SUKOLUHLE NDLOVU IN GWERU
The National Aids Council (NAC) says the number of new HIV infections in Gweru district declined drastically in the first quarter of this year, largely due to its various interventions.
In an interview with Business Times, NAC Gweru district official, Petros Mazengwa said they recorded 47 new HIV cases from 839 people tested in the district during the reviewed period compared to nearly 100 cases in the prior comparative period. Of the tested, 196 are males and 643 females.
“From these numbers, we recorded 47 positive cases and this comprised 24 males and 23 females,” Mazengwa said.
He said of the news cases, 12.2% were men while 3.7% were women.
“Our data gives us a positivity rate of 5.6% from the people who tested for the first time. Positivity rate for the first quarter was higher among males as it was at 12.2% compared to 3.7% for the females”, Mazengwa said.
He said his organisation will strengthen its workplace programme so that their interventions may reach more men.
“A lot still needs to be done to prevent new infections so that we are able to reach epidemic control levels as Gweru district,” Mazengwa said, urging the public to always use protection to prevent themselves from contracting HIV and sexually transmitted infections.
