Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
THE Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) is rolling out a programme targeting children from 0-14 years living with HIV so that they have access to antiretroviral therapy (ART).
ZNNP+ with support from ViiV Healthcare is rolling out this programme called Community Systems Strengthening to Find, Link and Retain Children and Young Adolescents Living with HIV in Zimbabwe (Project – FLR).
ViiV Healthcare is a pharmaceutical company specialising in the development of therapies for HIV infection that was created as a joint venture by Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline.
The project is being implemented in Marondera and Chikomba in Mashonalnd East province and in Shurugwi and Kwekwe in the Midlands province. The selected districts are reported to have low numbers of young children on ART.
Addressing stakeholders attending the launch of the programme in Gweru yesterday, ZNNP+ Midlands provincial coordinator Mr Aldrich Mashingaidze said the goal of the programme is to increase the children on ART.
“It has been noted that there is a group of people that seems to be left out when it comes to accessing HIV treatment and this is the age group from 0-14 years,” said Mr Mashingaidze.
He said the programme will strengthen referrals, identification, initiation and retention of children on treatment in the two provinces.
“Despite efforts to ensure epidemic control and ending AIDS by 2030, gaps remain and in particular the slow progress towards ensuring that all children and young adolescents have access to quality HIV and other health related services including viral load monitoring, integrated mental health and disclosure support,” said Mr Mashingaidze.
He said the Ministry of Health and Child Care national pediatric ART coverage was 71 percent and the bulk of the 29 percent not covered are children and young adolescents below the age of 15.
Mr Mashingaidze said the four selected districts are part of the 10 underperforming districts in Zimbabwe when to comes to linking and retaining children in care.
“The health facilities in the districts are underperforming in terms of retention to care of children and adolescents aged 14 and below years,” he said.
Mr Mashingaidze said there will be monitoring of the quality of services using community led monitoring (CLM) models and advocacy in addressing barriers affecting children’s access to quality HIV services. This will contribute to the increase in children being tracked, identified and linked to care.
National Aids Council (Nac) Midlands provincial manager Mr Mambewu Shumba said ZNNP+ will facilitate the finding, linking and retaining of children and dolescents living with HIV in Zimbabwe to care.
“We are indeed very grateful and delighted that ViiV Healthcare has provided financial support to promote children and adolescent wellbeing and has also placed People living with HIV on top of its priority list. We also want to commend the support of our parent ministry, UNAIDS and NAC,” he said.
Mr Shumba said studies have shown that HIV infected children, especially those infected early are at risk of rapid disease progression and death.
He said it is therefore critical that ZNNP+, as an umbrella body that represents the interests of people living with HIV in their diversity, take a stand and create demand for HIV health services for all children living with HIV.
“We know that the provision of antiretroviral therapy, care and support to HIV infected children results in children living a normal life.
It is also important to note that starting ART treatment early leads to symptom free life. We therefore hope that this Project FLR will help us to contribute towards saving the lives of our precious young generation,” said Mr Shumba.
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