Health authorities raise concern over low male testing, PrEP and PEP uptake
By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
NEARLY one in eight people in Beitbridge is living with HIV, with the district recording an HIV prevalence rate of 12.9 percent, health authorities have revealed.
The figure translates to thousands of people among Beitbridge’s population of 153 660, putting HIV prevention and treatment firmly back on the public health agenda in the border town.
Beitbridge District Medical Officer Dr Lenos Samhere disclosed the statistics during a two-day training workshop for journalists on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) at Migration Corridors.
Dr Samhere said while HIV testing coverage in the district remained strong, men continued to lag behind in accessing testing services.
“HIV testing coverage is strong, but male uptake remains low,” Dr. Samhere told media practitioners,
He said condom distribution had improved and uptake of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment was satisfactory.
However, he raised concern over the low uptake of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP).
PrEP is used by HIV-negative people to reduce their risk of acquiring HIV, while PEP can help prevent infection when taken soon after a possible exposure.
Dr Samhere urged people in high-risk relationships and other populations at increased risk of HIV infection, including sex workers, to consider PrEP.
He also challenged journalists to take a more active role in HIV prevention by using their platforms to disseminate accurate information and encourage communities to make use of available prevention, testing and treatment services.
National AIDS Council District AIDS Coordinator Edward Mulaudzi said the mobility of people in the border town was among factors that could increase vulnerability to HIV.
He identified spousal separation, multiple concurrent partnerships, age mixing, inconsistent and incorrect condom use and low perception of HIV risk as key drivers of HIV transmission.
“people who come to Beitbridge for work may find themselves separated from their spouses and subsequently form new relationships,” Mulaudzi said.
Beitbridge has long featured prominently in Zimbabwe’s HIV story.
Historical surveillance data from 1997 recorded an HIV prevalence of about 46 percent among women attending antenatal services in Beitbridge, placing the border town among the areas with some of the highest recorded levels at the time.
Border towns such as Mutare and Victoria Falls were similarly identified as significant HIV hotspots.
The high levels were recorded during a period when Zimbabwe was experiencing a rapidly expanding HIV epidemic.
Research into Zimbabwe’s HIV history has linked the early epidemic to migrant labour, long-distance transport networks and sex work, with mobility creating opportunities for HIV to spread across communities and national borders.
Beitbridge’s geographical position on the Zimbabwe-South Africa corridor has consequently made population mobility an important consideration in its HIV response.
A study of HIV services in Beitbridge between 2009 and 2013 described the district as highly mobile, with substantial cross-border movement to South Africa for commercial and farming activities. Researchers noted that mobility could complicate access to chronic HIV care, including treatment continuity and follow-up.
Today, the corridor remains heavily travelled. Recent IOM flow-monitoring data continues to identify Beitbridge as a major sending and receiving district for migrants, with significant movements along the Zimbabwe-South Africa corridor.
Progress, but risks remain
Against this historical backdrop, the current 12.9 percent figure points to substantial progress but also shows that HIV remains a major public health concern.
Zimbabwe as a whole has experienced a long-term decline in HIV prevalence.
National strategic planning documents show adult HIV prevalence falling from 13.79 percent in 2015 to 12.78 percent in 2018, while the country has expanded access to HIV testing and antiretroviral treatment.
The situation makes access to reliable sexual and reproductive health information particularly critical for migrants, young people, women and other vulnerable populations.
The two-day training, sponsored by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), is bringing together media practitioners to strengthen responsible and accurate reporting on SRHR issues affecting people along migration corridors.
The training is also equipping journalists to report on sensitive health issues using facts, empathy and context while avoiding stigma, fear and misinformation.
With 12.9 percent of Beitbridge’s population living with HIV, health authorities say prevention remains as important as treatment, particularly among populations that may underestimate their vulnerability to infection.