Harare, (New Ziana) – Religious leaders have pledged stronger support for the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) HIV programme, following a collaborative engagement on Friday convened by the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the National AIDS Council (NAC) and the Association of Health Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ).
Addressing the meeting, Director of AIDS and TB Programmes in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Owen Mugurungi, underscored the country’s vision to eliminate HIV and AIDS as a public health threat within the next five years.
“Our aim is to end HIV and AIDS by 2030, and PMTCT is a critical cornerstone in achieving this,” said Dr Mugurungi. “When the country began PMTCT in the early 2000s, the transmission rate was about 27 percent. Now we are glad that we are between 6 to 8 percent. But with what we can do, we think no mother in the country should pass on HIV to their unborn child, so there is still a lot to do.”
Dr Mugurungi emphasized that churches played a major role in influencing community behaviours, making them invaluable partners in ensuring pregnant women access testing, treatment, and follow-up care.
He noted that faith leaders are often the first point of counsel for expectant mothers, particularly in conservative communities, and can help break myths, stigma, and misinformation.
“We value the role of the church because when religious leaders speak, communities listen,” he added. “Your support helps us ensure that every pregnant woman is tested early, starts treatment, and remains in care. This is how we finally eliminate mother-to-child transmission.”
Representing the Union of the Development of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe and Africa (UDACIZA), Reverend Bishop Chitanda reaffirmed the church’s commitment to promoting health-seeking behaviour among its members.
“UDACIZA has a clear referral policy that accepts modern medicine. All members are discouraged from disallowing people to go to hospitals, something that has been rampant in some apostolic churches,” he said. “There are these apostolic churches that are ultra-conservative — UDACIZA trains them to accept modern medicine.”
Reverend Chitanda further clarified that the church’s spiritual role should complement, not replace, professional medical care.
“We emphasisize that the church meets the spiritual needs of an individual, while physical needs should be met by physical things such as going to hospitals,” he said, explaining that divine intervention and modern healthcare should not be viewed as competing systems but as essential partners in safeguarding life.
The gathering also heard powerful testimonials from women within the apostolic community who have HIV but were able to give birth to HIV-negative children through the PMTCT programme.
The women expressed gratitude for health workers and religious leaders who encouraged them to access care and vowed to lead community campaigns to ensure other expectant mothers adopt the same life-saving measures.
“We are living proof that PMTCT works,” said one of the mothers. “We will go back to our communities to spread this message and save unborn children.”
PMTCT services—introduced nationwide in the early 2000s—include HIV testing for pregnant women, initiation of anti-retroviral therapy (ART), safe delivery practices, and continued monitoring of both mother and infant.
These interventions have contributed significantly to reducing new HIV infections among children.
Despite the gains, health officials say reaching the national goal of zero new paediatric HIV infections by 2030 will require sustained cooperation between the health sector, communities, and religious institutions.
Stakeholders at the meeting agreed to strengthen joint outreach efforts, enhance referral systems, and continue trainings that bridge the gap between faith and science.
The engagement marked an important milestone in consolidating partnerships that aim to ensure every child in Zimbabwe is born HIV-free.
New Ziana
