HIV law gets thumbs up

Paidamoyo Chipunza Senior Health Reporter
Stakeholders in the HIV and Aids sector have described the latest move by Government to decriminalise wilful transmission of HIV as a progressive step, which will go a long way in effective national response.

Responding to the latest stance taken by Government to repeal the legal provision that criminalises wilful transmission of HIV, National Aids Council acting chief executive Mr Raymond Yekeye said the current law perpetuated stigma leading to people shunning testing services.

“The current law has caused a lot of stigma on whoever knows their HIV status first especially women. Most women have fallen victims of this law because in most cases they are the ones who know of their statuses first through antenatal care,” said Mr Yekeye.

Mr Yekeye said science has also shown that chances of a person living with HIV and Aids taking medication religiously transmitting HIV to another person are low as the virus would have been suppressed.

“This law, if repealed will therefore, go a long way in encouraging people to seek services and disclose their statuses without fear especially adolescents who were born with HIV,” he said.

Asked on diverging views from other sectors that repealing the law might actually lead to increased cases of wilful transmission of HIV, Mr Yekeye said each individual had a right to get tested .