Zimbabwe’s HIV gains face a test among young people
Summary
Zimbabwe has sharply reduced new HIV infections, but health workers and advocates say prevention among young people remains a challenge. UNAIDS estimates that annual infections fell from 79,000 in 2010 to 15,000 in 2023, while young people continue to face uneven access to youth-friendly health services and prevention options.Key Facts
- UNAIDS estimated that HIV infections among Zimbabweans aged 15 to 24 fell from 27,000 in 2010 to 4,400 in 2023.
- Zimbabwe offers prevention options that include condoms, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), testing and injectable medicines.
- Nurse Shaun Moyo said she worries some young people underestimate HIV risks because treatment has made the virus manageable for many people.
- Physician Misheck Ruwende warned that Zimbabwe could lose some of its progress against HIV.
- UNAIDS estimated that 210,000 adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24 acquired HIV worldwide in 2023.
- About 160,000 of those infections occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, and nearly 60 percent of the global total occurred in Eastern and Southern Africa.
- UNAIDS estimated that 7.7 million people in South Africa were living with HIV in 2023.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
