Cathrine Murombedzi HIV Walk
I was in Kasanze village, Zvimba, early this month for the unveiling of my grandparents’ tombstones. The occasion was filled with joy as the family met to honour two of the most important people in our family. It was all joy with no weeping. The village headman, our neighbours and teachers

Catherine Murombedzi HIV Walk
Mbuya Lucy is over 75 and has been on ART for the last eight years.
She lost her husband a long time ago before the advent of the HIV/Aids pandemic and has not remarried neither has she had a sexual relationship.
“I have been ill for some years and it was only in 2004 that my daughter who works as a nurse at Mutare General Hospital took me for some tests at her workplace. She asked me to take an HIV test since I had been looking after one of my daughters who unfortunately passed away,” said Mbuya Lucy.

Cathrine Murombedzi HIV Walk
The Ncube family of Glen View in Harare is in mourning. They recently lost their mother, who was HIV positive, to cervical cancer.
The eldest daughter who declined to be named called on HIV positive women to go for routine cervical cancer tests.
She said her mother had overcome the HIV diagnosis and it was sad to lose her to cancer a decade after testing HIV positive.
“We expected to lose our mother back then but she survived.
“She was lucky to be one of the first patients to be initiated on ART when the free Government programme was rolled out at Harare Hospital in 2004.
“She survived the dark days and for us to lose her now is a very sad chapter in our lives.

Ruvimbo is a troubled soul. She regrets having accompanied a sick relative to a local clinic where she gladly underwent an HIV test. Health facilities offer HIV testing to patients and those accompanying a sick relative.