Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief
ADOLESCENT girls and young women continue to be at high risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as they accounted for 78 percent of cases that were recorded in Gwanda District from January to August.
According to a report from the National Aids Council which was presented during a Zimbabwe Health Interventions DREAMS planning meeting in Gwanda on Tuesday, 456 STI cases were recorded among adolescents aged between 10 and 24 from January to August. Females accounted for 357 cases while males accounted for 99 cases.
The report also showed that STI cases were on an upward trend in the district as 1 296 cases were recorded from January to August while 1 243 were recorded throughout year 2021.
The cases which were now on a downward trend have shot up this year. A total of 1 713 STI cases were recorded in 2020 while 2 229 cases were recorded in 2019.
Most of the cases were recorded in facilities that service small-scale miners and sex workers.
Speaking during the meeting, ZNFPC Matabeleland South provincial marketing and communications officer, Ms Nokuthula Mlotshwa said there was a need for more programmes that seek to protect the girl child while also involving the boy child.
“Some people often question why we carry out programming that focuses more on the girl child. Our statistics in terms of HIV prevalence and STIs show more girls are getting infected.
As a result, it’s critical that we look at issues affecting the girl child while at the same time roping in programmes that target the boy child and young men. We see boys and young men engaging in drug and substance abuse and when they are drunk the girl child becomes the victim,” she said.
Ms Mlotshwa said the mental health of adolescents has to be taken into cognisance. She said adolescents living with HIV suffer from mental health issues which can lead to suicide or depression.
Ms Mlotshwa said psycho-social help was key in intervention strategies for adolescents. She said there was also need for facilities that offer psycho-social help.
Speaking during the meeting, ZHI Gwanda District project co-ordinator, Ms Nichola Sibanda said new HIV infections are mostly being recorded among adolescent girls. She said as a result the DREAMS programme which is being implemented by ZHI working with other partners that include Government Ministries and departments, OPHID,
Matabeleland Aids Council, Population Services for Health and Ceshhar seeks to bring different interventions to ensure that adolescent girls are kept occupied and economically empowered.
She said the aim of the programme is to reduce new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women with the programme targeting those aged from 10-24.
“Under the DREAMS programme we emphasise service layering to ensure that adolescent girls are safe, empowered and safe from HIV and Aids. If we don’t reach out to an adolescent girl the probability of HIV and Aids will increase.
Our goal is to reduce new HIV infections among adolescent girls from ages 10- 24 by 2026 in Zimbabwe. This will be possible through strengthening HIV and sexual violence prevention,” she said.
“Our target under DREAMS programme is to empower the adolescent girl and young woman by engaging communities in order to change mindsets and identify challenges faced by adolescents.
We also have school and community-based HIV and violence prevention strategies where we screen adolescents and enrol them into the DREAMS programme.”
Ms Sibanda said they have out of school programmes for 15 to 24-year-olds where adolescents’ girls and young women undergo financial literacy sessions, HIV prevention sessions, clinical services such as family planning, STI screening, PREP as well as financial support for livelihood projects.
The programme also offers education support for adolescents from primary, secondary to tertiary level and part time continuous education for those who would have dropped out of school.
Ms Sibanda said they also have social asset building clubs where they reach adolescents in their safe spaces to discuss sexual and reproductive health issues using peer educators.–@DubeMatutu
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