The Sunday News
Tinomuda Chakanyuka, Sunday News Reporter
ALL is set for this year’s World Aids Day commemorations to be held on Thursday at Mbizo Stadium in Kwekwe.
Vice-President Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to officiate at the event whose theme is “Closing the tap of new HIV infections”.
In an interview, National Aids Council communications officer Mrs Tadiwa Nyatanga-Pfupa said everything was now set for the hosting of the event. She said a number of activities, including entertainment, have been lined up for the event.
“Plans for the commemoration are in motion and various relevant committees are already active. I can safely say we are ready to successfully host the event.
“The Candlelight Memorial as well as HIV prevention awareness campaigns are some of the activities that will be held ahead of the World Aids Day 2016. Entertainment will be provided by local artistes,” she said.
Mrs Nyatanga-Pfupa said Kwekwe was selected to host this year’s event because of the district’s high HIV incidence rate, among other factors.
“Within Midlands Province, Kwekwe district was selected to host the event because of its high incidence rate of HIV. Kwekwe has the second largest number of new HIV infections in Zimbabwe, after Mutare, with an incidence rate of 1,2 percent. With a prevalence rate of 20,9 percent, the city has the highest HIV prevalence in the province, after Gweru,” she said.
Mrs Nyatanga-Pfupa said the event will see a number of organisations as well as the Government partners in the fight against HIV being represented.
NAC’s Midlands provincial Aids co-ordinator Mr Mambewu Shumba said the province was excited to hold such a crucial event.
He said local authorities around Kwekwe have also been supportive of the event.
“The mayors of Kwekwe, Redcliff and chief executive officer of Zibagwe Rural District Council have attended some of the planning meetings. Invitations to expected guests have been sent out and all other logistics are being arranged,” Mr Shumba said.
This year’s World Aids Day comes at a time when the whole of Africa, Zimbabwe as a country and NAC as the co-ordinator of the national response are working round the clock on the revitalisation of HIV prevention so as to be able to end Aids by 2030.
World Aids Day which is observed on 1 December each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the Aids pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.
Last year’s commemorations were held concurrently with the 18th edition of the International Conference on Aids and STIs in Africa (ICASA) held in Harare.
The country’s 10 provinces rotate to host the annual event and in 2014 the commemorations were held at continental level and member countries of the African Union converged on Victoria Falls for the event.
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