adminCatherine Murombedzi HIV Issues
“Let us not take an ostrich approach, where we bury our heads in the sand when we have a challenge,” this was said by Lois Chingandu Executive Director of SAFAIDS on Positive Talk recently.
Chingandu went on to say in the same vein we should also celebrate our success as this gives us the gusto to go on.
“We also need to celebrate our success stories as this gives us the strength to embark on areas that still need addressing,” said Chingandu.
Twenty years ago Zimbabwe was in the heat of an AIDS pandemic that saw nearly every family losing some relative or friend. By 2000 the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe declared it a national emergency.
This saw the setting up of the National AIDS Council which would co-ordinate all activities in the HIV field.
A fund specifically to ameliorate the effects of HIV was set up and this was the AIDS Levy where 3 percent of taxable income of a worker was set aside to the National AIDS Trust Fund. In 2013 the AIDS Levy disbursed $36,3 million.
Since 1992 the country through the department of medicine at the University of Zimbabwe went into HIV research and work is still in progress.
In 2000 the HIV prevalence rate was 25 percent and today the HIV prevalence rate has gone down to 14 percent. This is commendable but more work still has to be done if we are to get to zero new HIV infections by 2030.
Zimbabwe signed the Harare Declaration at the just ended international conference AIDS and sexually transmitted infections ICASA. This aims to see the ending of AIDS by 2030. It also commits to the ABUJA Declaration where 15 percent-of national budget goes to health care delivery.
“We are committed to the Abuja Declaration and will fulfil that mandate,” the Vice President Honourable Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa said opening ICASA.
Neighbouring countries namely Swaziland and Lesotho have sent delegates from their National AIDS Councils to Zimbabwe to understudy the success scored by the country.
Chingandu said the prevention from mother-to-child transmission of HIV has been a success and today less than 6,5 percent of children are being born with the HIV virus.
“We aim to have less than 5 percent of newly born babies born with the HIV virus. Cuba has achieved the elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission and we can do the same. Organisations working in this field have covered much ground and the work is pleasing. That we will have no child born with HIV is a reality and can be achieved,” said Chingandu.
Chingandu said there was a grey area that needed immediate attention of all stakeholders and the concerned age group’s involvement.
“Let’s not take an ostrich approach where we bury the head in the sand. Let’s be realistic and when we have a challenge admit there is a challenge and address it,” said Chingandu.
Chingandu said there is an age group that shows an upsurge of new HIV infections when the rest of the nation is showing a downward trend
“We have a scenario that needs urgent addressing. Girls aged 10 to 15 years show 3 percent HIV prevalence and it’s the same as boys,” said Chingandu.
Chingandu said girls got new HIV infections than boys in the next age group.
“Taking a close look at girls aged 14 to 25 there is a worrying trend. The girls’ positivity rate now shoots up to 11 percent whilst that of boys remains at 3 percent,” she pointed out.
“By the time girls go to college they are already HIV positive and are now on medication secretly,” said Chingandu.
Chingandu posed the question that who are these girls bedding because their male counterparts remain at 3 percent in comparison to the girls who now stand at 11 percent.
“Males aged 35 to 49 have higher rates of HIV positivity and older men having sex with young women. This cross generational sex for either cash of benefits is what has to be addressed,” she added.
Chingandu said as much as we may want to believe that our girls are still those innocent babies the truth of the matter is that they are having unprotected sex.
“Stakeholders, youths and the government need to find lasting solutions to this. If we are to end AIDS by 2030 then no one must be left behind. This is a key population and has to be addressed,” she said.
Speaking at ICASA the youths said they are tired of being seen and not being heard.
“We are surprised that very old people speak on our behalf. We are able to speak for ourselves. We are able to articulate issues.
“We know what affects us and have the solutions. We need you to listen to us but surprising youth programmes are driven by old people for their gain,” said Annah Sango a youth who is an advocate and activist in the HIV field.
The youths are the future and ought to be given the space and voice.
Feedback:[email protected] <mailto:Feedback%[email protected]>
Online Reporter