MATABELELAND South Province has emerged as one of the regions with the highest HIV prevalence in Zimbabwe, recording a rate of 17.30% in 2023.
Matabeleland South province’s high HIV prevalence has been attributed to its proximity to South Africa and Botswana.
The province shares borders with South Africa and Botswana.
Beitbridge and Plumtree are entry points into the two countries respectively.
According to experts, mobility places individuals at great risk of HIV as well as onward transmission.
Reports indicate that this is not the first time that Matabeleland South has been named as having the highest HIV prevalence rate.
Health and Child Care minister, Douglas Mombeshora, said there is an urgent need for enhanced measures and interventions to combat the spread of HIV in the province.
According to Mombeshora, Matabeleland South is followed by Matabeleland North with a 14.50% HIV prevalence rate, Bulawayo at 11.70% Midlands and Harare with 10.90%.
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Masholaland Central has 10.40% HIV prevalence rate, Mashonaland East 9.90% H, Mashonaland West 9.90%, Masvingo 9.60% and Manicaland 9.40%
Mombeshora revealed the statistics after Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Emakhandeni-Luveve lawmaker, Discent Collins Bajila, asked him to provide the 2024 first quarter HIV prevalence province per province in Parliament.
Bajila asked the minister to elaborate on measures in place to continue fighting the scourge after the lapse of the PEPFAR Scheme.
“Currently, both Global Fund and PEPFAR are still supporting HIV programmes in Zimbabwe although indications are that this may change beyond 2026,” Monmbeshora said.
The United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has been implementing comprehensive HIV programs in Zimbabwe since 2006 through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with the goal of realising an Aids Free Generation.
The PEPFAR portfolio covers the entire spectrum of HIV prevention, care and treatment services.
The PEPFAR portfolio covers the entire spectrum of HIV prevention, care and treatment services and has contributed to a reduction in HIV incidence.
PEPFAR Zimbabwe has prioritised 40 districts, which represent at least 80% of the HIV burden nationally, to receive a comprehensive package of HIV services tailored by age, sex and risk.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care and the National Aids Council are currently working with various stakeholders to develop a sustainability road map that is expected to define strategies to plug anticipated gaps in the event that partners are no longer able to support our programmes,” Monbeshora added.
Mombeshora added that the National Aids Council and the ministry will continue to run the programmes using local resources.
Zimbabwe is also one of the few countries in the world that has achieved the 95-95-95 targets at national level, according to UNAids,
This means that 95% of people living with HIV are aware of their status, 95% of them are on medication and 95% of those on medication have a suppressed viral load.
In 1997, the country’s rate of HIV/Aids was 25% among people aged 15 to 49.
The figure has dropped to 11%.
Early this year, Zimbabwe introduced the Cabotegravir long-acting (CAB-LA), an injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis drug as another HIV preventive measure.
