Vusumuzi Dube
Patrick Chitumba, Zimpapers Reporter
GWERU District in the Midlands Province has recorded a decline in new HIV infections, with the HIV incidence rate dropping from 0,21 percent last year to 0,17 percent this year, reflecting progress in prevention and treatment interventions.
According to the National Aids Council (Nac), the district’s HIV prevalence rate currently stands at 11,3 percent, with an estimated 29 653 people living with HIV, of whom 27 949 are on antiretroviral therapy (ART).
In an interview, Nac’s Gweru urban co-ordinator Mr Petros Mazengwa, said while treatment coverage is commendably high, efforts are ongoing to ensure that the few remaining people not yet on ART are reached and initiated.
“It means we have a few people living with HIV who are not yet on ART. We need to track them and ensure they are initiated,” he said.
Mr Mazengwa said Nac had also analysed new HIV incidences among females aged 15–24, noting worrying trends among adolescent girls and young women.
Those with regular partners recorded an incidence rate of 0,49 percent, while those with non-regular partners had a rate of 0,90 percent. However, among young key populations, the rate was significantly higher at 3,91 percent.
“Among the young key populations, HIV incidence rates are consistently higher among females across all age groups compared to males. The 15–24 age group recorded the highest incidence among females (3,91 percent) compared to males (0,79 percent),” said Mr Mazengwa.
For the 25–34 age group, females had an incidence rate of 3,65 percent, compared to 1,08 percent for males.
Mr Mazengwa said overall adult ART coverage in the district is 95,3 percent, but children’s ART coverage remains low at 50,9 percent.
“Children are lagging in terms of HIV testing, treatment and viral load monitoring. So, we need to intensify efforts to reach this population,” he said.
Mr Mazengwa added that male ART coverage stands at 89,41 percent, while female coverage has reached 100 percent — showing men continue to lag behind in accessing HIV services.
“We also need to strengthen prevention programmes targeting adolescent girls and young women and ensure all HIV-positive pregnant and lactating mothers are initiated on ART to achieve elimination of mother-to-child transmission,” he said.
Mr Mazengwa said Gweru District recorded 446 Aids-related deaths in 2024, highlighting the need to maintain momentum in HIV prevention and treatment programmes.
Zimbabwe has made significant strides in its fight against HIV and Aids over the past decade, largely through the National HIV and Aid Strategic Plan (2021–2025), which seeks to end the pandemic as a public health threat by 2030.
The country has achieved notable progress toward the UNAids 95–95–95 targets, which call for 95 percent of people living with HIV to know their status, 95 percent of those diagnosed to be on treatment and 95 percent of those on treatment to achieve viral suppression.
Nationally, HIV prevalence has dropped from 13,9 percent in 2010 to around 11 percent, while Aids-related deaths continue to decline due to expanded access to ART, prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programmes and increased community awareness.
However, challenges remain, particularly in reaching adolescent girls, young women, men, and children — populations that continue to experience lower testing and treatment coverage rates. The persistence of gender-based violence, poverty and limited access to youth-friendly health services contributes to new infections among young women.
NAC and its partners continue to run community-driven initiatives such as HIV self-testing campaigns, male engagement programmes and adolescent-friendly clinics, which have been credited for improving health-seeking behaviour and reducing stigma in communities.
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