By Kuda Pembere in Marondera
The US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pamela Tremont has commended health workers at Marondera Provincial Hospital for their tenacity and resolve to control the HIV epidemic in the province.
She said this during her tour of the hospital where she met with the staff as well as some of the beneficiaries of HIV services.
The US Government through the Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Centre for Disease Control has been supporting Zimbabwe’s HIV response since 2006 putting the country on the brink of HIV epidemic control.
“We’ve made huge progress. Since 2006, the number of deaths from HIV has fallen 80 percent, and that is something I think we should all be very proud of. The United States is extremely happy and gratified to support Zimbabwe in this fight, through the provision of antiretroviral treatments, and the provision of many health workers at a lot of health clinics and hospitals around Zimbabwe,” Ambassador Tremont said.
Ambassador Tremont also commended the health workers for their tenacity in ensuring improved testing, treatment and adherence.
“So, it was great to see all of that in action today, and to see the dedication and the stubbornness of the health care workers who track down those HIV-positive patients who are scared and reluctant to undertake treatment that can save their lives and those of their families. So, thank you to the health care workers who really are heroes in all of this,” Ambassador Tremont said. “This is about saving lives and preventing the spread of HIV. Together, we can end it as a public health threat by 2030.”
CDC Zimbabwe HIV services branch chief Ms Haddi Cham said it through the collaborative efforts between the Government and community based organizations alongside their organization that Marondera has managed to achieve this progress.
“And we are really grateful for the collaboration with all the key stakeholders. That is Ministry of Health and also the District Medical Office here as well as the Provincial Medical Director’s Office. Without whom and all of the other community-based organizations we work with like Zvandiri and our implementing partners Zimtech.
“And through that strong collaboration we’re able to realize these results,” she said.
Dr. Batsirai Makunike the executive director for ZimTech said they have been PEPFAR’s implementing partner since 2013 noting the country is on course to achieve epidemic control by 2030.
“But we have other programs supported by the PEPFAR program which support the whole country. The electronic health records IMPILO, which is supported around the whole country. We have a lot of support from the Ministry of Health,” she said.
Dr Delight Madoro representing Mashonaland East Provincial Medical Director Dr Paul Matsvimbo said through PEPFAR’s support they have more health workers at a time the country is enduring mass exodus. He also said they now have an array of strategies including having less defaulters. Dr Madoro said they have a new method of self-testing different from Oraquick.
“Now we are doing self-testing. Initially we have the Oraquick that we used to use whereby you would use your saliva, you would brush your gums with it. And now there is a blood-based test that you can use at your own place. And after maybe you test positive, there are staff and support that is there at the hospital or at the facilities to help link you to other HIV services,” he said.
The latest HIV estimates for 2023 suggest a positive trend, with the prevalence of HIV among adults aged 15 to 49 years declining from 12.69% in 2019 to 10.49% in 2023.
