GREAT HIV STORY BUT…

H-Metro Reporter

ZIMBABWE performed exceptionally well in the 95-95-95 targets among adults but much needs to be done regarding children under the age of 15.

Sixty nine percent of these children knew their HIV status with as many being initiated on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) while 59 percent had their viral load suppressed in 2022.

This sluggish progress for children was attributed to the fact that they were largely dependent on their adult caregivers.

According to UNAIDS in 2022, Zimbabwean women surpassed the 95-95-95 targets recording 98–97–95 compared to Zimbabwean men who stood at 93–91–89

In an interview, Elizabeth Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) Zimbabwe Technical Advisor Dr Hilda Bara, said the low ART coverage for children was a global trend.

“Generally, across the globe, we noticed that children are disproportionately affected or impacted by HIV, and this impact is actually higher in infants and young children partly because they depend on adults,” she said.

“So, really, what happens to children, infants, young children that are not able to make decisions on their own will now depend on the health seeking behaviour of adults who are playing the caregiver role.”

Dr Bara said in 2021, the percentage of children who knew their HIV status was 72.5 percent. 

Of those tested, 100 percent were put on ART but 79.3 percent of those on ART had their viral load suppressed.

She said while ART initiation was 100 percent in 2021, it was saddening that they were missing out on the testing part since 2016, which had 66 percent of children knowing their status.

“From 2016 up until now I think when you look at children, where we have done well is just initiating them on ART which has been consistent at 100 percent but we have been missing a significant proportion of the children that are living with HIV,” Dr Bara said.

“In 2016 we missed out on 32 percent.”

She said children between ages zero to 15 are poorly monitored when it comes to viral load suppression, which is achieved by constant and timeous taking of ARVs.

“And, in 2021, we missed almost a quarter of the children that are living with HIV and we only managed to test about 70 percent,” she said.

“When they are initiated on ART they also don’t achieve viral suppression at rates that apply to adults, because the way babies take their medication depends on us adults, it’s different from an adult who knows when it’s 8 o’clock I need to take my medication.”