MARTIN MAWAYA
REDCLIFF-The Zvishavane district in Midlands province has recorded the highest HIV incidence rate of 0.31% among people aged 15-49 years in 2024, surpassing the provincial rate of 0.21%, according to data from the National AIDS Council (NAC).
The mining dormitory town has been identified as the HIV hotspot, followed by Shurugwi at 0.28%, Mberengwa at 0.26%, Chirumhanzu at 0.23%, Gweru at 0.21%, and Kwekwe at 0.20%.
The Gokwe North and Gokwe South districts recorded the lowest HIV incidence rates at 0.12% and 0.17%, respectively.
In 2024, Zvishavane received 740,198 condoms, while Gokwe North and South received 1,113,012 and 1,259,068 condoms respectively, and have the lowest HIV prevalence rates at 5.81% and 9.19% for the 15-49 age group.
Zvishavane has the highest HIV prevalence rate in the province, standing at 16.17%.
The United Nations defines HIV incidence as the number of new infections in a population over a specific period, whereas prevalence indicates the disease’s overall spread.
According to NAC, the Midlands province has an HIV prevalence rate of 7.5% across all ages, with the 15-49 age group at 10.94% and the 0-14 age group at 0.78%.
The province has achieved antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage of 73.26% for the 0-14 age group and 89.19% for the 15 and above age group, with a total of 165,019 people living with HIV.
A total of 148,606 people are on ART, reflecting a coverage rate of 90%.
According to Midlands NAC Monitoring and Evaluation officer Margaret Mika, the progress towards achieving the global 95:95:95 targets among children living with HIV is lagging at 73:100:88 compared to the 97:92:96 achievement among adults.
The Midlands Provincial Manager for NAC, Mambeu Shumba, attributed the high HIV incidence and prevalence in the province to the mining activities and its position as an exit point to South Africa and Botswana, attracting various groups of people who engage in unprotected sexual activities.
“Mining plays a key role across the province. The area serves as a corridor for people traveling to South Africa and Botswana, many of whom are drawn to Zvishavane and Shurugwi due to mineral resources,” he explained during a media sensitization workshop in Redcliff last week.
Shumba noted that these activities attract drivers, commercial sex workers, and informal traders who engage in unprotected sex, contributing to the spread of infections.
Brian Musayerenge, the Midlands province HIV focal point person from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, reported a decline in new infections among adults by 4% and among children by 11% from 2022 to 2023.
“The number of new infections among 10-19 years declined by 1.5%, while those aged 15-24 years decreased by 2% in the same period,” he said.
Musayerenge also highlighted a surge in testing, with 242,141 people tested in 2024 against a target of 199,611.
Of those tested, 8,301 were positive, 8,177 were verified, and 7,743 initiated on ART.
The government has implemented strategic pillars aimed at scaling up primary prevention of HIV infections, including access to sexual and reproductive health services, addressing underlying inequalities, promoting gender equality, and enacting supportive policies.
With the global target to reduce new infections to fewer than 370,000 by 2030.
