Restructured Interventions Halt Transmission of HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe: UN Report

A recent United Nations Programme report on the global response to HIV/AIDS has mentioned that Zimbabwe is among countries that have significantly reduced pandemic. The report also shows that 83 countries, which account for 83% of all people living with HIV, have halted or reversed their epidemics, including countries with major epidemics, such as India, Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa.

Zimbabwe UNAids country Director Michael Bartos said the gains had largely been a result of concerted efforts from both the government and partners. “By declaring HIV and AIDS a national disaster, it helped to restructure interventions that halted the spread of the disease,” he said.

Certain programs like prevention-of-mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) have largely contributed to virtual elimination of HIV and AIDS and have remained one of the strongest prevention strategies with tremendous benefits.

Zimbabwe was recently accorded the opportunity, ahead of other bidding African countries, to host the biggest AIDS conference in Africa, the 18th edition of the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) from November 29 to December 4, 2015.

The conference is held once every two years and is expected to attract around 7 000 delegates from all continents. ICASA president Ihab Ahmed said that they had been impressed by the strides that Zimbabwe had achieved in addressing the epidemic.

Source-Medindia