Tag: UNAIDS

Zimbabwe Strengthens National HIV Response Ahead of World AIDS Day Commemorations

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  Zimbabwe has launched preparations for this year’s World AIDS Day commemorations, marking the beginning of a national week dedicated to reflection, mobilization and renewed commitment to ending HIV as a public health threat by 2030. The commemorations, set for Umzingwane in Matabeleland South, come at a time when the country is intensifying efforts to integrate HIV programmes with broader public health priorities, including childhood cancer care. Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, UNAIDS representative Jerry Manyika said the country…

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Zimbabwe to Prioritise Local Funding in New HIV Strategy

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is set to begin developing its fifth Zimbabwe National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (ZNASP V), which will guide the country’s HIV response from 2026 to 2030. The forthcoming strategy follows the successful implementation of ZNASP IV, which runs until 2025 and has seen major progress in the fight against HIV. Under ZNASP IV, Zimbabwe achieved remarkable milestones, including meeting the global 95-95-95 targets — where 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed are on treatment, and 95% of those…

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United Nations Proposes Shutting Down UNAIDS In 2026

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  The United Nations (UN) agency focusing on the HIV/AIDS pandemic could close by the end of next year as the UN restructures in the face of a funding crisis, according to a UN document published online. UNAIDS will “sunset” by the end of 2026, the document published on Thursday reads, part of a set of proposals from the UN to member states which they will have to decide on. It adds that UNAIDS’ expertise should be shifted into the wider UN system in the following year. The…

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UNAIDS Welcomes US Move to Expand HIV Prevention Access

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  UNAIDS welcomes the announcement by the US State Department that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) will be supporting an initiative by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria to provide lenacapavir to up to 2 million people in countries with high burdens of HIV. Lenacapavir, an American-based innovation, is one of the most promising new HIV prevention tools that has emerged in the HIV response, offering protection against HIV with just twice-yearly injections. The breakthrough medicine will save thousands of lives if…

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Prosecuting HIV Under a Repealed Law Will Take Zimbabwe 20 Years Back Into the Dark Ages

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In May 2022, Zimbabwe took a bold and progressive step by repealing Section 79 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, which criminalised the deliberate transmission of HIV. This repeal was not merely a legislative change, it was a milestone in Zimbabwe’s HIV response, signaling a shift toward science, public health, and human rights. It reflected years of research and advocacy that consistently showed criminalising HIV does not prevent transmission but rather perpetuates stigma, gender inequality, and legal uncertainty. Yet today, a complex and concerning development…

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Op-ed: Adolescents and young people today, leaders tomorrow: commemorating the Day of the African Child

Michael Gwarisa

Authored by: Mr Henry Damisoni, UNAIDS Representative, Ms Etona Ekole, UNICEF Representative,  Mrs Miranda Tabifor, UNFPA Representative, Dr. Desta Tiruneh, WHO Representative In a local health clinic in Zimbabwe, Patience, a nurse and midwife, counsels and supports women and girls on a daily basis – some who are trying to prevent a pregnancy, those who are soon to become first-time mothers, and others who are living with HIV and seek to take care of themselves and their partners.  This is a new generation of young people and adolescents, who yearn for a…

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“I’ll Fix It”: Elon Musk Responds to Outcry Over Lenacapavir Funding Halt

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Billionaire Elon Musk, who also serves as an advisor to United States President Donald Trump, has hinted at intervening in the ongoing funding crisis affecting global HIV programs—particularly the rollout of Lenacapavir, a groundbreaking once-a-year HIV prevention drug. Musk made the remarks during a conversation with Bloomberg’s Mitchell Hussein at the Qatar Economic Forum. Hussein raised concerns about the global impact of HIV and AIDS funding cuts, especially the exclusion of critical HIV prevention programs like Lenacapavir from the current U.S. government funding waiver. The AIDS medication…

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Half of UNAIDS Employees Set to Lose Jobs Amid Major Restructuring

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa UNAIDS is set to cut half of its workforce as the organization grapples with significant funding shortfalls and a shifting global donor landscape. According to internal communications, staff were informed during a town hall meeting on Tuesday that the number of employees will be reduced from around 600 to between 280 and 300. The move is part of a broader restructuring effort triggered by deep funding cuts from traditional donors, including the United States, Europe, and parts of Asia. In response, UNAIDS is considering relocating many positions…

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UNAIDS Estimates 6.3M AIDS-Related Deaths, 8.7M New Infections from 2025-2029 Amid U.S. Aid Freeze

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Estimates from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) warn of a surge in HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths over the next four years if the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) permanently shuts down. The forecast follows the partial suspension of PEPFAR projects and the closure of USAID-funded HIV and AIDS programs worldwide. Responding to a question during a virtual meeting, Mary Mahy, UNAIDS Director of Data for Impact, confirmed that an additional 6.3 million AIDS-related deaths could occur over the next four…

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Zimbabwe Needs To Revive Abstinence Message In HIV Programming

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa While Zimbabwe has made significant strides in addressing the HIV burden, there is a need for renewed messaging regarding HIV prevention to sustain the gains realised, health experts have said. Zimbabwe is among the few African countries that have attained the UNIADS 95-9-95 targets in adults. Over the past four years, there has been a decline in HIV prevalence from approximately 12% in 2020 to 11.58% in 2023. However, emerging new challenges such as depressed domestic and international funding for HIV prevention programs such as condoms, poor…

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