CITY OF GWERU DISTRICT AIDS CO-ORDINATOR MR. MURARI HWINGIRI- “TO GET INTO ANY INSTITUION, YOU GO THROUGH SOME TEST.MARRIAGE IS AN INSTITUION, GET HIV TESTED FIRST ”.

At national level Zimbabwe has achieved the following: a significant drop in HIV/AIDS related illnesses from a high of 170 000 in 2003 to about 60 000 last year, there was also a decline in HIV prevalence rate, and an increase in HIV counselling and testing bodes. The government has done remarkably well in its concerted effort to combat HIV/AIDS epidemic (Herald Newspaper 2015).However, there are some challenges such as resistance from other religious organisations in the use of contraceptives and discussion on sexual and reproductive health with young people, low donor funding, shortage of staff, financial and logistical barriers that still needs to be addressed.

Gweru City Council as a Centre of Excellence is mandated to address sexual and reproductive health, HIV and AIDS issues within the City. The city is geared towards achieving universal access to reproductive health by 2015 and arresting and then reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS infection as per goal number 5 of The Millennium Development Goals. This is in line with the SADC Gender Protocol which calls for universal access to sexual and reproductive health, equity, equality and human rights, prevention of violence against women and girls and organization to step up prevention, treatment and support for those affected and infected with HIV and AIDS. City of Gweru as a Centre of Excellence has done remarkably well in trying to achieve The SADC Gender Protocol objectives by developing gender sensitive strategies to address sexual and reproductive health and prevent new infections and ensuring universal access to HIV and AIDS treatment for infected women, men, girls and boys.

The City of Gweru also robustly developed and implemented policies and programmes on sexual and reproductive health and HIV and AIDS in all the seven (7) clinics viz. Mkoba Polyclinic, Mkoba 1 Clinic, Mtapa clinic, Totonga Clinic, Ivene clinic, Senga Poly clinic, Isolation (IDH). Of the seven clinics three (3) are Maternity Clinics which provides health services like PMTCT, ART and Ante-Natal Care. There are three projects which are funded by council namely New Life, New Start and Youth projects.

Gweru City Council have partnered with the Ministry of Education, Social Services Department, Ministry of Youth, Child line, Avante Garde Association, Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Green world, Ministry of Women Affairs, Aloise Haene, MASO, All About Love Trust, ZNNP+, GURA, the Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric Aids Foundation and the Zimbabwe Aids Prevention Programme in collaboration with the University of Zimbabwe (ZAPP-UZ), and AFRIC AID to achieve universal access to sexual and reproductive health thereby reducing HIV prevalence rate citywide. The partnership was applauded for it managed to increase access to sexual and reproductive health services, the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and care and treatment for children and families on antiretroviral therapy. This led to gender equality in sexual and reproductive health and reduction in new cases of HIV infections thereby trying to achieve zero degrees on new HIV infections, discrimination and AIDS related deaths in line with the National AIDS Strategic Plan.

The District

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