UNITED States ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pamela Tremont, has reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to supporting interventions aimed at ending HIV.
“We have made huge progress since 2006,” she said during her visit to Marondera Provincial Hospital where the US supports HIV programmes at the public hospital.
“The number of deaths from HIV has fallen 80% and that is something I think we should all be very proud of.
“The United States is extremely happy and gratified to support Zimbabwe in this fight through the provision of antiretroviral treatments and the provision of many health workers at a lot of health clinics and hospitals around Zimbabwe.”
Acting provincial medical director, Delight Madoro, said the United States President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) was a life-changing intervention.
PEPFAR is a global health initiative that aims to fight HIV/Aids.
It is the world's largest commitment to addressing a single disease.
“We are now able to offer services like pre-exposure prophylaxis, whereby when you think that you might get exposed or at risk of getting exposed, you can start your medication that you can take to try and prevent you from contracting HIV,” Madoro said.
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The US has invested over US$1,7 billion in Zimbabwe since 2006 to strengthen health systems and support people living with HIV.
In 2023 alone, PEPFAR invested more than US$200 million in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe has made great strides in prevention, resulting in a decline in estimated HIV prevalence rate to 11,58% in 2021 from 25% in 2002.
The country has successfully achieved the 95-95-95 UNAids targets.
The targets mean that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed are receiving treatment and 95% of those on treatment have achieved viral load suppression.
