Zimbabwe News

Immunization outreach gains ground in Zimbabwe

Kadoma - Nine-year-old Mavis** from rural Sanyati was looking forward to a joyful December holiday, filled with games and laughter with her siblings. But those plans came to an abrupt halt when she woke up one morning unable to walk.

Panicked and unsure of what to do, her family turned to their faith, seeking a miracle at a local church. After two weeks of fervent prayers but no improvement, church leaders advised her parents to seek medical help.

Zimbabwe strengthens polio surveillance with new environmental laboratory

Harare - Zimbabwe has bolstered its ability to detect and respond to poliovirus ooutbreaks with the commissioning a state-of-the-art Environmental Surveillance (ES) laboratory unit within the National Polio Laboratory. This significant milestone, which was marked by an official commissioning ceremony, enables the country to test wastewater for poliovirus, allowing for early detection of the virus and allowing timely response to potential outbreaks.

Boosting Africa's Pandemic Influenza Preparedness

Harare - The World Health Organization (WHO) is hosting an important meeting in Zimbabwe from January 28 to 31, 2025, to discuss how to better prepare for flu pandemics. This Regional Coordination Meeting for the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework: Partnership Contribution High-Level Implementation Plan III (HLIP III) will bring together key representatives from 14 African countries, including Angola, Chad, Cabo Verde, Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome & Principe, South Africa, South Sudan, and Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe Establishes Local Laboratory for Polio Surveillance

Harare – In a significant step towards strengthening its public health infrastructure, Zimbabwe established a dedicated laboratory for the analysis of polio samples collected through environmental surveillance (ES). Previously, these samples were sent to South Africa for testing, resulting in a turnaround time of approximately 21 days.