The Sunday News
Marvelous Moyo
MATABELELAND South Province has recorded a decline in it’s HIV prevalence rate from 21 percent to 18,6 percent.
Matabeleland South province has over the years been dogged by a high HIV prevalence rate but in the latest report, the province no longer tops HIV cases.
The province is now on second position among those with the highest prevalence in the country, with Bulawayo at the top (21 percent).
This positive development for the province was revealed during the World Aids Day Matabeleland South commemorations held at Bengo Primary School in Gwanda District last Wednesday.
The guest of honour, Minister of State for provincial affairs Cde Abedinico Ncube, who was represented by the provincial administrator Mr Midard Khumalo, expressed gratitude over the decline.
“The reports I am getting from National Aids Council (NAC) and Ministry of Health and Child Care indicate that there is a decline in the number of people living with HIV from 21 percent according to the 2010/11 Zimbabwe Demographic Health survey to 18, 6 percent in 2013.
“This is a positive development which we should support. I therefore call upon all organisations working in the area of HIV and Aids to continue strengthening their efforts in order to ensure that the spread of HIV is drastically reduced in the province,” said Cde Ncube.
He said in line with the commemorations continental theme “Getting to Zero in Africa – Africa’s Responsibility, Everyone’s Responsibility”, everyone had a challenge to stop the spread of HIV.
“While we are happy that the rate at which HIV is spreading in the province is slightly going down, we have not reached the desired HIV decline threshold in the province. We should therefore remain resolute in our efforts to step up HIV/Aids programmes. I therefore urge every organisation, every workplace, every institution and every community to ensure that there is an active and viable HIV prevention programme in their midst,” Cde Ncube said.
He said it was hoped that the programme would be strengthened so that all positive people were put on ART by end of next year.
Government introduced the Aids levy in 1999 in its commitment to fight the epidemic and more than 50 percent of revenue collected under Aids levy is used to procure medicines for HIV/Aids related conditions.
The economic blueprint, Zim Asset’s Social Services and Poverty Eradication cluster prioritises issues of HIV/Aids.
NAC, implementing partners and other stakeholders, were commended for the role played in supporting Government efforts to bring a decline in HIV prevalence.
Matabeleland North provincial Aids co-ordinator Mr Isaia Abureni said: “We are no longer the province with the highest number of people living with HIV in the country. In view of this, I therefore would like to applaud the provincial leadership for working hard in fighting HIV and Aids. As NAC we are grateful that our leaders are concerned about HIV/Aids to the extent of identifying the needs of PLWHIV.”
Speaking on behalf of the provincial medical director Dr William Busumani, the Gwanda District Hospital medical superintendent, Dr Pugie Tawanda Chimberengwa, said the Ministry of Health and Child Care had this year decentralised antiretroviral (ART) services for most rural health facilities to ease the burden of travelling long distances to access services.
“While we are happy about this achievement, we are still worried that we rank among provinces with the highest HIV prevalence in the country,” he said before encouraging everyone to get tested for HIV.
More than 57 000 people are on ART in Matabeleland South.
People living with HIV said they led normal lives after accepting their condition and taking ARVs.
“Being HIV positive is not a death sentence. I have been living with HIV for the past 12 years and because I accepted my status and started taking medication, I still look healthy,” said Ms Kanelo Tlou.
The Zimbabwe National Network for people living with HIV (ZNNP+) provincial chairman Mr Jerry Tozivaripi said they would continue to lobby for increased access to ART services to ensure an enabling environment for patients.
He said they had embarked on income generating projects so that people living with HIV sustain themselves.
Migration to neighbouring South Africa and Botswana, among other factors, resulting in separation of spouses with their partners, has been blamed for the spread of HIV in the province.
