Ray Bande Review Writer
2015 marks exactly 30 years after the first case of HIV was diagnosed in Zimbabwe. Increased cases of orphan-hood in communities, worsening levels of poverty, family disintegration, discrimination leading to emotional trauma, among other atrocities, have been an everyday part of many in Zimbabwe and the entire SADC region, owing to the ravages of this epidemic.

Indeed, HIV in Zimbabwe has had a short but devastating history!

Pessimistic or optimistic, whichever way one looks at it, Zimbabwe has done considerably well in reducing HIV prevalence levels hence the significant reduction of its effects in our communities.

In the same breadth experts in the field reckon that despite the success, Zimbabwe remains a high burden, resource constrained country and AIDS remains a major public health threat and stigma against those infected is still high.

With statistics indicating that an estimated number of people living with HIV hover around 1 390 211 while the prevalence of HIV stands at 15 percent and the number of people in need of ART being 905 368 facts on the ground point to more work still needs to be done.

With an estimated number of new infections standing at 69 105 while estimated annual HIV deaths are 63 853, it is evident that the nation cannot afford to rest on its laurels in the fight against HIV lest the gains made over the past 30 years might soon count for nothing.

In his presentation during a four-day United Nations workshop on Development Reporting for editors and senior journalists held at Great Zimbabwe Hotel in Masvingo last week, facilitator on the subject ish Mafundikwa admitted that the country has made commendable strides in combating HIV.

Mafundikwa hastily pointed out the need for more effort to be directed towards fortifying what has been achieved.

“Zimbabwe has done extremely well in terms of almost halving the HIV prevalence rate from a high of 28 percent in 1997 to the current 15 percent. The country has done so with limited resources but with the goodwill and support of the international community.

“Zimbabwe’s AIDS response has seen the establishment of the National Aids Council (NAC) and the AIDS Levy and this has been viewed as best practices which other countries have used as a blueprint for their own responses.

“The AIDS Levy was introduced in 2000 and its value has included allowing the country to be more self-determined in its AIDS response, for example, moving to introduce ART at a time when international donors were focused on supporting prevention and awareness raising in developing countries.

“Despite the success, Zimbabwe remains a high burden, resource constrained country and AIDS remains a major public health threat and stigma against those infected is still high.

Thus a lot more still needs to be done to bring down new infections and to ensure that everybody who needs anti-retroviral therapy has access to it. There is also a need for a focus on young people and especially young women who make up the majority of new HIV infections. The media still needs to be in the forefront of informing the general public about the issues related to HIV and AIDS,” said Mafundikwa.

Interestingly, Mafundikwa noted that the efforts the country has made in fighting HIV have reflected in the country’s life expectancy trends.

“In 1980, life expectancy in Zimbabwe was around 60 years of age. In 2000, when the MDGs were set, life expectancy had dropped to just 44 years of age, largely owing to the impact of the AIDS epidemic. By 2013, however, life expectancy had risen again to 60 years of age as new HIV infections were reduced and access to anti-retroviral treatment expanded,” he said.

In line with the dictates of the Millennium Development Goal Six that relates to combating HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases, the country’s United Nations funded development blueprint Zimbabwe United Nations Development Assistance Framework (ZUNDAF) reckons the initiatives and targets that need to meet it its projected Outcome 6.1 – Improved Access to (and uptake of) HIV Prevention Services. The 2012-2015 Zimbabwe United Nations Development Assistance Framework (ZUNDAF) is the UN’s strategic programme framework to support national development priorities as well as the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 though new targets – based on the achievements made and areas in need of improvement – have since been set for the year 2030.

A total of $140 million has already been disbursed between 2012 and 2014 thus increased progress towards availability of real time data and data disaggregation practices supported.

Through other initiatives Thus 46 486 (82 percent) of infants born to HIV-positive mothers received ARV prophylaxis after delivery while 84 127 males between the age of 15-49 got circumcised by September 2014, whereas 149 466 males between the age group 13-29 got circumcised, which translates to 69 percent of target the population for 2014.

According to available statistics, by September 2014, 693 374 out of 774 395 (89 percent) adults and 54 010 out of 65 744 (82 percent) children with advanced HIV infection received ART.

47 657 (75 percent) HIV-positive women received ARV prophylaxis and ART for their own health to reduce mother-to-child transmission.

There has also been an increased knowledge of HIV among young people hence the slight increase in HIV testing among young people although with less boys accessing HIV testing services compared to girls.

To date, among other achievements, the country will probably look back, stand proud or think of the work that still needs to be done after having been able to have 618 980 (76,9 percent) adults on ART, 46 319 (40,5 percent) children on ART and an estimated AIDS orphans population of 889 339. It seems, we came a long way and much more, however, still needs to be done!—manicapost.com

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