By Rex Mphisa
THE National Aids Council (NAC) in Matabeleland South is consolidating and sustaining its gains on HIV spreading by using data and informed intervention under dwindling resources but will maximise results.
This is the NAC strategy in the province for the period running from 2026 to 2030 Government refers to as National Development Strategy 2 to be built on the gains of the previous five years.
At NAC in Matabeleland South, that period will prioritise populations and areas with the highest prevalence paying attention to adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, artisanal miners and cross border truckers – key areas which have been identified.
Hotspot mapping has already been done and more efforts will be directed at fighting stigma identified as a root cause of continued spread of the virus in most communities, the NAC Manager for Matabeleland South Mgcini Sibanda said on Monday.
He was addressing journalists from different media houses at Maphisa, at the onset of a five day tour of NAC projects in Matobo and Beitbridge districts where he asked the media to partner NAC fight the stigma.
Sibanda said the media was an important partner on HIV/Aids interventions in Zimbabwe by raising awareness tackling stigma.
“We appreciate the role played by the media in disseminating information. We want journalists to witness the interventions taking place on the ground,” said Sibanda.
He said HIV prevalence rates in most districts of Matabeleland South are higher than national average, making it necessary to strengthen awareness campaigns and intervention programmes.
The low participation by men in HIV programmes in testing and treatment is among some of the major challenges affecting efforts to arrest new infections, he said.
“Our biggest challenge is that men are still reluctant to get tested. We therefore need to intensify programmes encouraging them to know their status,” he said.
Sibanda said engaging journalists is part of cross sectional interventions by NAC and other partners to fight all forms of stigma if the elimination of the spreading of HIV and Aids is to be achieved by 2030.
In Matobo District Aids Coordinator (DAC) Lawrence Ncube said NAC is accelerating its community-level HIV response, particularly in 16 out of 25 Wards, using the Behaviour Change Community Motivators (BCCM) model to fight stigma and increase male engagement.
This is coupled with Sista to Sista activities by adolescents and young women who are having several income generating projects to give the female targets economic self-sustenance.
Matobo has a population of 95 696 of which 9 638 are living with HIV and Aids and the uptake of Anti retroviral medication is 98 percent.
Matobo District is a diverse economic region largely driven by agriculture, small-scale mining, and tourism, often operating within ecological regions IV and V.
The area is currently undergoing significant rural industrialization, focused on strengthening these sectors through irrigation and infrastructure development, particularly surrounding the 2026 Independence Day celebrations.
HIV prevalence is fuelled by multiple mining activities and being close to Botswana, crossborder economic activities attract the presence of young girls and women exchanged between male age groups increasing HIV and Aids spreading.