The shortage of trained nurses at government hospitals is stifling progress in the fight against the transmission of HIV/AIDS from mothers to babies.

This was revealed by the AIDS and TB Director in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Owen Mugurungi, at a roundtable discussion in the capital today.

Mugurungi said increasing the number of health staff would help drive success in the current Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission initiatives.

Reconstruction in Mozambique after the floods of earlier this year could cost 517 million US dollars according to new government figures.

According to the Minister of Planning and Development, Aiuba Cuereneia, of this amount about 353 million dollars will be for reconstruction in the public sector and 164 million dollars in the private sector.

The minister was speaking on 3 May in Maputo at the annual review meeting of the donors and funding agencies who provide direct support to the Mozambican state budget, known as the Programme Aid Partners (PAPs) or G-19.

The torn green tents are all that is left of the temporary shelter set up by the Red Cross society when tragedy struck Chitungwiza three months ago.

Six people, including a seven-month-old, died in a blast in Zengeza 2 in February this year that many suspect was caused by traditional healer, Speakmore Mandere.

The families whose houses were destroyed during the explosion have been appealing to the authorities for financial assistance to help them rebuild their lives.

Local non-governmental organisation, Action Contre La Faim, has introduced a water, air, sanitation and health (WASH) campaign to reduce levels of morbidity and mortality in the local population.

The NGO has partnered with Chipinge Town Council, a local NGO Zim Ahead, Environmental Management Agency and residents. The intervention follows the incapacity of the local authority to offer quality service delivery such as refuse collection.

Editor: Mu Xuequan

Gender equality has been identified as an effective measure to reduce the spread of HIV/Aids in both rural and urban areas, a National Aids Council official has said.

Addressing a recent stakeholders’ meeting here, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for Manicaland, Siebert Hlatshwayo, said “We are happy that women are now getting involved in gender issues as a way to empower themselves. This evidenced by a surge in the number of women who are getting tested and attaining a higher level of education in Manicaland province.”

A cholera epidemic has swept accross Chiredzi district in the southern part of the country with at least a dozen people having been reportedly hospitalized during the past week.

Health officials in Masvingo said that they were still battling to contain the epidemic which claimed two lives in the Boli area last year.

Families relocated to Arda Transau by Anjin Diamond Mining are facing starvation, according to The Chiadzwa Community Development Trust.

Anjin last gave each family 100kg mealie meal, 10 litres cooking oil, 10kg beans, 6kg salt and four bars of soap in October 2012 - despite the fact that the mining companies agreed to give food to relocated families every three months until they are given land for cultivation.

by Edgar Gweshe

Touched by the plight of patients unable to access medicines at government and private hospitals at the turn of the millennium, Sister Yullita Chirawu (55) of the Roman Catholic Church, together with fellow worshippers mooted the idea of herbal gardens as a way of saving lives.

by Brenna Matendere
Munyati

The two Midlands districts of Gokwe North and South recorded the lowest HIV infection rate in 2012 for the Midlands province.

The two districts recorded a 1.4 infection rate against the average of nine percent for the other districts. Mildred Mano, the National AIDS Council HIV/AIDS focal person for the province, attributed the low rate to the involvement of local traditional leaders who have popularised preventive measures and a high uptake of contraceptives in resettlement areas.