HIV prevalence in Zimbabwe has gone down in all provinces in the last four years owing to good programming and adherence to antiretroviral therapy, amid reports that the country records approximately 31 000 new cases annually.

The latest Zimbabwe Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (ZIMPHIA) shows that compared to the last study conducted in 2016, all provinces have recorded a decline in HIV prevalence.

The ZIMPHIA study is a population household survey led by the Health and Child Care Ministry working in collaboration with the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT), National Aids Council (NAC), and ICAP at the Columbia University.

Matabeleland South still accounts for the majority of HIV cases in Zimbabwe with 17,6 percent prevalence down from 21,7 percent in 2016.

According to the survey, Matabeleland North and Bulawayo still have the highest prevalence as well at 14,9 and 14 percent respectively. Both provinces had recorded 19,5 percent and 17,9 percent previously.

Midlands has a HIV prevalence of 13,4 down from 13,5, Masvingo has 13 percent down from 14,5 percent while Harare’s prevalence now stands at 12,6 from 13,7 in 2016. Manicaland still has the lowest prevalence rate in the country at 10,2 percent down from 11 while Mashonaland Central has maintained 13 percent in both surveys.

Mashonaland East on the other hand has a 12,4 percent prevalence down from 13,5 while Mashonaland West stands at 12,8 from 12,3 percent in 2016.

“Prevalence of HIV among adults in Zimbabwe was 12,9 percent, which corresponds to approximately 1 225 000 adults living with HIV. The HIV prevalence was 15,3 percent among women and 10,2 percent among men,” read the ZIMPHIA report.

“The annual incidence of HIV among adults aged 15 years and older in Zimbabwe was 0,38 percent, which corresponds to approximately 31 000 new cases of HIV per year among adults. HIV incidence was 0,54 percent among women and 0,20 percent among men.”

According to ZIMPHIA, the country had achieved milestones in meeting the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets with the aim that by 2020, 90 percent of all people living with HIV would know their HIV status; 90 percent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection would receive sustained ART; and 90 percent of all people receiving ART would have viral load suppression.

Just like other heavily burdened countries, Zimbabwe, which has the fifth highest HIV prevalence at 12,9 percent in Africa, is working towards reaching the 2020 goals.

“About 86,8 percent of all adults living with HIV aged 15 years and older are aware of their HIV status. Individuals are classified as aware if they reported their HIV-positive status or had a detectable antiretroviral (ARV) in their blood,” read the statement. Of the adults diagnosed with HIV in Zimbabwe 97 percent are on ART.

“Among adults who were on ART, 90,3 percent have suppressed viral loads.”

Zimbabwe has one of the highest HIV prevalence and unprotected heterosexual sex continues to be the main transmission route for new infections.-Chronicle