By Dumisani Ndlovu
Gweru District has witnessed a notable decrease in HIV infections, with the incidence rate dropping from 0.26 percent last year to 0.21 percent this year, according to the National AIDS Council (NAC).
The decline is attributed to effective programmes aimed at reducing new infections.
Zimbabwe has made significant strides in combating HIV, with national prevalence decreasing from 26.5 percent in 1997 to 14.3 percent today.
The country also achieved the 95-95-95 targets, ensuring that 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.
Key factors contributing to the decline in new HIV infections include initiatives focused on preventing mother-to-child transmission, voluntary medical male circumcision, behaviour change communication, and widespread testing services, including self-testing kits.
Petros Mazengwa, NAC District AIDS Coordinator for Gweru, reported that the HIV prevalence among those aged 15-49 is 11.31 percent, with males at 8.12 percent and females at 14.45 percent.
