From over 600 applicants, 15 outstanding young people were selected to join the 2026 Youth Researchers Academy (YRA), marking another milestone in nurturing youth-led research in Zimbabwe. The cohort participated in an intensive week of hands-on learning designed to strengthen their capacity in research methodology, presentation skills, and meaningful engagement. Sessions were facilitated by experienced THRU-ZIM researchers and partner experts, providing participants with pra

The Significance of Hypertension in Early Adulthood Research in Zimbabwe (SHEAR Zim) study has reached an exciting milestone, with 750 of its planned 1,000 participants now enrolled—just one year after recruitment began on 24 February 2025. So far, participants have come from Budiriro, Mufakose, and Highfields. The strong support of these communities, together with the work of community health workers, has been key to the study’s progress. Each participant takes part in a det

We proudly celebrate six of our fellows awarded PhDs from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London. This milestone is a direct reflection of our commitment to building scientific capacity in Zimbabwe and the region. Developing the next generation of health researchers is not peripheral to our mission — it is the mission. We congratulate each graduate on this outstanding achievement and look forward to the contributions they will continue to mak

We are proud to celebrate Maureen Tshuma on successfully passing her APR2 with no corrections. This outstanding achievement reflects the strength, clarity, and quality of her doctoral research that focuses on promoting and maintaining the functional ability of older adults with particular emphasis on strengthening their cognitive and psychological well being. Her APR2 review feedback says it all: “Tremendous work! Highly recommend to finish off strong! Novel interventions wel

THRU ZIM had the privilege of hosting Catherine Draper, Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet Regional Health – Africa, for a two-day visit in the first quarter of 2026. A central highlight of her visit was a focused seminar with researchers on developing strong, competitive manuscripts for publication in the journal. In her presentation, Dr Draper emphasised the importance of methodological soundness, clear articulation of regional relevance, and research that demonstrates tangible

Dr Farirayi Kowo recently conducted a DXA operator training session at the Well Woman Clinic, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen bone health services in Zimbabwe. The training was organized by the Zimbabwe Osteoporosis and Bone Health Association (ZOBS). Participants received hands-on training in bone mineral density assessment, body composition analysis, and vertebral fracture assessment (VFA), building critical skills for the early detection and management of osteopor

CREATE PhD Fellow Maureen Tshuma successfully delivered the National Training of Trainers Workshop for Cognitive Stimulation Therapy Zimbabwe (CST-Z) from 9–13 February 2026 in Harare. The week-long workshop brought together trainers from a wide range of organisations and institutions working directly with older adults and people living with dementia across Zimbabwe. Participants engaged in hands-on sessions, learned about the development and evaluation of CST-Z, and were equ

THRU ZIM has officially launched the RESTORE project following a three-day investigator meeting that convened partners, frontline health care workers, community representatives and key stakeholders. RESTORE is funded by the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases and is designed as an implementation research initiative focused on strengthening tuberculosis (TB) care through integrated, person-centred approaches. Despite the interconnected needs of people affected by TB, essentia

Dr. Nyasha has been awarded a highly competitive postdoctoral fellowship with the Southern Africa Research Capacity Network (SOFAR), marking an exciting new chapter in her research career

The PROMISE team kicked off 2026 on a high note, welcoming new staff to strengthen participant recruitment and outcome ascertainment. New team members completed protocol training from 12–14 January, followed by a two-day refresher training (15–16 January) with the full PROMISE team. The refresher training focused on how the team follows mothers and babies after birth and gathers key study information. Staff reviewed procedures for the birth visit and follow-up visits at one w

The Health Research Unit is excited to announce the launch of the CHART-HIV study, a Wellcome-funded project led by Dr Edith Majonga. The research aims to improve the understanding of heart disease in young people living with HIV in Africa. By carefully assessing heart structure and function, the study will generate crucial evidence to support better prevention, diagnosis, and management of cardiovascular disease.   As part of the study setup, a dedicated ultrasound machine h

We are delighted to share the news that Tinotenda Taruvinga  has passed his PhD viva today, subject to minor corrections. Please join us in congratulating him on an excellent thesis exploring the indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health workforce, maternal and child health services, and wider lives and livelihoods in Zimbabwe. Supervisors: Justin Dixon and Katharina Kranzer Abstract: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as the most significant health

We are thrilled to announce that Edson Marambire has officially joined the ranks of PhD holders at THRU ZIM. His doctoral research, “𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘔𝘺𝘤𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘵𝘶𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘴 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘛𝘉-𝘐𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴,” makes a valuable contribution to understanding TB transmission and strengthening public health strategies. Congratulations, Dr. Marambire Read h

THRU-ZIM is delighted to celebrate the academic achievements of four team members who completed their Master of Science (MSc) degrees. Congratulations to:   Trevor Chivandire  –  MSc Public Health, University of Manchester   Onismo Mufare  –  MSc Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy and Programming, University of London (LSHTM)   Fionah Mundoga  –  MSc Anthropology, University of Zimbabwe (UZ)   Cuthbert Sekanevana  –  MSc Child Sensitive Social Policies, Women’s University

Hip fractures are a serious health event for older adults, often leading to severe illness, disability, or death. As Zimbabwe’s population ages, these fractures are expected to rise—and with them, the burden on the health system. To guide resource allocation and policy, a cost-utility analysis of hip fracture management was undertaken in Zimbabwe. The study by Nyasha Mafirakureva and colleagues and published in Bone & Joint Open, provides the first data of its kind in the cou

On 1 October 2025, Nonhlanhla Ndondo presented key findings from the Kids with Kids research study at the 9th International Workshop on Adolescents, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and HIV in Gaborone, Botswana. Her presentation earned 13 Continuing Medical Education (CME) points from the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME), recognising the high quality and relevance of the work. She also joined the expert panel for Sessi

The Neotree has recently expanded its digital healthcare platform into the pediatric ward at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital — a significant milestone in improving care for vulnerable newborns and children. This rollout makes real-time clinical decision support, digital data capture, and evidence-based guidance available at the point of care where it matters most. The first neonatal admission using the Neotree application has already taken place in the pediatric ward, demonstra

Rumbi Gumbie, recently presented a poster at the South African AIDS Conference (SAAIDS 2025). The presentation shared key findings from the TSIME study Qualitative results highlighted a notable gap between SRH-HIV integration policy and implementation, based on interviews with healthcare providers and people living with HIV. A significant discussion point was the study's use of a co-design framework—a participatory action research approach engaging both end-users and provider

At THRU ZIM, we believe that wellbeing starts with the small steps we take every day. Over the past weeks, our team has embraced this through our Nutrition quarter of the Wellbeing Series. We kicked off with Fruit Friday, a refreshing initiative where staff collected fresh fruit from a vibrant display at Reception. Some even joined the fun by dressing up as their favourite fruits — bringing colour, and community spirit into the office. Building on that energy, we recently he

THRU Zim is proud to celebrate the academic milestones of four of our team members, who have successfully completed their Master of Science (MSc) degrees. The team marked this special occasion with cake. Congratulations to: Trevor Chivandire  – MSc Public Health, University of Manchester Onismo Mufare  – MSc Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy and Programming, University of London (LSHTM) Fionah Mundoga  – MSc Anthropology, University of Zimbabwe (UZ) Cuthbert Sekanevana  –