Zimbabwe News

Harare Zimbabwe, 7 June 2014: Members of the WHO East and Southern Africa Staff Association (ESASA) in Harare donated to the needy as a way of giving back to the community. Donations of clothes, blankets, shoes, and winter wear were made to Bumhudzo Old People’s Home in Chitungwiza and Chinyaradzo Children’s Home in Highfield.

Harare, Zimbabwe: 11 June 2014 - WHO Representative for Zimbabwe, Dr David Okello met with representatives from the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) to discuss an upcoming water, sanitation, health and energy (WASHen) exhibition that is being planned for September 2014. Ms Stella Nkomo and Ms Nozipho Maphala from the Marketing and Public Relations unit of the ZITF met with Dr Okello in his Harare office to discuss the upcoming exhibition.

Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe: 14 June 2014 - Zimbabweans were called upon to provide safe blood to save mothers as Zimbabwe joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Blood Donor Day at a high level event in Chinhoyi which was supported by the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Amai Grace Mugabe and representatives from the different levels of the Government of Zimbabwe.

Harare Zimbabwe, 3 July 2014: WR Zimbabwe, Dr David Okello handed back some Parirenyatwa Annex Offices to Parirenyatwa Hospital. The offices on the ground floor of the Annex building were now vacant since the move of the Zimbabwe Country Office and IST/ESA to the Highlands complex.

Harare, 19 August 2014 : WHO supported the Ministry of Health and Child Care to launch the nationwide introduction of the rotavirus vaccine in Zimbabwe amid disturbing statistics of rotavirus diarrhea mortality among children below the age of 5.  Rotavirus diarrhea mostly affects children below the age of 5 and also accounts for 66% hospitalization of children in the above age group. According to WHO 2004 estimates, 527 000 children aged <5 years die each year from vaccine-preventable rotavirus infections; most of these children live in low-income countries.

Harare, 28 Aug. 2014: This was said by the Honorable Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa, in a press conference he held with the WHO Representative for Zimbabwe, Dr  David Okello. 

Harare, 18 Sept. 2014:  On 12 September 2014, WHO Zimbabwe bade farewell to one of its long serving and  dedicated staff members who has been reassigned to WHO South Sudan. Dr Lincoln, Sunganayi Charimari, former NPO DPC in WCO Zimbabwe bade farewell to colleagues at an emotional farewell party held for him.

Harare, 18 Sept 2014 :  “One of the greatest challenges to our current response to ongoing Ebola Virus Disease outbreaks is how to manage the resultant epidemic of fear, panic, myths and misconceptions. But whatever approach we want to adopt for our situation, we must ensure that they are guided by science, documented evidence and international agreements” These were the words of Dr David Okello, WHO Representative in Zimbabwe and IST/ESA Coordinator a.i.  during the workshop held at Rainbow Towers, Harare, Zimbabwe from 16- to 18 September, 2014.

Harare, 18 Sept. 2014 :  WHO supported the Ministry of Health and Child Care to launch the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine demonstration programme in Zimbabwe. The HPV vaccine targets girls before they become sexually active in order to prevent acquisition of sexually transmitted infections, and HPV which causes cervical cancer. Under this programme, Zimbabwe will deliver vaccines to girls aged 10 years in the  2 districts of Marondera and Beitbridge.