‘HIV knows no borders’ initiative shifts attitudes in Beitbridge

THE International Organisation for Migration’s (IOM) “HIV Knows No Borders” programme, which has been working with mobile communities around Beitbridge for several years, is helping to transform attitudes towards HIV testing, sexual health and child protection.

Chief of Mission for IOM Zimbabwe, Ms Diana Cartier, said during a recent field visit to Beitbridge with Netherlands Ambassador Mr Matthijs Pieter van Eeuwen that the strength of the programme lies in its ability to engage communities in ways that are both practical and culturally sensitive.

Beitbridge handles thousands of cross-border travellers, truck drivers, informal traders and deportees daily, and the high levels of mobility continue to create unique HIV-related risks.

Some of the challenges faced by mobile communities include interrupted treatment, limited access to testing, stigma and transactional sex linked to migration and poverty. In some instances, young people, sex workers and returning migrants are among the most vulnerable groups.

Ms Cartier said IOM Zimbabwe, with support from the Dutch Government, launched the “HIV Knows No Borders” initiative in 2023.

The “SRHR-HIV Knows No Borders” regional programme covers seven Southern African countries, namely Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“In Beitbridge we have been working with the Government of Zimbabwe for almost 20 years supporting people who would have been deported from South Africa or those coming back in a vulnerable state.

“Then, on the HIV Knows No Borders, we started it with the support of the Netherlands Government. We were also addressing issues of understanding HIV and the importance of knowing one’s status,” she said.

Ms Cartier said IOM had introduced a mobile health clinic that visits 10 different locations in the district 10 times every month.

She said the initiative has resulted in more men embracing issues related to sexual and reproductive health, with many now accessing healthcare services within their communities instead of travelling long distances.

“This has also brought a change in attitudes to issues of child protection. The benefits will be long lasting,” said Ms Cartier.

She said the impact of the programme extends beyond the number of people attending clinics, adding that after spending two days in the district with the Netherlands Ambassador, she had noted significant progress in community attitudes.

“The progress on the ground is noted. This has also brought a change in attitudes to issues of child protection. The benefits will be long-lasting,” she said.

IOM is also supporting community dialogues that run alongside the clinic visits to address myths surrounding HIV, gender-based violence and child marriage — issues that are often heightened in migration settings where family structures are disrupted.

In many parts of Beitbridge, traditional leaders are now publicly supporting HIV testing campaigns and encouraging parents to keep their children in school instead of sending them across the border for informal work.

Speaking during the same field visit, Ambassador van Eeuwen said the increase in dialogue, improved treatment access and stronger community engagement needed to be sustained through continued infrastructure development.

He said the positive attitude, coordination and teamwork he had witnessed on the ground would help ensure that HIV intervention programmes continue for many years, saving more lives and changing attitudes within communities.

The Government remains fully committed to ending AIDS as a public health threat and achieving zero new HIV infections by 2030.

The position is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and forms part of a key healthcare priority integrated into the country’s national economic blueprint, Vision 2030.

Zimbabwe is widely recognised as a global leader in HIV epidemic control, having already surpassed the global 95-95-95 targets, with 97 percent of people living with HIV knowing their status, 95 percent on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 96 percent achieving viral suppression. As a result, the Government’s focus has shifted from conventional epidemic management to aggressive, targeted prevention and sustainable elimination strategies.