NAC Targets Men In Renewed HIV Fight

By Bindura Bureau

The National AIDS Council (NAC) has with immediate effect, embarked on a programme targeting men in its renewed fight to end HIV/AIDS as a public health threat in Zimbabwe by 2030.

This follows indications that men were badly seeking health services related to the pandemic thereby threatening the vision.

According to epidemiology and social data, men are increasingly at risk and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS with low testing rates, male circumcision uptake, low condom usage and lack of comprehensive knowledge on HIV and ART enrolment.

Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Dr. Monica Mavhunga (Senator) officiated at the launch in Bindura Wednesday and called for a vigorous engagement of men in this drive.

“We need to engage men and boys in all their diversity, as partners in the fight of the scourge, as policy makers as well as beneficiaries to an HIV/AIDS free nation,” she said.

Senator Mavhunga urged NAC not to leave out traditional and community leaders who are expected to spearhead male involvement in the fight against the epidemic.

She said government is looking forward to the strategy’s success throughout the province and countrywide.

“This will result in the scaling up of interventions and efforts to reach men and boys effectively as Zimbabwe moves towards ending AIDS by 2030 whilst involving everyone, and leaving no one behind,” she said.

NAC Provincial Manager for Mashonaland Central, Edgar Muzulu said low uptake of HIV services by men had significant impact on their mortality and morbidity, especially those living with HIV.

“It is important to realise that men and boys have multiple roles to play in achieving better health outcomes for themselves and for women and girls, including but, not limited to their roles as partners, change agents, role models, service users as well as decision makers,” he said.

Research shows that men are equally the key drivers of multiple and concurrent partners, sex work, gender-based violence and inter-generational sex among others.

“The focus of the HIV response in the past has mainly been on women and girls who are often viewed as victims, forgetting that men are in danger too. This belief has led HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment to dwell much with women, ignoring boys and men.

Women are usually exposed to HIV due to a number of factors amongst them; biological and cultural, their reduced autonomy, men’s sexual power and privilege over them,” he said.

As a result, men have received very little attention, compounded with their reluctance to seek health services and they have been dying.

Studies show that HIV testing conducted away from clinics and health facilities, including mobile testing, home based testing and the recently launched self-testing are more popular with men hence the council will emphasize on them.

NAC, working together with the Ministry of Health and Child Care with funding from the United Nations and support from different Civil Society Organisations crafted the strategy.

In another development, NAC introduced a Call Centre Assessment Report for people living with HIV which avails information about CSOs and government departments where they can get help after their rights have been violated through walk-ins, calls or texts to get assistance.

Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV chairperson, Moreni Masanzu commended the availability of the call centres which she said offered tremendous support for people living with HIV. Nhau/Indaba