Online Reporter
Fungai Lupande
Mashonaland Central Bureau
Bindura remains at the top with the highest HIV prevalence rate in the province at 8,4 percent, a worrying development largely driven by persistent hotspot areas such as Maganyani and Rutope, as well as increased socio-economic activity.
The district has overtaken other high-burden areas such as Mazowe, with new infections largely emanating from identified high-risk zones.
Speaking during a media tour by the National AIDS Council (NAC) and UNICEF Zimbabwe, the District AIDS Coordinator, Mr Agripa Karuru, said the surge in infections is being fuelled by expanding economic activities, high population mobility, and entrenched hotspot zones were risky behaviours are prevalent.
Although Bindura is home to four universities, Karuru dismissed the perception that students are driving new infections, saying evidence points to the general population.
Key hotspot areas include Chipadze, Garikai, Maganyani, Manhenga and Rutope along the Harare–Shamva corridor.
These areas are characterised by dense settlements, informal accommodation and thriving night economies, creating conditions conducive to the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
“In places like Maganyani and Rutope, people prefer to stay there because accommodation is cheaper. This has created hubs of sexual activity, especially involving sex workers,” he said.
The situation worsens during the tobacco marketing season, when the district experiences an influx of farmers and traders, resulting in increased disposable income and, in turn, risky behaviour.
Mining activities, particularly in areas such as Kitsiyatota, are also contributing to the spike, with artisanal miners and transient populations fuelling demand for commercial sex.
Bindura, with a population of nearly 300 000 people according to the 2022 national census, is a hub of both mining and farming activities.
The district comprises 33 wards under Bindura Rural and Urban and is serviced by 24 health facilities, including Bindura Provincial Hospital.
About 19 000 people are currently on antiretroviral therapy (ART), including children.
However, despite this extensive health infrastructure, new infections continue to rise, particularly in the identified hotspots.
“These hotspots are where most of our new infections are coming from. They are largely driven by high population movement, nightlife activities and transactional sex,” Mr Karuru said.
In response, the NAC and UNICEF Zimbabwe are implementing targeted interventions, including hotspot mapping, condom distribution and peer-led outreach programmes.
A key strategy focuses on “key populations”, particularly sex workers, through trained micro-planners who mobilise and educate their peers.
“We have established condom distribution points and trained peer educators to ensure services are accessible without stigma,” said Mr Karuru.
The district is also rolling out the Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS) programme to improve HIV care among young people, although challenges remain in initiating children on treatment.
Workplace-based programmes have also been introduced in formal sectors such as Freda Rebecca Gold Mine, as well as in police and prison facilities, to bring services closer to employees.
However, the informal sector remains harder to reach, with interventions relying heavily on peer networks.
Compared to districts like Mazowe, which benefited from sustained donor-supported initiatives such as the DREAMS programme targeting adolescent girls and young women, Bindura has had limited large-scale interventions.
“As Bindura, we are yet to experience that level of coordinated support. That is why we are now engaging partners to scale up interventions,” said Mr Karuru.
With projections indicating continued strain on resources, Karuru warned that without intensified and coordinated efforts, the district’s HIV burden may worsen.
“This is a worrying situation, but with the right partnerships and targeted programming, we can still turn the tide,” he said.
