Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu [email protected]
A total of 800 adolescent girls and young women in Matobo District were last year reached through the Sista2Sista programme, while 1 600 men were reached under the Behaviour Change Communication Motivator (BCCM) programme as part of HIV prevention strategies.
The Sista2Sista programme is an intervention aimed at empowering adolescent girls and young women with the knowledge, skills and support they need to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.
It is being implemented in 16 wards of the district, providing safe spaces for girls aged between 15 and 24 years.
The programme addresses key issues such as HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, life skills and economic empowerment. It is part of community-based HIV interventions being implemented by the National Aids Council.
“Sista2Sista provides a platform for girls to share experiences, build confidence, and access essential services in a supportive and confidential environment. A total of 800 girls were registered in the caseload by end of 2025 and 575 being referred for HIV testing and 336 girls accessing HIV testing services,” Nac Matobo District Aids Coordinator Mr Lawrence Ncube said.
“In 2025, 15 girls tested HIV positive and were all successfully referred for Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), showing strong linkage to treatment once a positive diagnosis was made.
“The cascade shows effective ART referral while also showing the need to strengthen follow-through from HIV testing services referral to actual HIV testing to minimise losses along the pathway as shown below.”
Mr Ncube said the Sista2Sista referral data for 2025 shows strong linkage to sexual and reproductive health services, with family planning recording the highest number of referrals, reflecting high demand and effective referral mechanisms. He said HIV testing services also had high referrals, indicating continued prioritisation of HIV prevention and early diagnosis.
“Referrals for STI, GBV services, and support groups were moderate, suggesting steady engagement but with room for improvement. In contrast, referrals for PrEP and cancer services were very low, highlighting gaps in awareness, access, or service integration,” he said.
Mr Ncube said the Behaviour Change Communication Motivator (BCCM) programme promotes positive health behaviours among men through targeted communication. The programme plays a vital role in promoting positive health behaviours among men through targeted communication and community engagement.
He said the programme is spearheaded at community level by trained individuals who use peer influence, dialogue and culturally appropriate messaging to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence and other related issues. The model also aims at addressing interlinkages between cultural values, norms, GBV and HIV by strategically engaging men and boys via a multiplicity of interventions in order to influence their health-seeking behaviours and their role in protecting adolescent girls and young women.
“The district has a total of 20 BCCM mentors who were trained and are delivering sessions to their peers on health information and related issues. Operating at the grassroots level, they bridge the gap between communities and health services by encouraging uptake of services, dispelling myths, and fostering informed decision-making. By the end of 2025 we had reached 1 600 men in groups. A total of 693 males were referred for HIV testing services, 99 males were tested for HIV with 10 testing HIV positive translating to 10 percent positivity rate. All the 10 males who tested positive were initiated on ART,” he said.
Mr Ncube said referral data shows that out of 1 231 total referrals HIV testing services dominated with 693 referrals indicating strong demand for HIV testing services among males. STI and Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Services follow with 183 and 156 referrals, respectively, showing moderate uptake of health services.
Mr Ncube said cancer and gender-based violence support services were much lower with 48 and 25 referrals, respectively, suggesting limited awareness or barriers to access.
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