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Herald Reporter
THE eradication of HIV and gender-based violence (GBV) requires society’s collective action and removal of impediments that prevent individuals from accessing treatment and care services, Mashambanzou Care Trust (MCT) director, Mrs Constance Chigwamba, has said.
She was speaking at Tariro Primary School in Hopley, Harare, at a joint ceremony to mark World Aids Day and the 16 Days of Activism against GBV.
“Creating an Aids and GBV-free world requires collective action,” said Mrs Chigwamba.
“We all must strive to remove the barriers that prevent individuals from accessing testing, prevention, treatment, care services and promote GBV prevention awareness.
“These services’ affordability, availability and acceptability need to be improved to reach marginalised and vulnerable populations.”
Mrs Chigwamba urged development partners and stakeholders to join in empowering communities to lead the HIV response and to re-commit to providing them with the necessary support and autonomy they need to succeed so that individuals can be in control of their health.
National Aids Council representative at the event, Ms Agnes Dembedza, said women continue to bear the brunt of GBV and HIV and Aids.
“Even though our response to HIV has recorded tremendous progress and we have reached the triple 95 target, we continue to record new infections and people are still dying of Aids. Although new infections have overall dropped, we may continue to bear the brunt of the pandemic,” she said.
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