The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
MORE than 285 000 people in Gokwe North in Midlands Province are in urgent need of food aid, an official has said.
Speaking during a National Aids Council (NaC) media tour in Midlands on Tuesday last week, Gokwe North District Administrator Mr Isaac Mutambara said 95 percent of the people in the district were in need of food aid.
He said most households did not harvest anything in the last season.
Mr Mutambara said the Government has started distributing maize to the affected people although the quantities were not enough to meet the demand.
“Our food situation is dire. Approximately 95 percent of the people in this area are food insecure. We have a population of about 301 000 in this district and this past season our crop was 100 percent write-off. Government distributed food to 45 000 people while an NGO, World Vision assisted 75 000 families,” he said.
Gokwe North District Aids co-ordinator (DAC) Mr Isaki Chiwara said the food shortages might have adverse effects on people living with HIV.
He said food insecurity could also make youths and adolescents susceptible to new HIV infections.
“Food shortages in the area affects everyone including the people living with HIV. It also means that most people become vulnerable in that they are going to be moving around looking for food or money to buy food. The situation has been made dire by the decrease in cotton farming in the area. Cotton didn’t do well in this area in this past season,” he said.
Mr Chiwara said Gokwe North had one of the lowest HIV prevalence and HIV incidences rates.
“We have an HIV prevalence rate of two percent in Gokwe North. We have also recorded 0,26 percent new infections. This is mainly due to the fact that people in these areas have a strong and sound cultural background. They respect their norms and values,” he said.
Mr Chiwara said the area has few health facilities which was a major cause for concern.
“There are only 22 clinics servicing a population of more than 300 000. We also have mining activities in the area. Artisanal miners usually do not have a health seeking behaviour. Their risk perception is very low. They are mobile and therefore they have become a key population. There are however a number of intervention strategies tailor made for this particular group,” he said.
