Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Herald Correspondent
Government and the National AIDS Council (NAC) are intensifying efforts to curb the rising number of new HIV infections among adolescents and young people in Harare Metropolitan Province through targeted awareness campaigns, behavioural change programmes and strengthened partnerships with key stakeholders.
Speaking during a sensitisation meeting on HIV and AIDS for provincial heads of departments from various Government ministries in Mazowe, Secretary for Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Dr Shingirayi Mushamba, expressed concern over the increasing rate of new infections among young people despite an overall decline in HIV and tuberculosis cases.
The meeting was organised by the National AIDS Council. Dr Mushamba said the latest statistics showed that while progress had been made in reducing the overall HIV burden, the number of new infections among adolescents and young adults remained a major concern.
According to the 2025 estimates, Harare Metropolitan Province has 195 429 people living with HIV, representing an overall prevalence rate of 8,4 percent.
The province records 2 644 new HIV infections annually, with 1 341 of those occurring among young people aged between 15 and 24 years.
Dr Mushamba said the statistics highlighted the need for targeted interventions focusing on schools, tertiary institutions and communities where young people spend most of their time.
“We are very concerned because although HIV and TB cases have generally declined, our statistical analysis shows an increase in infections among the 15 to 24 age group. That is our future at stake,” he said.
He said the Government would work closely with schools, parents, local authorities, Government institutions, the National AIDS Council, the Ministry of Health and Child Care and non-governmental organisations to implement coordinated programmes aimed at reducing new infections.
Dr Mushamba stressed the importance of acknowledging the realities facing young people and ensuring they receive accurate information and timely access to prevention and treatment services.
“We should not bury our heads in the sand by assuming that children as young as 15 are not engaging in sexual activity. Unfortunately, that is the reality, and we must respond through targeted education and behavioural change programmes,” he said.
He said the province was aiming to significantly reduce new HIV infections through comprehensive prevention strategies supported by all stakeholders.
Dr Mushamba also raised concern over the growing trend of so-called “vuzu” and porn parties, where participants engage in group sexual activities that are sometimes recorded and shared on social media.
He said such practices increased the risk of HIV transmission and other sexually transmitted infections while exposing young people to harmful behaviours driven by the pursuit of online attention.
“We are working with the National AIDS Council, the Ministry of Health and Child Care and other institutions to promote safer and healthier forms of entertainment, encourage behavioural change and build resilient communities that uphold positive cultural values,” he said.
Dr Mushamba said Government would continue promoting prevention initiatives while ensuring that individuals exposed to HIV had timely access to Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), a treatment that can reduce the risk of HIV infection if administered within the recommended period after possible exposure.
NAC Harare provincial manager Mr Adonijah Muzondiona said Harare continued to carry the country”s largest HIV burden because of its high population, making it the province with both the highest number of people living with HIV and the highest number of new infections.
He said NAC was mandated to coordinate the national multi-sectoral response to HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and emerging health challenges, including non-communicable diseases.
Mr Muzondiona said the sensitisation meeting targeted members of the Provincial Development Committee, comprising heads of Government ministries, departments and agencies, because of their ability to cascade information to thousands of employees and communities under their jurisdictions.
“Our objective is to ensure they become champions of HIV prevention and awareness so that the information reaches workplaces, communities and families,” he said.
He said adolescent girls and young women remained the most affected by new HIV infections, although cases were also being recorded among adolescent boys and young men.
Mr Muzondiona said other groups at heightened risk included sex workers, long-distance truck and bus crews, people involved in informal trading, artisanal miners and other key populations whose occupations and lifestyles often exposed them to risky sexual behaviour.
He said strengthening awareness, promoting safer sexual practices and expanding community-based prevention programmes would be critical in reducing new infections and achieving national HIV response targets.
