adminMarvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
CASES of sexually transmitted infections (SITs) dropped 35 percent in Matabeleland South between the fourth quarter last year and first quarter of this year, according to the National Aids Council (NAC).
Between January and March this year, 2,661 STI cases were recorded in the province compared to 4,101 in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Of the 2,661 STI cases, 800 patients were tested for HIV and 107 (13,4 percent) tested HIV positive.
The age group range of 25 to 49 years recorded the highest number of STI cases at 1,397. Of these, 411 tested for HIV and 75 were found HIV positive.
A total of 909 STI cases were recorded for the age group range of between 20 to 24 years, and 21 out of 244 tested HIV positive.
There was low HIV testing for the age groups 25 to 49 years and 20 to 24 years despite being the highest group with STI cases recorded.
Out of 163 STI cases recorded in the 15 to 19 years group, 66 tested for HIV and seven were positive. In the 50 years and above group, 183 STI cases were recorded and four tested HIV positive from the 75 tested.
Children aged 10 to 14 years recorded five STI cases and none was HIV positive out of the four who went for HIV tests.
Four STI cases were recorded for those aged five to nine years and all of them were not tested for HIV.
NAC provincial coordinator Isaiah Abureni said:
“There was a huge decline in cases recorded. The province also recorded a three percent increase in the number of clients who tested for HIV from 17,034 in the previous quarter to 17,528.”
Abureni said of about 750,295 people in the province, 49,984 were on antiretroviral treatment (ART).
Matabeleland South has the highest HIV prevalence rate in the country of about 21 percent against the national average of about 15 percent.
Online Reporter