Online Reporter
Wendy Nyakurerwa-Matinde
Zimbabwe is one of the countries in the region that has managed to reach the 95-95-95 targets, which has brought epidemic control, Director of the AIDS and TB Unit in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Owen Mugurungi has said.
Dr Mugurungi was speaking at a National Aids Council Editors’ workshop that is being held in Chinhoyi.
He said the targets, a UNAIDS initiative, aim to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 by ensuring that by 2025, 95 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those diagnosed receive treatment, and 95 percent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.
In Zimbabwe, 98 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 97 percent are on antiretroviral therapy (ART), while 96 percent have achieved viral suppression.
However, challenges remain in ensuring that children receive equal care, with only 61 percent knowing their status, with 100 percent of those knowing their status on ART and 90 percent achieving viral suppression.
Approximately 1.3 million people in Zimbabwe are living with HIV, with about 17 000 of them being children.
“We believe that globally we will reach a stage where we will be able to control the spread of HIV by 2030,” said Dr Mugurungi.
“Once the viral load is suppressed, one can no longer transmit HIV to their partners, or if it’s a pregnant woman, to their unborn baby.”
Dr Mugurungi said to promote the prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, the Health Ministry is spearheading STI prevention and care, condom promotion and behaviour change communication, post exposure prophylaxis and management of rape, as well as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP).
