV are being carried out.

Some of the key drivers in the province include gender based violence, traditional and religious practices, people with low risk perceptions about themselves and multi concurrent partnerships where there is low condom use.

“In response to these key drivers as a province; we have come up with interventions that are primarily preventative in nature, because our focus is more on prevention so we make use of what we call the Combination Prevention Approach.

“This is a cocktail of interventions or strategies that include Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission.

“Mother to child transmission is one of the major ways that transmission is taking place in our province because most women when they are pregnant, they miss out on getting on ART (anti-retroviral treatment) or in terms of taking the medication that prevents their unborn babies not to get infected.

“Then another intervention that we have when it comes to preventing these problems is the HIV Testing and Counselling Services; that is the entry point of everyone.

“Then we also have Behaviour Change Communication so that people are aware of risks and what ways they can use in terms of reducing risks in terms of new infections,” said Muzulu.

He added that another Combination Prevention Approach is the condom, which is a way of preventing new infections, a way of preventing of unwanted pregnancies and prevention of STIs.

“STIs are one of the major avenues through which people get HIV because if a person gets STIs, they have some wounds which become openings and become easier highways for HIV.

“Then as we do this Combination Prevention Approach; we make use of what we call models, these are community based interventions that are driven by what we call the peer led approach.

“Within each community, they identify each problem and come up with a model suitable to address those problems.

“For example we have gender based violence as one of our key drivers so you see that we make use of what we call the SASA (Start, Awareness, Support and Action) approach which is a model meant to bring about transformation in terms of how people relate, how people view their own norms and values.

“So it is transformative in nature in terms of how people look at what is valuable and in terms of traditional practices.

Muzulu further added that they had noticed some positive outcomes as result of the SASA model which is currently being employed in Shamva, in Bindura District under the Global Fund and in Mbire District under a Social Contracting Arrangement.

He also revealed that the Sista-2-Sista Model which is being implemented in Rushinga District under the Global Fund Grant and also from domestic resources, focuses on the adolescent girls and young women, mostly the 15 to 24 year olds.

“With the objective of equipping these young girls with skills of determination, with skills of resilience, skills of financial management, skills of knowing how to manage their own reproductive sexual health.

“In terms of other skills which will prevent them from getting pregnancies early in their lives and prolong getting married and empower them in terms of their livelihoods.

“So it’s a total package that empowers the young girls so that they are able to live and be able to avoid risk behaviours that can lead to them being infected.

“Then the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered AIDS-free) Model, we learnt it from our partners, Zimbabwe Health Interventions (ZHI).

“This model also focuses on adolescent girls and young women to inculcate those virtues of determination, resilience, giving the girl child that confidence, so that they are able to realise their dreams. Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, mentored and safe girls.

“If they are mentored, if they are safe, if they are determined, if they are resilient, then they will realise their dreams.”

Muzulu further revealed that for all the models or strategies, they focus on people centeredness, which is why it is community rooted.

He also revealed that train selected volunteers who are known by their own peers so that they are given the skills and once they are given the skills through a trainer of trainers, they then come back to their communities and drive programmes.

Every year a cohort is recruited and they go through trainings from January to December and once they graduate they go back into the communities, while NAC then make follow ups to see if they are using the skills they would have acquired.

Some of the skills that we give them are economic generation programmes, which they are taught to be self-reliant, some do soap making, basket making, while some form groups and lend money to each other.

The Male Engagement is also another strategy whereby boys are engaged at an early stage so as to inculcate a sense of responsibility and a sense of working hard and sense of caring for others and a sense of not being reckless.

Asked why they carry out different interventions in different districts, Muzulu said: “the epidemic is not homogenous, what drives the epidemic in Mazowe is not what drives the epidemic in Muzarabani, so we do what we call problem identification together with stakeholders.

“And we do what we call ranking of problems and we do what we call prioritization. So when you come to Mazowe when they rank their problems, they can tell you that no, we want to focus on adolescents because this is our big problem.

“If you go to Mbire, they can tell you that focus on men because they are causing GBV (Gender Based Violence). So those are the issues now, so the epidemic is dynamic, it differs from one area to another accordingly.”

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Our HIV programmes should be led by science-Dr Madzima

**NAC CEO, Dr Bernard Madzima, addressing Parliamentarians at the New Parliament** **Building**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

Zimbabwe’s HIV programmes should be guided by science if we are to attain the goal of ending AIDS by 2030, National AIDS Council (NAC) Chief Executive Officer, Dr Bernard Madzima has said.

Dr Madzima said that it would be most appreciated if the evidence and data gathered in local.

He said this while speaking at the Parliamentarians HIV and AIDS Sensitization Workshop organised by NAC at the New Parliament Building on Friday.

Dr Madzima was updating legislators on the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) 2023 which the country hosted, as he added that it was a great success.

Dr Madzima also said the ICASA 2023 report which is now out, spoke to several issues.

“The outcomes of ICASA 2023 spoke also to issues of leadership; that we need a strong leadership if we are going to have success in the HIV space, but also to have our programmes in Zimbabwe being led by science, being led by evidence.

“We want to ensure that we implement programmes where we have evidence and data to show us and this data will be most appreciated if its local data.

“So we want to encourage our scientists to research and also the other issue which came out was that communities should take charge of HIV programmes.

“So all this is now guiding the HIV and AIDS programme as we go towards the 2030 targets,” said Dr Madzima.

He also applauded President Emmerson Mnangagwa for his commitment for the country to host ICASA 2023.

“I know some of you really attended the events which took place in Victoria Falls and in Harare.

“The report for ICASA 2023 is out and I would like to say that it was a great success and I would really want to thank all Zimbabweans, starting with his Excellency, the President DR E.D. Mnangagwa for his commitment to hosting the event.

“The country showcased its excellency in various aspects including tourism and indeed it showed that Zimbabwe was open for business,” added Dr Madzima.

The ICASA 2023 report shows that 8 118 participants from 105 countries convened for the conference and women were 45 percent of that number.

Last year was the second time the country has hosted ICASA, after initially hosting it in 2015.

Advocate Mudenda salutes Community and Village Health Workers

**Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

The success which the country enjoys in its HIV and AIDS response is greatly attributed to the dedication of Community and Village Health Workers, who tirelessly to deliver various services to the people, Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda has said.

Advocate Mudenda said Community and Village Health Workers confidently deliver health policies with regards to HIV, hence the country enjoys the results of such dedication.

He said this on Friday in his key note address during the National AIDS Council (NAC), Parliamentarians HIV and AIDS Sensitization Workshop which was held at the New Parliament Building.

“We have seen how these workers are dedicated, dedicated walking on foot, walking on foot from village to village.

“How I wish many of us would be inspired, the majority of us want to be supervised but these men and women are on their own, carrying out government policies, trying to uplift the communities among whom they work as far as healthcare is concerned.

“I don’t know how they were trained, but what I can I tell you from those I have met is that they have confidence in their implementation of the health policies regarding HIV,” said Advocate Mudenda.

He also revealed that the country’s HIV response has been a huge success, showing resilience in the face of numerous challenges.

Advocate Mudenda said Zimbabwe had managed to achieve the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 95-95-95 targets.

The targets aim to ensure that 95 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those diagnosed with HIV are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 95 percent of those on ART achieve viral suppression.

Advocate Mudenda further revealed that these milestones speak to leadership commitment, the dedication of health professionals, the effectiveness of public health policies, and the strong partnerships the country has forged with civil society, international donors and development partners.

“It is critical to note that these successes were anchored on a robust legislative, policy and institutional framework. “At the heart of this health response was the robust primary healthcare system which has been the cornerstone of delivering HIV-related services to communities across the country.

“It is through this network of clinics, health centres, and importantly, Community and Village Health Workers that who have been able to expand access to HIV testing, treatment and care.

“These workers are the frontline soldiers for many Zimbabweans seeking healthcare delivery, particularly in rural areas where access to medical facilities is constrained.

“Community Health Workers have played a pivotal role in demystifying HIV, promoting voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), providing treatment adherence support and acting as a bridge between the healthcare system and the community.

“Without them, many of the most vulnerable populations would have been left behind.

“Yet, despite their critical role, we are faced with the worrying challenge of high staff attrition rates among healthcare professionals.

“Nurses, doctors and community health workers are increasingly leaving the country in search of the perceived greener pastures,” he said.

The Speaker of Parliament revealed that there is a deficit of 16 000 Village Health Workers, against a national target of 30,000.

He also revealed that according to the Zimbabwe Health Workforce Investment Compact, (2024 – 2026), Zimbabwe faces a need-based shortage of 57,573 health professionals and specialists.

“This attrition threatens the sustainability of the HIV programmes and other related healthcare imperatives. “However, it is encouraging that the Second Republic led by the visionary President Cde. Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa is putting in place effective skills retention measures to contain the situation.

“As such, health personnel that continue to shoulder on must be celebrated for their dedicated patriotism,” added Advocate Mudenda.

Media has critical role in the HIV response

…as NewsSpace writer wins NAC award

Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora (far left) congratulates NewsSpace Reporter, Munyaradzi Doma, while NAC CEO Dr Bernard Madzima (second from right) and AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Country Program Manager, Dr Enerst Chikwati **look on**

BY NEWSSPACE REPORTER

The media has a critical role in the HIV response, as it has the important mandate of giving the public the correct information, Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora has said.

Minister Mombeshora revealed this on Wednesday at the 8^th National AIDS Council Media Awards Prize Giving Ceremony which was held in Harare.

And at the awards ceremony whose purpose is to celebrate journalists who consistently and accurately report on HIV and AIDS issues; NewsSpace Reporter, Munyaradzi Doma was awarded 2^nd Position in the Online Category.

Minister Mombeshora revealed that the awards have now “become the most consistent and prestigious recognition of media excellence in reporting and covering HIV and related diseases.”

He added: “Zimbabwe adopted the multi-sectoral approach to HIV, which has enabled various sectors to participate and contribute to national efforts in taming the pandemic.

“The media has therefore always been part of the response to HIV from when the virus was first identified.

“It was the media that first raised awareness and educated people about HIV. Even though initial reports were fear inducing, they did what they were expected to achieve and our people became aware of HIV.”

Dr Mombeshora further revealed that, “the media remains a critical enabler of development and in particular a healthy nation.

“We need vibrant media that purvey correct information to the public for better health outcomes.

“I am very pleased that the National AIDS Council took this bold step to introduce the awards, which will without a doubt, create a healthy competition, which in turn will result in improved coverage in terms of both quality and quantity of coverage.

“I have been informed that coverage of HIV and health reporting in general have improved since the introduction of these awards eight years ago.”

Dr Mombeshora also revealed that the country had achieved tremendous successes in the response to HIV as we stand at a critical juncture towards epidemic control and sustaining it.

He also revealed that latest global evidence has indicated that Zimbabwe achieved the highest HIV decline between 2010 and 2023 than any other country.

“We have also achieved the 95-95-95 targets and our people living with HIV are living longer improved lives.

“These achievements must be sustained. You will agree with me it’s not an easy task as we continue to be diverted by various other health challenges, including emergences such as COVID-19 and M-pox.

“These emergencies are providing us with critical lessons going forward, particularly the need to build a robust and broad-based health system that emphasizes universal health coverage and anchored on a sustainable primary health care system.

“An all-inclusive public funded health insurance is therefore imperative as we strengthen our health system to adequately respond to regular conditions and emergencies.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this shows that HIV does not occur in isolation as there are several social, economic and health factors that affect it. Already we are faced with rising cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), most of which are associated with HIV, especially cervical cancer.

“We therefore need to scale up interventions in this regard, keeping our people informed and how they can prevent the NCDs as well as creating pathways to care,” said Dr Mombeshora.

**Minister Mombeshora (front row, second from left) and other dignitaries, pose for picture with the winners**

Minister Mombeshora said the media hence a critical role of informing the people as well as highlighting both successes and deficiencies of our response.

“Robust policies and programmes result from broad-based engagement that is influenced by awareness and access to information.

“There are areas in our response in which such vibrant engagement is required to address attendant gaps.

“While our 95-95-95 coverage is commendable among adults, we are still lagging behind among children.

“We are also witnessing more cases of HIV among adolescent girls and young women and key populations.

“We therefore need multi-stakeholder engagement to identify and address challenges that cause bottle necks in these areas.

“We are counting on the media to report such gaps and amplify voices of those affected so that together we can find lasting solutions to the challenges.

“While there are thousands of reporters doing the same work, there are some among them who are going an extra mile.

“They do it better because they are driven by a passion for quality and for social change, towards a better society.

“They invest that passion together with time and creativity to produce socially impacting news and feature articles. Today, ladies and gentlemen, is about celebrating those who go an extra mile – who do not wait for news but seek news and creatively report it to create social change,” he added.

He applauded all editors and journalists who are dedicated to keep the nation informed about HIV and AIDS and all other health issues surrounding the people.

**NewsSpace Reporter, Munyaradzi Doma poses with his certificate and shield**

In his welcome remarks at the awards, NAC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Bernard Madzima said the media awards are predicated on the need to keep the HIV story alive in the face of competing stories from other sectors and the general belief that HIV is no longer an interesting topic given our progress in preventing new cases and scaling up Anti-Retroviral Therapy coverage.

“We therefore started the media awards to revitalise coverage and promote excellence among reporters and media houses.

“Apart from the ordinary competition from economic, political and societal stories, the HIV story has faced competition from emerging epidemics such as COVID-19 and Mpox and non-communicable diseases.

“We do not seek to create competition for media coverage between HIV and other health issues but to promote integrated health reporting cognizant of the link between HIV and these issues.

“These awards are an addition to the already functional partnership that we have with the media. Our partnership includes taking both editors and journalists on media tours to some hard-to-reach communities to facilitate coverage of key interventions and media workshops.

“We also regularly support top winners of these awards to attend various international HIV conference, resources permitting,” he said.

He added that for them, the media awards are more than just about giving prizes, as they are also about making an impact in people’s lives.

“Well-wishers have responded to some of the stories journalists have covered during NAC media tours and workshops and paid school fees for a number of girls in various Sista2Sista Clubs.

“The latest in this case is a girl based in Hurungwe who received a scholarship for her university education, financed by a UK based well-wisher.

“Following stories on SASA, which is a community mobilization approach to prevent violence against women, three perpetrators of gender-based violence came forward and openly spoke to the community leaders in Shamva about how radio stories on gender-based violence in their area had led them to change their ways.

“We also have a case of one girl from a Sista2Sista Club who has been invited for on the job training at a media house to develop her interest as a journalist, after field interviews by reporters in Mhangura.

“I would also like to applaud some journalists, who I won’t mention but they pooled resources to pay school fees for needy and vulnerable girls identified during a media tour,” added Dr Madzima.

He also revealed that in line with the rules of the awards, winners were selected through media monitoring so as not to promote prize driven reporters.

“Our awards are anchored on recognition of passion, consistency and correctness.”

Journalists were awarded in the Online, Print, Electronic and Most Promising Categories, while others got certificates of appreciation for consistent reporting on HIV and AIDS issues.

CIMAS Health Group complementing government’s health systems

**Cimas Health Group’s Head Clinics, Dr Travolta Mushayamano speaking to journalists during a tour of their mobile clinic**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) refers to healthcare system where everyone in a country or region has access to essential healthcare services, without facing financial hardship.

Among other issues UHC seeks to ensure accessibility, affordability, equity and quality in healthcare, which is one of the aims of Government.

And with that same approach, Zimbabwe’s largest private medical aid society, health and wellness service provider, Cimas Health Group; is set to achieve this with its recently acquired state of the art mobile clinic.

Journalists had a tour of the mobile clinic at the recently held Harare Agricultural Show, as they got an appreciation of this health game changer initiative.

Cimas Health Group’s Head Clinics, Dr Travolta Mushayamano, said the initiative will take health services to the hard to reach areas of the country.

“You can be able to provide health care in the comfort of the person’s locality and really for those communities where the nearest health care facility can be kilometres away from where they stay.

“So that is the advantage of having a clinic that is on wheels and is able to do basically everything that you can find in a brick and mortar facility.

“It has the capacity to go to the communities, those hard to reach areas, so that is the plan.

“We have the Sustainable Development Goals and the main thrust there is that we should have Universal Health Coverage; so we understand that it not an assignment of the Government only. “So we come in to complement that and we should be able to reach the most peripheral parts of Zimbabwe, hardest to reach areas like Dotito, Muzarabani and go there with a clinic which is fully functional, same way you will have with a brick and mortar clinic,” said Dr Mushayamano.

He added that their mobile clinic has basically everything, including an ultra-sound scan for pregnant women.

“We have the equipment to do even minor procedures, when we visit places like mining areas where there are risks of injuries.

“The mobile clinic is registered with the Medical Aid Funders Association so what it means is that we can to be able to offer it to anyone who has a medical aid and claim from their medical aid but it also offers services on cash payment.

“So far we are trying to identify areas where you have limited capacity and the nearest health centres are quite far, like some mining areas, so we are trying to map how we are going to operate.

“We know that majority of our population lives in the rural areas so the health care data and access to health has to cover that population because that’s where most of the people are.

“So if we have more of these units, it actually helps a lot and it gives us much more quality data for reporting because really there are instances where people who are towards the borders even cross to access health care services.

“So this kind of services shall cover quite a lot of people and when we go to such hard to reach areas, we might have medical tourism from these border areas,” he said.

Dr Mushayamano added that they have plans to increase the units, but it all depends on the uptake of the service and how efficient it’s going to be.

“Initially we had actually planned to have two units, but then we decided to have one and see how it operates before expansion.”

**Cimas Health Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Tatenda Madzikanda**, **leads journalists on a tour of the mobile clinic**

Similar sentiments were also shared by the group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Tatenda Madzikanda, who said they are complementing the health systems that have been put in place by Government as well as other private healthcare players.

“This is a new service that we are offering and that (trip to a farm in Mhondoro) was our pilot trip.

“And we intend to come up with a schedule in terms of areas that we can service, depending with the need. But definitely we know there are members that have been asking us to come up with this innovation and I trust the uptake will actually be very high.

“So this is a first in its kind for us to be doing this and I think it’s based on research and input that we have gotten from our members.

“The pilot study was very successful; we did two days and based from the feedback from the patients; they actually wanted us to come back again the other day.

“So our outreach trips are going to be structured in such a way that we spend a week at a certain place so members in that area would then know that the Cimas mobile clinic is going to be coming first week of every month or last week of every month.

“So this is what we are in the process of coming up with and we trust very soon we will be able to do that.”

“Free Body Scan” dealers face arrest

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

The Health Professions Authority Zimbabwe (HPA) and Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), will soon arrest all dealers that have been offering illegal “free body scan” services.

The sprouting of the “free body scan” service has seen several agents standing in streets, offering fliers to passers by and even sending messages in WhatsApp groups, offering their service to members of the public.

In a joint statement, HPA and MCAZ revealed that the “magnetic resonance machines are being used by unqualified and unauthorized personnel who then proceed to prescribe and sell medicines.

“In conjunction with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the two Authorities will be undertaking investigations and confiscating all such offensive equipment as well as prosecuting the persons operating the said machines illegally. “At the same time, the medicines will be confiscated (both registered and unregistered) from unlicensed persons and unlicensed premises.”

HPA and MCAZ had “noted with concern the sprouting of unauthorized use of dubious magnetic resonance machines offering a service popularly called “full body scan.”

“It has been noted that these alleged magnetic resonance machines are being used by unqualified and unauthorized personnel who then proceed to prescribe and sell medicines (both conventional and complementary) for chronic conditions to the unsuspecting public. “This poses a serious risk of misdiagnosis and mistreatment to the public.

“These acts are in contravention of several statutes. The Health Professions Act (Chapter 27:19) Section 126, stipulates that anyone who is not registered on the designated register who: for gain practices a profession or calling, pretends by any means whatsoever to be on the register or uses any name, title, description or symbol indicating or calculated to lead persons to infer that he is a member of a profession or calling of which a designated register is kept, shall be guilty of an offence liable to a fine or imprisonment or both.

“Therefore diagnosis and prescribing should only be conducted by qualified and licensed personnel.

“Selling medicines by unlicensed persons from unlicensed premises contravenes Sections 50 and 52 of the Medicines and Allied Substance Control (General) Regulations, 1991, SI 150 of 1991 as read with Section 106 of the same Regulations.

“Also, the selling of unregistered medicines is in contravention of Section 29 (1) (a) of the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act as read with Section 29 (1a) of the same Act,” read the statement.

It was added that, “mandated to safeguard the public, HPA and MCAZ urge the public to seek medical advice and treatment only from registered health professionals and institutions.

“These can be identified by the possession of a valid practicing certificate from the practitioner’s respective Council, a licence issued by HPA for registration of premises, and an MCAZ licence for both person and premises.

“It is an offence for an unlicensed individual to diagnose, treat, and sell medicines to the public,” further read the statement.

Taking health services to the people: Cimas Health Group acquires state of the art mobile clinic

**Cimas Health Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Mrs. Tatenda Madzikanda, showing members of the media recently acquired Cimas Health Group Mobile Clinic at the Harare Agricultural Show on Saturday**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

In a ground breaking development, Zimbabwe’s largest private medical aid society, health and wellness service provider, Cimas Health Group, recently acquired a state of the art mobile clinic which will be staffed by a combination of health experts.

The development shows how Cimas Health Group continues to embrace innovative models to improve ways of service delivery in the health sector as services will be provided on wheels directly to communities in need.

The Cimas mobile clinic attracted hordes of show goers at the recently ended Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) exhibition in Harare, which was running under the theme: “Cultivating Prosperity Growing Business Innovating for Change. Nurturing our Future.”

Cimas Health Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Vulindlela Ndlovu said acquiring the mobile clinic underscores the group’s commitment to providing global standard health and wellness solutions regardless of their location or circumstances

“In today’s fast-paced world, access to quality healthcare is of utmost importance and as Cimas continues to be innovative in the health sector, we purchased a mobile clinic in our efforts to improve the accessibility of health services.

“This mobile clinic is a transformative tool in the healthcare delivery system as it revolutionises the way medical services are provided. It brings healthcare directly to communities, regardless of their location or infrastructure limitations,” said Ndlovu.

Ndlovu added that through the mobile clinic, they seek to take health services delivery to underserved populations and areas with limited or reduced healthcare infrastructure.

“Our mobile clinic will be used to provide a wide range of services that can be tailored to specific needs of the populations thereby bringing healthcare directly to communities in need,” he noted.

“Using this mobile clinic will help us expand our efforts to deliver health care to less privileged societies as the mobile clinic will be used to cater for a wide range of healthcare needs, including preventive care, vaccinations, health education, and primary healthcare services.”

**Cimas Health Group’s Head Clinics Dr. Travolta Mushayamano speaking to members of the media during the tour of the Cimas Health Group stand at the Harare Agricultural Show on Saturday**

He further noted that by operating this mobile clinic, Cimas can bridge the healthcare gap and ensure that even the most vulnerable populations can receive the medical attention they deserve.

“Strengthening health service delivery is crucial for Cimas and to the achievement of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include the delivery of interventions to reduce child mortality and maternal mortality,” added Ndlovu.

Journalists were taken on a tour of the Cimas Health Group stand at ZAS, and they got to experience the services offered.

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