Online Reporter
Victor Maphosa-Herald Reporter
There is now a demand for health services and a change in sexual behaviour of artisanal miners in Gokwe district, thanks to the National AIDS Council’s (NAC) engagement programmes.
NAC is working around the clock, conducting programmes in the district aimed at reducing new infections, which is key to ending AIDS by 2030.
Gokwe South is implementing the peer-led and male engagement models and the peer-led model is focusing on key and vulnerable populations, which include artisanal miners, while the male engagement focuses on addressing critical gaps in HIV prevention, testing and treatment, particularly among men who often lag behind in accessing these services.
Giving a district overview during a media tour in Gokwe South recently, NAC’s district Aids coordinator for Gokwe, Mr Isaac Chiwara, said following these engagements, men, especially artisanal miners, are now seeking services from health institutions.
“Gokwe South is the second least in the province in terms of prevalence. We have a lot of hotspots here, as I earlier indicated,” he said.
“Among these are areas where small-scale mining is taking place. In these areas, we have recruited peer educators who are serving the mining side. There are 15 of them, nine of them are actually on the mining side, where they are giving out HIV and AIDS related information. “But the main challenge we face is that there are many referrals to do with sexually transmitted infections. There are now indications that health facilities are failing to cope with the number of new sexually transmitted infections in areas located in Ward 24, particularly the Gwanika Masoro area.
“So NAC programmes in those areas are bearing fruit as many men are now seeking health services. We are now working with the Ministry of Health to make sure resources are availed to these areas so that people are treated as early as possible. We also have one miner who is doing a great job. If his employees fail to get medication at their local health facility, he takes their cards to the pharmacy after consulting with the clinic, and by medication for those workers who are not feeling well from STIs. Our male engagement programme is doing well; men are now seeking health services. There is demand for health services thanks to the NAC programmes.”
One of the artisanal miners, Mr Dumisani Mpofu, extended his gratitude to NAC and its partners for bringing HIV and AIDS education closer to their workplaces.
“You see, we are a group of young men working around the clock to make a living, and for us to travel to Gokwe Centre or any other place to receive HIV and AIDS related information is difficult,” he said.
“This is why we are so grateful to them for taking their time to come down here to educate us. Most of us were in the dark, but now we know how to behave. We are now seeking health services. We are always engaging in safe sex. This is the way to go.”
Another artisanal miner, Tichaona Gwativenga (22), said cases where people complain of STIs are low.
“Yes, there was a time when, daily, one of us would complain of an infection. It had become a daily routine,” he said.
“But as many men receive education and critical information, their behaviour has changed. The impact of that education is positive.
“Even getting tested for HIV is no longer a scary experience. People are eager to know their statuses, which was not common before engagements with NAC. We hope more condoms will be availed to us, for us to protect ourselves.”
