By Brenna Marendere
Chief Dotito in Mt Darwin has joined forces with the National Aids Council in rolling back major drivers of HIV among adolescent boys and girls.
Born Takaedza Nyawanza, Chief Dotito said under age boys are using drugs and end up having unprotected sex risking them to HIV.
“Illicit brews of beer are causing young people to endluge early in sexual activities exposing them to HIV. However here in Dotito we have the ‘Not in My Village campaign to force delay of sexual debut among young people and working with NAC we are making huge successes,” said Chief Dotito.
“We are counseling them. Beer is a luxury and must be expensive but here you can get it at 50 cents which makes young people go wild. So we are tackling that programme together with NAC,” he added.
Chief Dotito said village heads are are also tackling child marriages.
“They have been given power to stop such marriages. Hunger and economic challenges are making young women to get into child marriages and its a problem we are also seized with.”
Chief Dotito also pointed out that cancer and BP checks during ward assembly meetings are rolled out to reduce effects of Non-Communicable diseases in Dotito.
“There are meetings for elderly men under the male engagement meetings programmes where HIV issues are discussed and seeing that young girls are being forced into child marriages by drought spells, solutions are proffered at the gatherings,” said Chief Dotito.
Core services at Dotito clinics
All public health facilities in Mash Central, including Dotito Rural Hospital/Clinic, provide the national HIV package of testing and counseling.
ART initiation and refills – free for people living with HIV.
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission at antenatal clinics in Dotito is also being conducted.
Viral load monitoring in Dotito see samples sent to provincial lab and it is a development transforming lives.Condom distribution – male and female condoms also is provided by NAC. Mash Central distributes two million condoms per year.
Since 2019, Zimbabwe has used targeted testing like index testing to find undiagnosed people. Retention on ART in Mash Central was 95% at CDC-supported sites.
Community ART Refill Groups (CARGs): 7-10 people per group. One member collects meds for everyone, reducing transport costs.
A 2019 study of rural Zimbabwe found 50% of facilities offered CARGs and 31% had fast-track. Dotito, as a district-level centre, likely has at least CARGs + routine care.
WHO’s “one-stop-shop” model is being rolled out to public sector family planning clinics and provincial hospitals. So Dotito clients should be able to get STI screening, contraception, and HIV testing in one visit.
Key populations youth
– CeSHHAR: Works across Zimbabwe with sex workers, including cross-border linkage to keep mobile sex workers in care. Mt Darwin/Bindura corridor is a known hotspot.
– Zvandiri program: For adolescents living with HIV, run by AFRICAID. Proven to improve adherence and viral suppression. Now in 8 African countries and taken up in WHO guidelines.
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