1,3 million Zimbabweans living with HIV/Aids

AT LEAST 1,3 million people in Zimbabwe are living with HIV/AIDS compared to two million recorded in the previous years, a government official has said.

Briefing journalists in the capital, HIV and TB unit director in the Ministry of Health, Dr Owen Mugurungi, said the prevalence rate is an indicator of government’s successful strides in combating HIV. He however went on to call for more funding towards the health sector.

“1,3 million people are currently living with HIV/Aids and of that figure 187 000 are children below the age of 15. HIV prevalence stands at 15 percent indicating an increase from the previous 13 percent that was recorded in the 2012/13 period,” Mugurungi said.

The Zimbabwe government will be introducing single dose HIV/Aids drugs in 2015 so as to improve access to anti retro viral drugs around the country.

Zimbabwe National Network of People living with HIV (ZNNP+) official Sebastian Chinaire said at least 60 percent of children and a third of adults living with HIV fail to access drugs. – Business Connect