At least 27 791 adults and 2 751 children in Hurungwe District are living with HIV, a record in the province.
However, according to the National Aids Council in Mashonaland West, the HIV prevalence rates in the province were on the decline.

In an interview, the NAC Mashonaland West provincial manager Mr Agrippa Zizhou said people should not relax.

“The HIV prevalence in the province is gradually decreasing, but that does not mean we should relax because areas like Hurungwe and Zvimba are still demanding extra attention because generally the districts had the highest population of people living with HIV as compared to other districts in the province,” he said.

Zvimba District has an estimated population of 26 489 adults and 2 622 children living with HIV respectively while Kariba had the least number of 3 707 adults and 367 children.

Mr Zizhou said the estimated total number of adults living with HIV in Mashonaland West in 2017 was 135 252, a decrease from the 141 409 recorded in 2016.

He also attributed the decrease to various prevention and treatment programmes that included condom use, anti-retroviral therapy and the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission programmes.

“The decline in HIV prevalence rate can be attributed to increased campaign awarenesses where people were sensitised on condom use, advantages of abstaining from sexual intercourse and the implementation of PMCT programmes,” he said.

State Media