Zimpapers Logo

as well as sexual and reproductive health as part of efforts to make health services readily available, a Government official has said.
Ministry of Health and Child Welfare permanent secretary, Dr Gerald Gwinji, said this recently while speaking at the signing ceremony of a project linking HIV and sexual SRHR programmes, signed by Government, United Nations Population Fund and European Union in Harare.

Zimbabwe will receive 450 000 Euros to kickstart the programme.
“The link should lead towards an alternative of universal access to HIV care and support and everyone should take this initiative seriously as it will help improve programmes for mothers and children,” Dr Gwinji said.

He said linking HIV and SRHR was cost effective and had significant public health benefits for Zimbabweans such as improved access to and uptake of services.
“Other benefits include improved health and behavioural outcomes including condom use, improved quality of care and reduced HIV related stigma and discrimination,” he said.
The HIV epidemic is integrally linked to sexual and reproductive health since the majority of HIV infections are sexually transmitted or associated with childbirth and breastfeeding hence the need to fight the two at the same time.

Speaking at the same occasion, UNFPA country representative, Dr Basile Tambashe, said linking the two was key to attaining HIV related millenium development goals.
He also said HIV was the leading indirect cause of maternal deaths, constituting 24 percent of number of deaths recorded.

This is a major challenge in achieving millenium development goals by 2015.
Zimbabwe is among the seven countries in Africa that have benefited from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and EU regional project on putting together HIV and sexual rights issues in order to address to the epidemic.
Other countries, which benefited are Swaziland, Zambia, Lesotho, Malawi Namibia and Botswana.