Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu in Gokwe
TRADITIONAL leaders in Gokwe South District, Midlands Province, have pledged to enforce stricter measures to curb home deliveries in their communities, following growing concerns over rising cases of HIV mother-to-child transmission.
Health experts have identified home births and limited access to antenatal care (ANC) as major contributors to new HIV infections in the district, threatening progress in the national fight against HIV and AIDS.
In response, the National Aids Council (NAC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, has launched a Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme. This initiative actively engages chiefs, village heads and local communities, equipping traditional leaders with vital information and empowering them to establish regulations that ensure women access ANC services and deliver at designated health facilities.
According to NAC statistics, Gokwe South recorded significantly higher rates of mother-to-child transmission among women aged 20-24 years compared to those in the 25-29 and 30-34 age groups. Between October 2023 and July 2024, the district achieved 71 percent ANC coverage. Experts emphasise that early ANC attendance enables HIV-positive mothers to receive medication that prevents transmission to their babies, while HIV-negative women receive support to maintain their status.
During an education session held at Katema Clinic on Wednesday, Chief Jiri instructed village heads to implement community monitoring strategies.
The clinic at present has one of the lowest ANC coverage rates in the district, averaging just one expecting mother per month. Gokwe South is served by 39 health facilities in total.
“As traditional leaders, we are concerned with HIV infections and it’s our desire to play a part in the fight against HIV and AIDS. We are glad that health officials have engaged us and given us this task, and from here we will work.
“I expect all village heads to convene meetings in their areas and share the information we have received here. Put in place strategies to monitor your communities and ensure they adhere to this advice,” said Chief Jiri.
Chief Jiri also urged community members to adopt responsible health practices and make use of available services to prevent HIV infections. Speaking at the same event, Gokwe South community health nurse and district HIV focal person, Ms Nomatter Kamudanda, encouraged expecting mothers to register their pregnancies early, attend all scheduled ANC visits and deliver at health facilities.
“We encourage women to visit health facilities for booking as early as possible. Husbands should accompany their wives and support them throughout this journey,” she said.
Ms Kamudanda stressed that an expecting mother should attend eight review visits during pregnancy.
“Early booking allows us to test the expecting mother and, if positive, put her on ARV treatment to suppress viral load. This greatly reduces the risk of transmitting HIV to the baby. If she is negative, we take steps to help her maintain this status,” she explained.
She also called on men to get tested for HIV, undergo circumcision, and not rely on their partner’s status as a reflection of their own.
Supporting the initiative, Chikati village head, Mr Sorobi Chikatu, highlighted the need for health officials to extend outreach services into remote communities. He advocated for mobile testing and education campaigns to ensure that even the most isolated populations are reached. Gokwe South at present has an HIV prevalence rate of 5.9 percent across all age groups, with a higher prevalence of 9.2 percent among people aged 15 to 49 years.
