By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mr Edward Kallon says Zimbabwe should end inequalities that are fuelling HIV infection in order to end AIDS.
In marking World Aids Day in Marondera Thursday, Mr Kallon said there was need to move faster on a set of concrete actions agreed by United Nations Member States to address the inequalities that are driving HIV.
“This year, the world agreed on a bold plan to end AIDS by 2030. That’s a cause for celebration.
“Unfortunately, AIDS remains a pandemic, the red light is flashing and only by moving fast to end the inequalities that drive the pandemic can we overcome it,” Mr Kallon said.
“Given the current trajectory, the curve is not bending fast enough and risk an AIDS pandemic lasting for a decade.
“And the latest publication entitled “Dangerous Inequalities” has revealed that on current trends we will not meet the global targets to end AIDS and that only urgent action to tackle inequalities can get the AIDS response on track.”
He said the publication shows how world leaders could tackle inequalities and calls on them to be courageous to follow what the evidence reveals.
“Progress in AIDS, which was already off track, is now under even greater strain due to COVID-19 pandemic and resultant crisis, disrupting HIV prevention and treatment services, schooling, violence prevention programmes and more,” he said.
Mr Kallon said critical actions should be considered to close the tap on HIV and AIDS including investing to improve the wellbeing of health workers and increase their numbers to meet the urgent needs so as to build trust in health systems service delivery capacity.
“We can end AIDS. And yet, in just the last year alone, 20,000 people died of AIDS-related illnesses and 23 000 people became infected with HIV.
“Women and girls accounted for 60% of all new infections in 2021.Why are people still dying of AIDS? Why are there so many new HIV infections each year?” he said.
Since 2010, in Zimbabwe new HIV infections have declined by 70%, from 75 000 to 23 000 in 2021.
In December 2020, UNAIDS released a new set of ambitious targets calling for 95% of all people living with HIV to know their HIV status, 95% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection to receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy to have viral suppression by 2025.
Zimbabwe has achieved the first and second 95 but on track to achieve the third 95 with 95.6 -95.6 -93.2 because of good practices that have increased the uptake of HIV prevention, testing, and treatment services.
Zimbabwe first country in Africa, and the third in the world behind Australia and the U.S, to approve CAB-LA, a long-acting injectable medication that prevents HIV.
CAB-LA acts as a pre-exposure prophylaxis is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for those who have a high risk of contracting HIV, including Key populations and women.
About Author
