Category: HIV/AIDS

Zim Government allays ICASA 2023 accomodation fears

Kuda Pembere

A senior Government official has rebuffed accommodation fears linked to the forthcoming edition of the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) conference. By Kuda Pembere This reassurance comes amidst concerns that there would be a repeat of past experiences where delegates had to resort to other accommodation outside of the hotel. Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Douglas Mombeshora told the media that it was all systems go. So far we are budgeting with people we have invited and those who have confirmed. Those who have confirmed…

Read More

HIV among the elderly, a unique emerging Public Health Concern in Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

Gogo Chiware (78) (Not her real name), lives with her elderly husband in Hatfield, Harare. She has been living with HIV for the past 15 years and she has been on treatment for 13 years now. However, due to her advanced age, she at times forgets to take her Antiretroviral (ARV) medications. By Michael Gwarisa She has a poor support system as her husband who is also living with HIV, is now experiencing dementia and this compounds Gogo Chiware’s woes as there is no one to remind her to take…

Read More

Zimbabwe To Use Dual Prevention Pill That Protects Against HIV Infection and Unintended Pregnancy

Michael Gwarisa

In a bid to widen HIV prevention and contraceptive options for women and girls, Zimbabwe could be adopting a revolutionary Dual Prevention Pill (DPP), in the not so distant future. By Michael Gwarisa The Dual Prevention Pill adds to the list of other Biomedical HIV prevention tools Zimbabwe has adopted over the past few years which include  the Dapivirine Vaginal ring that was adopted in 2021 and the Long-Acting Injectable PrEP that was approved for use in 2022. However, roll-out of these products is yet to commence in Zimbabwe. Speaking…

Read More

NAC Hosts Annual Research Symposium 2023

Healthtimes

The National Aids Council (NAC) recently hosted a conference on HIV Research Symposium to deliberate on new data and development around the National HIV response. By Ntokozo Gudu The symposium was hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) ,University of Zimbabwe(UZ), Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS (CeSHHAR) and BRTI as ran under the theme “Living and Ageing with HIV-Rethinking and Pioneering Interventions Towards Ending AIDS and Improving Quality of Life.” The conference brought together multidisciplinary health practitioners including the private and public health sector.…

Read More

One Stop Centres as Key Accelerators Towards Zimbabwe’s Progress To End AIDS By 2030

Michael Gwarisa

Women and girls who experience Gender Based Violence (GBV) are at high risk of contracting HIV. According to UN Women, GBV is a risk factor for HIV infection, and a consequence of stigma. Addressing violence and gender inequality is therefore essential to ending the AIDS epidemic and protecting the human rights of all people to safety, equality and the highest attainable standard of health. By Michael Gwarisa For Roselyn Magaso* 24, from Ngangu, Chimanimani, having been married at the age of 16, she experienced all forms of abuse at the…

Read More

Ama 2000 Need New HIV Communication Strategies- NAC

Michael Gwarisa

The National AIDS Council (NAC) says it can’t be business as usual regarding HIV and AIDS communication, as the landscape has drastically changed and needs new communication strategies that are cognisant of the new environment. By Michael Gwarisa The call comes in the midst of a surge in new HIV infections amongst adolescent girls and young women, a generation popularly known as Ama 2k or Ama 2000 in the Southern African countries. According to UNAIDS data, in Sub-Saharan Africa, four in five infections among 10-19 years olds are among girls.…

Read More

#BREAKING: South Africa Orders 16,000 Dapivirine Vaginal Rings For HIV Prevention In Women

Michael Gwarisa

 Three key organizations involved in preventing and responding to HIV in South Africa – AIDS Foundation of South Africa, Beyond Zero, and Networking HIV & AIDS Community of Southern Africa – have placed an initial order of 16,000 dapivirine vaginal rings for HIV prevention with the support of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund). By Staff Reporter The pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) ring is a silicone ring that is inserted in the vagina every month and delivers long-acting, topical, and localized HIV prevention. To date,…

Read More

Zimbabwe Hosts PrEP Communication Strategy Development Workshop

Michael Gwarisa

Various stakeholders from within the HIV continuum gathered in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central province for a four day Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) communication strategy development workshop. By Michael Gwarisa in Mazowe The workshop was hosted by the National AIDS Council (NAC), in collaboration with Jhpiego, with funding from Global Fund with the objective to design a communication instrument for the planning and coordination of demand creation interventions implemented by key stakeholders and implementing partners in at community level to motivate the uptake and sustained use of PrEP by priority audiences. The communication…

Read More

630,000 People Died From AIDS-related Illnesses In 2022-Global Fund

Michael Gwarisa

Even though HIV programs registered strong recoveries from the impact of COVID-19 in 2022, the number of people who continue to die from AIDS-related illnesses every year threatens to derail efforts to end AIDS by 2030. By Michael Gwarisa This was revealed by the Global Fund 2022 Results report which indicates that AIDS continues to be a major public health threat, with at least one person dying from an AIDS-related cause every minute. The disease has killed 40.4 million people to date. HIV continues to affect every region of the…

Read More

More 10 Year Old Pregnant Girls Test Positive For HIV In Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

More pregnant young adolescent girls aged 10 and above, are testing positive for HIV upon booking at the Antenatal Clinic (ANC), findings from a new National Assessment on Adolescent Pregnancies in Zimbabwe have shown. By Michael Gwarisa The study was conducted by the Centre for Sexual Health and HIV AIDS Research Zimbabwe (CeSHHAR) in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), UNICEF, UNESCO and UNFPA as the lead  agency for youth and adolescents. According to the report, an estimated 1,706,946 ANC bookings were made in 1,560 health…

Read More