tawandamusarurwa
The announcement by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that people living with HIV and have an undetectable viral load have zero risk of transmitting it to their sexual partners comes at a time when prevention programmes are yielding fruit in Zimbabwe.
It is encouraging that new scientific evidence confirms that people with HIV who know their status, take HIV medicine as prescribed, and keep an undetectable viral load, can live long and healthy lives.
This, undoubtedly, brings hope to communities burdened by HIV around the world.
Transmission of HIV has been a grave concern to people with detectable low levels of the virus, even when taking antiretroviral therapy (ART), particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Globally, people living with HIV faced challenges with regard to stigma, discrimination and criminalisation.
But Zimbabwe has every reason to celebrate as the country has done extremely well to expand treatment as prevention or undetectable = untransmittable (U=U).
In 2022, Zimbabwe reached the UNAIDS 95-95-95 HIV testing and treatment targets, three years ahead of the set time.
This meant the country met the viral suppression goal in the UNAIDS 95-95-95 target, and is one of the highest reported levels of population viral suppression globally.
The country recorded another milestone in 2022, when it became the first nation in Africa to approve the use of long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention, thereby accelerating HIV prevention for girls and young women through expansion of available choices.
Political will has always been the key driver of Zimbabwe’s success.
Over the years, Government has expanded testing to get more people in the continuum of care for HIV and ensuring those who need it, immediately begin an ART regimen.
Being one of the few countries applauded for reaching the 95-95-95 UNAIDS testing and treatment targets — at the just-ended IAS 2023 Conference on HIV Science in Brisbane, Australia, confirms Zimbabwe’s commitment to end HIV by 2030.
However, sweet as this news may be, we should not let our guard down.
This, clearly, is not an opportunity to engage in risky behaviour that includes unprotected sex. HIV is still with us until when a cure is found.
More aggressive mass campaigns and messaging around the U=U concept should be accelerated to ensure adherence to treatment and wider coverage. To prevent infection, the message remains: test, enrol for treatment and strictly adhere to it.
Increased messaging by all stakeholders can be a game changer towards reaching the hard-to-access populations to promote the uptake of HIV testing and access to treatment.
Louder calls for increased HIV prevention methods like correct and consistent use of condoms, voluntary male circumcision, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis should echo in all communities.
The efforts Zimbabwe has made to achieve this success should never be taken for granted by anyone.
It took many years of hard work and commitment by the Government, development partners and other stakeholders to reach this milestone.
The concrete steps to improve programmes and policies that have enabled better HIV prevention outcomes among key populations and adolescent girls and young women are also responsible for today’s success.
Programmes such as increasing coverage of prevention of mother-to-child transmission services and reducing mother-to-child transmission easily come to mind as these have immensely contributed to the success of achieving the 95-95-95 targets and U=U.
All thanks to Government’s efforts to include and expand opportunities for key population-led organisations to engage in HIV policy making.
Over the years, the Government also accelerated mobilisation and allocation of more resources for HIV prevention from both domestic and donor budgets, resulting in the 95-95-95 targets success we enjoy today.
In 2019, the National Aids Council developed a proposal to increase domestic financing for HIV prevention, earmarking an additional US$3,7 million for adolescents, key populations
and gender-based violence programming.
During the Covid-19 lockdowns, the Government prioritised HIV treatment, ensuring people living with HIV in need of ARVS accessed a six-month take-home supply. Civil society and donor partners have continued to support the Government to achieve huge milestones.
This collective action should be applauded as it has proved to substantially reduce the burden and change the landscape of HIV epidemiology in Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter