Moonlight testing helps Muzarabani curb HIV

BRENNA MATENDERE

Muzarabani district has resorted to moonlight HIV testing, a model that sees clients receiving services after working hours, as part of an innovative strategy to curb the epidemic.

The development comes as the human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome that began in 1981, continues to be a worldwide public health issue that Zimbabwe want to end by 2030.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2023, HIV/AIDS had killed approximately 40.4 million people, and approximately 39 million people were infected with HIV globally.

Of these, 29.8 million people (75%) are receiving antiretroviral treatment. There were about 630,000 deaths from HIV/AIDS in 2022.

Back home in Zimbabwe, 1. 3 million people are living with HIV, although according to National Aids Council Council, 1.2 million of these are on life saving antiretroviral treatment.

Whereas, over the past four years, there has been a decline in HIV prevalence from 12% in 2020 to 11,58% in 2023.

In Muzarabani in particular, the HIV prevalence is 7%, in a district with 143 000 people, according to latest population statistics.

This had made the local NAC office to initiate the moonlight testing strategy.

District Aids co-ordinator for Muzarabani, Richard Chasima, said the programme is doing well.

“The moonlight testing service is helping a lot as we are seeing men coming at night to access HIV services. During the moonlight testing yesterday (Wednesday), we tested about 107 men and 64 women, mainly sex workers,” he said.

Muzarabani said while the district has made progress in the HIV response programme, there are also challenges.

“As a district, we have challenges of resources, where we have 29 wards, most of them being in remote areas,” Chasima said.

“Inasmuch as we want to reach out to these communities, especially along the border, thus in Kairezi and Chiwenga, we have people from Mozambique coming to access service, but we have problems when it comes to follow-ups.”

He said child marriages and gender-based violence, which are drivers of HIV, were rampant in the district.

He, however, said they were working with partners and the Health ministry to reach out to all communities.

“HIV is affecting young people the hardest, so we have come up with HIV strategies targeting girls and young women.

“We are also implementing programmes that target sex workers and their clients.”

Meanwhile, Chasima said he was impressed by the number of men accessing HIV services.

He said NAC was reaching out to HIV hotspot St Albert’s turnoff, Centenary and Muzarabani growth point with services.