THE National AIDS Council is implementing various peer led models for demand generation
across all districts to improve uptake of the interventions.
These models have led to high uptake of services by previously marginalised groups such as
adolescent girls and young women, sex workers and men who have sex with men.
The NAC has also deliberately targeted boys and men through specific models and
engagement mobilisation campaigns, through which NAC has sought to address cemented
cultural beliefs that perpetuate gender imbalances and raise women’s exposure to HIV.
In remarks at the commemoration of the 2022 World AIDS Day held at Rudhaka Stadium in
the provincial capital, Marondera, NAC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Bernard Madzima said
that while these achievements were pleasing, there was a lot still to be done in order to ensure
that the country was on an irreversible path towards ending AIDS by 2030.
“We shall, therefore, optimise sub-population and geographic specific HIV prevention
services, coupled with those that address threats from drug resistant TB, non-communicable
diseases and the busting of social safety nets.
“In recognition of the close association between HIV and non-communicable diseases, the
National AIDS Council has increased support towards cancer programmes, in particular
cervical cancer, for which we have provided several screening machines.
“As a way to promote equalisation and equity in the response, the National AIDS Council has
embarked on social contracting, an approach through which we financially and technically
support key community based organisations to implement agreed programmes towards the
achievement of the 95-95-95 targets.”
Dr Madzima said that various organisations were already receiving the said supports across
the provinces and were playing a part in the implementation of the HIV prevention models,
which seek to ensure that services reach most at risk and population groups with the highest
number new infections.
In addition to the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the response interventions, the
National AIDS Council, with support from various partners including the United Nations
Joint Programme on HIV, was leading a mid-term review process of the fourth Zimbabwe
National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (2021-25).
The review is intended to assess the progress, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and
sustainability of strategies in the ZNASP IV leading to re-alignment of the strategy and its
targets towards ending inequalities and pandemics.
Apart from guiding the response, the ZNASP is a very key source document for the
upcoming Global Fund application.
Next year, Zimbabwe will host the International Conference on AIDS and STIUs in Africa.

The NAC says that it is “very excited” about this opportunity, which will enable it and the
entire response including communities to share with the entire continent and globe the
progress Zimbabwe has recorded towards epidemic control.
He explained: “ICASA will open Zimbabwe up to the world and in addition to scientific and
technological health benefits; the conference will have significant economic transformational
results.”
Part of NAC’s responsibilities as the national co-ordinator includes administration of the
National AIDS Trust Fund, through which it supports the national response.
Dr Madzima expressed gratitude to the various donors and funding partners that have helped
keep the NAC response afloat in an economically challenging environment.
“Let me assure you of NAC’s commitment to its mandate as we go into a new year of the
national AIDS campaign, which we are also taking to all our 10 provinces. We do this to
ensure that the same messages we have shared today permeate the whole nation and drive us
to achieve the targets in our national strategic plan, and the pursuit of the 95-95-95 targets as
well as the National Development Strategy 1.
“We will strengthen synergies with our partners for the delivery of high impact HIV
prevention services with a particular focus on key populations, adolescent girls and young
women and as well as boys and men, who have for long been left out yet they are part of the
solution.”
December 1 has become engraved on the calendar of the national response as the country
remembers those who died of AIDS and recommits to scaling up HIV prevention and
treatment interventions in an environment of increased community participation and
ownership.
This year’s theme is “Equalise”, which is a call to action to address inequalities in access and
utilisation of HIV and AIDS services largely by most at risk and left-out groups. While the
response has generally expanded and achieved good overall coverage, there are various
communities that are left on account of policies and practices that ignore, stigmatise and shun
them. Without the relevant inclusion and equalisation of access to services and their
utilisation, achievement of epidemic control will be held back.
“The theme, therefore, makes a call unto us to address the attendant inequalities and establish
an enabling environment for provision and utilisation of quality HIV services.
“Through a community participatory process, we have localized the theme and added the
pay-off line A-E-I-O-U!, which stands for: Access, Empower, Inclusion, Opportunities
and Upholding of Human Rights.”
Dr Madzima said that the number of new HIV infections dropped from 24,900 in 2020 to
22,800 in 2021, while the antiretroviral therapy coverage rose from 92% to 92.43% of the
1,301,400 people living with HIV during the same period.
“Half way through the pursuit of the 95-95-95, we are proud that Zimbabwe has already
achieved these targets.”