Tag: HIV

Amid Diaspora Parenting and Child-Headed Families, Comprehensive Sexuality Education Comes To The Rescue in Bulawayo

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisain Bulawayo A few years ago, Vuzu Sex parties made headlines in Bulawayo Metropolitan province as young people of school-going age engaged in various forms of indecent behavior including sexual orgies, drug and substance abuse amongst other ills. For Simangalisiwe Ndlovu* (19), from Gwabalanda in Bulawayo, attending these parties was easy since both her parents stay out of the country and there was no parental supervision at home. Her parents work in South Africa and Simangalisiwe lives with her two siblings, her younger brother who is 15 and…

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SAfAIDS Unveils Social Contracting Framework for Effective HIV Response

Ntokozo Gudu

By Ntokozo Gudu in Mutare SAfAIDS and Zimbabwe Community Health Intervention Research ( ZCHIRe) convened a capacity strengthening dialogue for stakeholders to effectively disseminate and implement the Social Contracting guidelines under the banner of the United for Protection Coalition, in Mutare recently. The dialogue was targeting the National AIDS Council as the key institution for decision making on social contracting, bringing together Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on how to effectively input into the existing guidelines. The conversation highlighted the need to increase domestic financial resources and expand  revenue streams to…

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After Dropping Out Of School Due to An Early Marriage, Mhondoro Adolescent Girl Traces Footsteps Back To Classroom

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Chegutu When COVID-19 hit in 2020, everything came to a standstill as governments worldwide clamped down on services to pave way for the effective management of the disease. Unfortunately, the education sector was also affected, and learning was suspended. This, however, increased the vulnerability of girls from poor backgrounds as many were driven into early marriages to escape from the effects of poverty and hunger that characterised the pandemic period. One such girl is Theresa Garikai (21), from Katawa Village, from Mhondoro Mubaira, Chegutu District, who…

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How Motorbikes Have Bridged Diagnostic and Specimen Collection Gap In Rural Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Gokwe, Nembudziya It’s around 12 midday, and the sun is blazing hot despite it being winter in Zimbabwe. There is not much activity, left for the chatter of a few old men seated around a pot of opaque beer at a nearby homestead. From a distance, a buzzing sound like that of bees or hornets approaches from the southern side of Kuwirirana Clinic, a health facility in Gokwe Nembudiziya. As the whirring gets closer, a Biker on a motorcycle emerges from a thick cloud of dust…

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Zimbabwe’s Integrated Specimen Transportation Boosts Viral Load Coverage Across the Country

Michael Gwarisa

“We have managed to reach the 95% target because we are managing to collect the Viral Load samples and we are managing to get the results of the tests.” By Michael Gwarisa To fast-track progress towards ending AIDS by 2030, Zimbabwe has increased Viral Load (VL) testing coverage in almost all 63 districts, following the rollout of an Integrated Specimen Transportation (IST) system. The widespread rollout of the IST system commenced in 2021 and has since spread to all 2000 health facilities under the Ministry of Health and Child (MoHCC).…

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Restoring Smiles Among HIV-Positive Employees: Lake Harvest’s Workplace HIV and Wellness Program Pays Dividends

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Kariba As the 2030 target to end AIDS draws near, numerous interventions are being implemented across the globe in a bid to fast-track progress towards reaching the ambitious target. For companies operating in hard-hit regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, HIV/AIDS has had major consequences on profitability and productivity of companies due to increased cases of absenteeism and AIDS-related deaths among the productive age groups. The UNAIDS acknowledges that HIV/AIDS is not just a public health issue but rather a workplace issue and a development challenge that…

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Zimbabwe Launches Stage 2 of CATALYST Study, Adding Injectable PrEP to HIV Prevention Options for Participants

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Following the delivery of injectable Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) doses, Zimbabwe through the Maximizing Options to Advance Informed Choice for HIV Prevention (MOSAIC) consortium, has launched stage 2 of the CATALYST study, introducing the newly approved injectable PrEP. The study is funded by funded by PEPFER through USAID. The CATALYST study was initially launched in 2023 where two PrEP methods — tenofovir-based oral pills and the dapivirine ring (PrEP ring) — were offered. The CATALYST sites remain the same six sites where stage 1 was conducted. These include…

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Zimbabwe Records Decline In New HIV Infections In Adolescent Girls and Young Women

Kuda Pembere

By Kudakwashe Pembere Zimbabwe is on schedule to reduce new HIV infections in adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) by 2025, at the back of increased coverage of combination prevention programs alongside other interventions, the Global HIV Prevention Coalition(GPC) said in a report. While the country is still amongst high HIV burden countries alongside Cameroon, Lesotho and Malawi, GPC noted that there has been a decline in the acquiring of HIV in AGYW. The report looks at the progress in HIV control in some African countries. HIV incidence among adolescent…

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ARASA Pilots Cohort Coordination Work In Zimababwe To Unite Diverse SRHR Movements

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a bid to strengthen collaboration across various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and social movements, Zimbabwe has become the first country in the sub-Saharan region to launch an advocacy cohort coordination program to harmonise Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) advocacy work. This comes at the back of observations that various regional movements were  fragmented, and working  in a siloed environment that often limits functional collaboration across Civil Society Organisations. Speaking in an interview with HealthTimes on the side-lines of a two-day Zimbabwe Advocacy Cohort Coordination Co-creation…

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Student Resource Centre Bridges SRH Unmet Need and Information Gaps for MSU Students

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa It’s around 12 midday, Audrey Katsande (22), and her friend Mitchell Munjoma (21) are chilling in the Girls’ Space inside the Student Resource Centre at the Midlands State University (MSU). It’s a time to cool off after a long morning of lectures and college work. University life can be difficult for students at times, and MSU students are no exception. Being a multi-campus college with an estimated student enrollment above 18000 students, the MSU is faced with unique challenges. Its accommodation facility caters only for less than…

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