Online Reporter
Fungai Lupande
Mashonaland Central Bureau
YESTERYEAR, HIV and AIDS claimed countless lives at a time when awareness was limited and life-saving treatment was not readily available.
Now, the story is changing, with more than 90 percent of people living with HIV in Zimbabwe now on antiretroviral therapy, a milestone that reflects the country’s remarkable progress in HIV awareness, treatment and prevention.
This progress was celebrated last night at the Candlelight Memorial held at Rutope High School in the Musiiwa area, where people gathered to remember loved ones lost to the epidemic while celebrating the advances in HIV awareness, prevention and treatment that were not available in previous years.
Guest of honour and Provincial AIDS Action Committee chairperson Senator Angeline Tongogara said the achievement was worth celebrating, particularly because access to effective HIV treatment and knowledge about the virus was not available at the scale it is today.
Senator Tongogara said Zimbabwe had made significant strides in ensuring that people living with HIV could access life-saving treatment, while mother-to-child transmission had also declined sharply.
The memorial brought together people living with HIV, health workers, traditional leaders, community representatives and partners to remember loved ones who died from HIV and AIDS, while also celebrating the progress made in awareness, treatment and care.
Senator Tongogara said the progress in HIV treatment demonstrated the importance of sustained Government commitment and partnerships in ensuring people living with HIV had access to life-saving medication.
She said the country had also made major progress in preventing mother-to-child transmission, with pregnant women receiving treatment and care to protect their babies from HIV.
She cited innovations such as viral load monitoring, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), differentiated service delivery and community-led HIV services as important milestones in the national response.
The memorial was held under the theme “We Remember, We Rise, We Live,” which calls on communities to honour those lost to HIV, confront stigma and discrimination and empower people living with HIV to lead healthy and productive lives.
Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) provincial chairperson Moreni Masanzu said the theme also reflected the resilience of communities that had endured disruptions in HIV services and funding challenges.
“We Remember” was a call to honour those who died by continuing the fight against HIV rather than simply mourning their loss, she said.
“We Rise” called on communities to confront stigma and discrimination, support people newly diagnosed with HIV and encourage treatment adherence, while “We Live” encouraged people living with HIV to become champions in their communities.
Masanzu also called for greater respect for the dignity and confidentiality of people living with HIV, particularly at health facilities.
She condemned practices that publicly identify patients as living with HIV, saying they fuel stigma and discourage people from seeking treatment.
National AIDS Council acting provincial manager Mr Liveson Chamboko said Zimbabwe’s HIV response had come a long way, recalling the early days of antiretroviral therapy when access to HIV testing and treatment was limited.
He said the progress achieved was the result of collective efforts involving Government, traditional leaders, health workers, civil society, development partners, the private sector and communities.
Mr Chamboko urged communities to continue working together to overcome remaining challenges, including stigma, discrimination and funding constraints.
The Candlelight Memorial provided an opportunity for communities to remember mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends and colleagues lost to HIV while reaffirming their commitment to ensuring that people living with HIV receive treatment, care and respect.
