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Paidamoyo Chipunza in Mutare
The third leg of the ground-breaking HIV and Aids national survey dubbed the Zimbabwe Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (ZIMPHIA) aimed at assessing the burden of the disease in the country was yesterday launched in Manica- land.
Teams working on the ZIMPHIA have so far completed surveys in Mashonaland Central and Matabeleland North provinces.
Zimphia is a six-month national survey started in October meant to estimate the burden of HIV and Aids in the country. Current estimates are based on data from people who visit health facilities only.
Officially launching the survey in Manicaland province yesterday, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Mandi Chimene said her province was proud to take part in the national survey.
In a speech read on her behalf by acting district administrator Mr Simon Sigauke, Minister Chimene said Manicaland assures the nation of not only its participation in ZIMPHIA, but also implementation of its results.
“All stakehoders are called upon to relay the correct information to communities for the success of ZIMPHIA. I want to assure you of Manicaland’s full commitment to not only ZIMPHIA rollout but also implementation of the results thereof,” said Minister Chimene.
Manicaland is one of the provinces in the country with a low prevalence rate of 16 percent.
Speaking at the same occassion, Centre for Disease Control technical public health advisor Mr Gregory Thorne said while statistics showed that the burden of HIV was decreasing in Zimbabwe, these were only institution-based.
“What about people who aren’t coming for services? Who are they? Why aren’t they coming?” said Mr Thorne.
He said ZIMPHIA will provide an opportunity for Zimbabweans to know their HIV status and the reasons why people are not accessing available HIV ser- vices.
Asked how ZIMPHIA will reach out to members of the apostolic sect which had a large following the province, ICAP project director Mrs Hazel Dube said they had sensitisation meetings with their leaders.
She said after explaining the concept to the religious leaders, they bought into the idea.
“We are not expecting much of resistance from the different sects because we had sensitisation meetings with their leaders and they bought into the idea of the survey,” said Ms Dube.
She said these meetings were organised through the apostolic sects umbrella body, the Union of Denomination of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe (UDACIZA).
In an interview after the provincial launch, strategic information co-ordinator from the Ministry of Health and Child Care Aids and TB Unit Dr Mutsa Mhangara said ZIMPHIA was progressing well so far.
Dr Mhangara said the only challenge they had encountered so far is people who are not part of the survey also wanting to get tested.
“What we are learning is that communities are actually receptive to our initiatives what we probably need to do is to change the strategies that we use,” said Dr Mhangara.
He said so far the response rate of people to taking part in the survey has been about 95 percent for females and 85 percent for males in contrast to 70 percent from other surveys that have already been done in the country.
About 30 000 people are expected to undergo voluntary counselling and testing during ZIMPHIA while 15 000 households randomly selected will be enumerated.
Online Reporter