SHARON NYAYA
MBERENGWA-Dove Secondary School in Mberengwa District recently played host to the National AIDS Council (NAC) World AIDS Day commemorations.
The annual commemorations were running under the theme, “Take the Rights Path” with a pay off line, “my health, my rights, our responsibility.”
NAC programs officer Dr Josiah Machakata gave the background of the commemorations and models that are being put in place to curb the spread of HIV and AIDS cases.
Machakata said, the WAD was first commemorated in 1998 as a reminder of the need to remain committed to preventing new HIV infections and providing essential services to all people living with HIV.
He said, “on this day we remember the people that have died of AIDS, take stock, renew and sharpen our resolve to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.”
“Even though our response to HIV has recorded tremendous progress and achieved the 95-95-95 targets, we continue to record new infections and people dying of AIDS. In Midlands, over 2711 new HIV infections and over 2712 AIDS deaths were recorded in 2023, serving as a stark reminder that the epidemic is still vicious.
“This is particularly so in certain hot spots and with certain sub populations such as adolescent boys and girls, young women, our children, sex workers and other vulnerable groups including artisanal miners.
“Our HIV and AIDS situation is skewed towards the southern part of the province, with highest HIV incidence being recorded in Zvishavane (0.31) followed by Shurugwi (0.28), Mberengwa (0.26) and the least was recorded in Gokwe North. The estimated HIV prevalence in adults by district show that Zvishavane has high HIV prevalence followed by Mberengwa as compared to other districts in the province.
“Even in ART, most districts had female adult ART coverage above national target of 93% except Mberengwa and Zvishavane districts had suboptimal male adult ART coverage,” narrated Machakata.
He added that in response, with the mantra leaving no one and no place behind, the province has adopted and implemented innovative peer to peer approach models to scale up access to both prevention and treatment services through partners and their own District Response Initiatives (DRI).
Mberengwa is implementing the DREAMS programme with a consortium of partners.
In recognition of the fact that AIDS is associated with Tuberculosis, various non-communicable diseases, drug abuse, disabilities and mental health among others, the NAC and various partners have begun integrating these diseases and vulnerabilities into the response.
Mberengwa District Medical Officer Dr Gabriel Ndagurwa said, “As we celebrate achieving the 95-95-95 targets, I call upon everyone to be more strategic in identifying the remaining 5% who do not know their status. My ministry and partners have adopted intensified HIV case-based surveillance to identify and track those remaining pockets of HIV transmission and areas of service gaps, at the same time scale up HIV self-testing – both oral fluid-based and blood-based kits.
“These services are being rendered within the framework of differentiated service delivery that tailors testing, treatment and care to the needs and circumstances of the client.
“Whilst the total provincial AIDS related deaths peaked in 2002, they gradually decreased from 2003 to 2023 among all age groups, which can be attributed to comprehensive ART programs. I am however, saddened that a total of 26 393 new STI cases were reported in the province during the 1st half of the year up to September 2024. Further worrying is 15.1% (3 979) of these reported are already on ART, calling the need to reinvigorate condom programming.
“The impact of our interventions towards the national AIDS response cannot be underestimated. In 2023, the PMTCT programme averted 1 280 new HIV infections compared to 47 in 2023. Furthermore, the PMTCT programme continues to avert more pediatrics deaths, 866 have been averted in 2023 compared to 23 in 2003. There was an overall increase in adult ART coverage over the period from 82.64% in 2019 to 89.19% in 2023. Consequently, the ART programme averted 9 416 deaths in Midlands province since inception in 2004.
“Despite that the country has reached epidemic control (new HIV infections lower than AIDS deaths), my province still recorded more new HIV infections (2 571) compared to AIDS related deaths (2 100), implying we have not yet reached epidemic control. However, there is need to improve quality of data in order to improve estimation of the provincial progress.
“In this regard, the province should continue to strengthen implementing HIV prevention programs targeting hot spots areas and sub-populations, whilst ensuring that gains realized now are not reversed. This requires availability of skilled health workers, requisite machinery and medicines as well as heightened monitoring of emerging epidemics – Covid 19, Mpox, cholera and NCDs of sugar and blood pressure facing our aging clients on ART.
“Whilst it is of paramount importance that as we take the rights path and promote upholding of rights at all levels, we all have to understand that rights have responsibilities – it remains the responsibility of each one of us to access and utilize HIV and health services. We all have a responsibility to protect the marginalized and vulnerable groups – our children, young people, women as we pursue ending AIDS,” he said.
Guest of Honour, Honourable Minister Of State Provincial Affairs and Devolution Owen Ncube represented by Dr. Reginald Mhene remarked that;
“As we celebrate our achievements, I am happy the PMD has indicated we have achieved our 2025 targets whilst we are still in 2024 as 95 of those living with HIV know their status, 95% of those in need of ART are on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment are virally suppressed.
“Quite a number of new infections and deaths were averted as earlier on reported, as we have not reached epidemic control. I wish to call upon everyone that all these gains realized can be reversed if we do not prepare for emerging epidemics – Covid 19, Mpox, cholera and NCDs of sugar and blood pressure facing our aging population on ART. We need to empower people living with or at risk of being infected by HIV know these emerging disasters and epidemics, and know their rights and to access health, justice and legal services.
“Taking the right path requires that we monitor efforts to reduce stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings including experiences of users and attitudes of service providers. I call upon all to empower service users to ensure individuals and communities understand their rights and service quality standards, as well as their responsibilities. However, we need a sustainability framework of our interventions and do not slide back.”
