By Patience Gondo
BORDER delays, high population mobility, migration and increasing substance abuse among young people are among the factors driving HIV infections in Matabeleland South Province.
The issues were raised during a NAC presentation at the Beitbridge Media Tour held in mid-May, where officials outlined the province’s HIV burden and the emerging challenges affecting prevention efforts.
Matabeleland South continues to record an HIV incidence rate of 0.20, which is higher than the national average of 0.14. The province also has HIV prevalence rates above the national average of 9.8 percent across all districts, indicating a significant regional burden.
Beitbridge District remains one of the province’s key areas of concern due to its strategic location as a border town and transport hub.
The district has a population of 152,574 people, comprising 72,823 males and 79,751 females, and is home to Southern Africa’s busiest port of entry.
According to figures from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, the Beitbridge Border Post handles between 12,000 and 22,000 travellers and between 500 and 800 truck drivers every day.
NAC officials said the large volume of travellers, truck drivers and migrants passing through the district contributes to increased HIV vulnerability. Commercial sex work remains prevalent in the border town, largely driven by the constant movement of people through the area.
The council also identified border delays as a factor contributing to risky sexual behaviour, with some travellers spending extended periods waiting to cross. Officials noted that prolonged waiting times can increase exposure to behaviours that heighten the risk of HIV transmission.
The situation is further compounded by the influx of undocumented migrants from Zimbabwe, countries within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and beyond, presenting additional challenges for public health interventions and HIV prevention programmes.
Drug and substance abuse among adolescents was highlighted as another growing concern in the district. NAC said the problem is contributing to rising cases of teenage pregnancies and child marriages, both of which increase the vulnerability of young people to HIV infection.
The presentation also showed that Beitbridge continues to record increasing numbers of new HIV infections, a trend that NAC said is consistent with the district’s status as a border town and major transport corridor.
Within the province, districts such as Bulilima, Mangwe and Gwanda were identified as having HIV prevalence rates higher than the provincial average, further highlighting the scale of the epidemic in the region.
Meanwhile, NAC has warned that changing social trends among young people are creating new challenges for HIV prevention efforts. Speaking on youth-related HIV risks, Primrose Sethule Dube said more than 3,700 young people aged between 15 and 24 are currently living with HIV in Bulawayo.
“Young people continuously adapt their social activities, making it difficult for health interventions to keep pace,” said Dube.
She said practices that were once associated with so-called “Vuzu parties” have evolved into new forms of gatherings, including events reportedly taking place in commuter omnibuses known as “Mjeje parties.”
“The trend demonstrates the need for health practitioners and policymakers to remain closely connected to young people in order to understand emerging behaviours and tailor prevention programmes accordingly,” she said.
NAC said the combination of border delays, high mobility, migration, substance abuse and evolving youth social behaviours continues to pose significant challenges to HIV prevention efforts, underscoring the need for targeted interventions aimed at reducing new infections among vulnerable populations in Matabeleland South and across the country.