By Kuda Pembere
Zimbabwe has the second highest proportion of people who experienced HIV-related stigma while seeking HIV or other health services in the past year, according to the latest UNAIDS report.
Drawing from the People Living with HIV Stigma Index 2.0 (2020–2024), the UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2025 shows that Iran tops the list with 36 percent of people living with HIV (PLHIV) reporting stigma. Zimbabwe follows with 30 percent.
Sierra Leone ranks third, with 27 percent of PLHIV facing stigma, followed by Vietnam with 25 percent. In New Zealand, 21 percent of PLHIV experienced stigma, compared to 20 percent in Indonesia.
UNAIDS noted that internalized stigma remains a significant barrier to healthcare access.
People living with HIV were also likely to experience stigma and discrimination when seeking non-HIV health services. One in four reported such experiences (27 percent). Efforts to integrate HIV services into broader health-care provision will need to address these realities,” UNAIDS stated. “Internalized stigma remains common and is a frequently cited reason for missing health-care visits.”
The report also found that 20 percent of PLHIV missed their antiretroviral therapy (ART) doses due to fear of disclosing their HIV status.
“An analysis of Stigma Index 2.0 studies from 25 countries found that almost 40 percent of people living with HIV said they felt ashamed to be living with HIV, and one in five said the fear of revealing their HIV status had led to them missing doses of antiretroviral medicines,” the report said.
Key populations continue to face violence and discrimination that prevent them from accessing health services.
“People from key populations often experience intersectional stigma, discrimination or violence, which, in addition to doing other harm, deters many of them from using health services. A median of 23 percent of people who inject drugs (18 reporting countries), 22 percent of transgender women (21 countries), 20 percent of sex workers (40 countries), and 8 percent of gay men and other men who have sex with men (36 countries) reported experiencing physical and/or sexual violence in the previous 12 months,” the report added.
Despite these challenges, Zimbabwe has made notable progress. Having achieved the 95-95-95 milestone ahead of schedule, the country reduced its annual number of new HIV infections by at least 75 percent between 2010 and 2024. UNAIDS notes Zimbabwe is on track to reduce new infections by 90 percent by 2030.
“Globally in 2024, approximately 31.6 million people [27.8 million–32.9 million] were receiving HIV treatment, equal to 77 percent [62–90 percent] of all people living with HIV. Some regions were close to achieving the 95-95-95 testing and treatment targets by 2025. At least seven countries — Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe — had reached all three 95-95-95 targets by the end of 2024. A further 12 countries had reached 90 percent for each of the three targets,” said UNAIDS.
