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Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Correspondent
THE number of HIV infections, AIDS related deaths as well as that of people living with HIV has fallen significantly, the National AIDS Council (NAC) has said.
According to NAC’s latest HIV estimates, the number of HIV infections fell from 40 900 in 2016 to 24 900 in 2020, while the number of AIDS related deaths fell from 25 700 to 22 200.
In addition, the overall number of people living with HIV has slightly fallen from 1 278 800 to 1 277 600.
In a speech read on his behalf by NAC Manicaland provincial manager, Mr Evos Makoni, the organisation’s chief executive officer, Dr Bernard Madzima expressed confidence that the country will achieve the 95-95-95 by 2025 United Nations targets as stated in their recently launched fourth Zimbabwe National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (ZNASP).
The strategic plan was launched last Saturday at a Mutare hotel.
He said the high impact results are a result of the successful 90-90-90 by 2020 United Nations targets.
“Having achieved the 90-90-90 by 2020 targets, we are very confident that we will achieve the 95-95-95 by 2025 targets and transform the landscape of the response in Zimbabwe. Looking back at the past five-year period, we are very proud of the achievements that the response to HIV have recorded,” he said.
He said the country has succeeded in reducing both HIV incidences and prevalence, expansion of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) coverage, targeted programming for key populations, adolescent girls and male involvement, among others.
Dr Madzima said NAC has widened stakeholder and partner participation, while improving meaningful involvement of people living with HIV.
He said the ZNASP seeks to spur the country into optimising the response to HIV while working towards Ending AIDS by 2030.
In a speech read on her behalf by the Secretary for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mr Edgars Seenza, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Nokuthula Matsikenyiri said: “Our national aspirations for the response for the next five years are to reduce new HIV infections among adults, adolescents and young people and children, reduction of AIDS deaths and the eliminate HIV stigma and discrimination.”
She also said the 95-95-95 targets are achievable if every Zimbabwean play their part effectively.
“To achieve these aspirations, we should take everybody on board and leave no one behind. Let us include various groups of key populations, including adolescent girls and young women, while paying attention to geography and sustainability,” she said.
Minister Matsikenyiri said initiatives that target specific sub populations that are vulnerable to HIV will be key as the country transitions into a sustainability phase in its response.
The 95-95-95 targets seeks to ensure that 95 percent of people living with HIV know their status, while 95 percent of people who know their status are receiving treatment, and 95 percent of people on HIV treatment have a suppressed viral load by 2025.
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