Health – Page 3 – NEWSSPACE

When grace locates you

…the story of Kensington Marufu

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

“I want you to believe that God exists, I want you to appreciate life from an angle of grace; that there is a certain thing called grace.”

The above were the words of 34-year-old Kensington Marufu, who was diagnosed with HIV when he was just aged 10 and the doctor who attended to his family said they only had five years to live.

Despite facing huge setbacks, including losing family members to the HIV virus, stigma, discrimination, missing out on precious school time and working at various farms to earn a living, Marufu triumphed to become a legal practitioner and author.

Marufu was one of the key speakers at a recent media workshop organised by the National AIDS Council (NAC) in Chinhoyi.

And his presentation titled, “Testimony-Positively HIV positive,” touched many attendees, including the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere, who said Marufu’s testimony was “proof that living with HIV is not the end of life.”

Marufu revealed that along with his parents and brother, they tested HIV positive in the year 2000 and the doctor said they would all not live beyond five years.

“When we got tested on the 23^rd of March 2000, the doctor who attended to us estimated that we were not likely to live more than five years.

“It meant that I had about five years to live. Those days there was no medication, there were no ARVs (anti retrovirals), we were just taking cotrimoxazole and when I was in Grade 5, I knew most of those pills.

“So stereotypes unfortunately got affirmed, my brother passed on in 2003, my mother passed on in 2004 but my dad went beyond five years, actually he passed on in 2006,” revealed Marufu.

For some time, Marufu went into hiding, because of the labeling that was common during that time.

“I then realized that I was actually hiding from myself and it took me years to appreciate that there are certain things in life that we can never change and we will not go forward in life until we appreciate who we are.”

He revealed that he was called names such as “Go Slow”, and when he sat for his O-Level exams, he only managed to pass one subject, English with a B; and it meant that he had to go stay with his grandmother in Shackleton, Chinhoyi.

And there life was tough; as people were judged by how they could perform hard labour.

“So we were working in farms, not that I had the strength but I had no choice, I had friends who would assist me, those were the days when I also had a tattoo, a mohawk and I was smoking marijuana because I wanted to fit in.

“I had lost faith in life, I stopped believing in myself, I stopped believing in life, I stopped believing in a lot of things, you know losing parents who loved you and appreciated you and then growing up in an environment where you are unfairly judged really affected me, so I started taking some drugs,” narrated Marufu.

He further revealed that how the HIV messages were packaged in those days also affected him as some of the phrases in use included, “AIDS kills”, “mukondombera” and “chakatikuuya chiya”, as this brought fear.

“When I was in Shackleton, things were really tough and I did not expect to live until now, but God was with me throughout the time.

“When I’m telling my story, I want you to believe that God exists, I want you to appreciate life from an angle of grace; that there is a certain thing called grace,” he said.

Kensington also revealed that in 2010 when he was now 20 years-old; he went to his late father’s bank and he was notified that he (father) had left US$1000 in his account.

He revealed that when all due processes were done, he wanted to use the money to buy a Mazda 323; but he was warned against and was advised that going back to school was the best option.

And he went back to school and rewrote his O-Levels but that also had its own challenges because of his advanced age as the name calling started again.

“Because I was very old, I was called many names like kadhara, but one thing that my mum told me before she died was that when people laugh at you, laugh with them, they will feel embarrassed.

“So when people called me kadhara, I would correct them to say no, call me mudhara because I was actually the eldest at the school.

“Then I rewrote my O-Levels in 2011 and passed eight subjects, I had 4As, 3Bs and a C,” revealed Marufu.

While he thought he would easily get a job maybe as a cop or soldier, it was not to be; as “some of the things that hindered me had something to do with my health, my age, there were a lot of things involved.”

Despite passing his O-Levels; in 2012 he was just at home, the same with 2013 and at one time he was herding some old lady’s cattle.

“The old lady would brag that her herd boy had passed Mathematics and English.

“I didn’t have any problems with that because I had passed the two subjects and I was also a herd boy; that’s life.

“In 2014, a certain guy called Kuda approached me to say if I assist you to go for A-Level, would you take the opportunity.

“I was now 24; but then there is a verse in the Bible that says; I know the plans I have for you, so because I was desperate, I accepted.

“And I started my Form 5 at St Pauls Musami; and as always, teachers would ask for our ages and then people would know.

“You would get nicknames and being at a boarding school I would share hostels, so I had my medication but then I didn’t want people to know, but it was really difficult,” he narrated.

He went on to reveal to NAC that taking medication is one of the challenges for children living with HIV who learn at boarding schools because they get to share hostels.

Despite the challenges he faced, Marufu revealed that it didn’t affect him academically as he went on to ace, first becoming a class monitor, then Deputy Headboy, before later scoring 15 point when he sat for his A-Level exams in 2015.

Marufu then enrolled into Law School and today he is a Legal Officer at a company in the capital.

**Minister Jenfan Muswere receives the novel titled “Touched by Grace”, from author and lawyer, Kensington Marufu**

He then wrote a book titled “Touched by Grace”, which is about his life with HIV.

He said of the book; “because I understand that there is another Kensington out there, I’m not alone like what I’m saying, there is another Kensington going through similar challenges but that Kensington does not have role models.

“Because most of the people like Kensington are in hiding, they will never expose themselves, they will hide, they will succeed but in hiding. “So that Kensington is just where he is and he doesn’t know if there is anything in life.

“So I have written a book, maybe one day that Kensington will read the story of Kensington and appreciate life; that life can change, God can make things possible.

“The title of the book is called Touched by Grace; because grace touched me. I would not have achieved this without God, because the life was actually too complicated,” he added.

And Marufu took the opportunity to hand over his book to Minister Muswere, describing it as a special moment for him, considering his journey to success.

Journalists play critical role in ensuring a healthy nation-Minister Muswere

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA recently in CHINHOYI

Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere has said journalists play a critical role in ensuring a healthy nation as they disseminate the much needed information to combat the spread of diseases.
Minister Muswere said the media’s role on the dissemination of information on diseases like HIV and AIDS, cholera and Covid-19 can never underestimated.
He was speaking at a media workshop organised by the National AIDS Council (NAC) in Chinhoyi last week.
The workshop was meant to update the media on the response to HIV and related conditions and also to discuss how the media can contribute towards ending AIDS by 2030.
“Journalists have a role to play in national development, journalists have a role to play in health matters and in nation building because the health of the population defines the past, defines the current circumstances, the challenges, opportunities and the resilience, the dedication and commitment of Zimbabweans.
“The health of the nation also defines the future of our country and journalists have a role to play as we journey towards an upper middle income society by the year 2030,” he said.
He added that he was advised that the country had done extremely well to reduce the HIV prevalence and NAC attributes part of that success to the role of the media in raising awareness, in educating the population of Zimbabwe, in informing the nation of Zimbabwe.
“The role of the journalists, the media in articulating critical issues whether its transmission of HIV and AIDS, or the most important aspect in terms of stigmatization and the same time the role of the media in ensuring that drug provision, in ensuring that we leave no one behind, that all the people in the four corners of our country are knowledgeable on the issues of HIV and AIDS.
“Knowledge is power and education is the key and education is being supported through a deliberate segmented approach in English and other important local languages.
“The media is in a position to articulate with ease the challenges, the behaviours that are expected, the health solutions that are available in our country for us to be able to achieve the success story in terms of the HIV prevalence in our country and Zimbabwe has managed and achieved and score significant gains as we combat epidemics and pandemics in our country.
“All successes stories are attributed to the role of the media, the role of the media teams who have worked with the members of the Fourth Estate,” added Minister Muswere.
Similar sentiments were also echoed by NAC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Bernard Madzima in a speech read on his behalf by Amon Mpofu, Monitoring Evaluation Director, who said creating mutual partnerships with the media was important in telling the HIV and AIDS story.
“In convening this workshop, we are convinced that the proper flow of information on HIV and AIDS requires a mutual partnership between the media and ourselves,” he said.
He added that the partnership has led to the sharing of information, accurate and responsible reporting which in-turn contributes to the development agenda as enshrined in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
“Our strong belief in the role of the role of the media which already has been instrumental in improving our response.
“Workshops such as this one compliments our other efforts which include media tours, media awards and our regular dissemination of our diaries to the media,” added Dr Madzima.
NAC Board Member, Tatenda Chipungudzanye, added that journalists can contribute effectively to the national efforts to tame the HIV pandemic through their work.

Collective efforts needed to fight HIV stigma and discrimination

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

Ending HIV related stigma is not only morally crucial but it is also vital for the public health and socio-economic development of the country, it has been revealed.

During a workshop on the Zimbabwe HIV Stigma Index Action Plan, it was also noted that stigma had to be eradicated if the country is to attain its targets in HIV management.

This is comes at a time when the country’s 2022 HIV stigma index stands at 69,7 percent, up from 2014’s figure of 65,5 percent.

According to UNAIDS, HIV stigma index is the standardized tool to gather evidence on how stigma and discrimination impacts the lives of people living with HIV.

Tatenda Makoni, Executive Director at ZNNP+ said as a country, it was worrisome that while the stigma index was supposed to be going down, it was actually on the rise.

Abisha Jonga, Senior Programmes Manager at Zim-TTECH, said as a clinical partner, they notice that stigma is a major barrier to various efforts to ensure that we attain not only the 95-95-95 targets but actually the 100-100-100 targets.

“But what is critical is that for us to reach those high targets, stigma and discrimination needs to be addressed at all costs, not only today but as of yesterday, if not last year, if not five years ago.

“The reason being, due to stigma and discrimination, people are not open enough to disclose their status which actually is a starting point towards prevention and then again because of lack of disclosure, people are not going to find it easy to adhere to their medication.

“Then they will have to hide each time they need to take their medication. We have realized that due to the issues around failure to adhere to medication, we are then having a situation where viral suppression is getting highly compromised because people are not taking their medication as expected, every day, same time, same time every day; they can’t achieve that if they experience stigma and discrimination.

“What we have also noted in our work with stigma, it varies across different sub population, where even parents are afraid of disclosing their own status to the children or the children’s status to the children themselves,” revealed Jonga.

He also emphasized that people should work together so as to ensure there is a full program to address stigma and discrimination.

It was also revealed during the workshop that another issue of concern is internalized stigma or self-stigma.

Winnet Manyadza, Clinic and Further Education Manager at CONNECT Zimbabwe Institute Systemic Therapy, said internalized stigma was also a stumbling block to all the efforts being put in the HIV fight.

“We are committed to work together so that we strengthen those strategies, so that people living with HIV will live lives which are free of internalized stigma, we would want to see people living lives free from negative thoughts of their HIV status,” said Manyadza.

Shamiso Yikoniko, Technical Advisor-Advocacy Communication and Social Mobilization at Zimbabwe Association for Church Related Hospitals, also revealed that stigma and discrimination surrounding various aspects of society including health conditions such as HIV and AIDS can hinder progress and perpetuate inequality. “It is our collective responsibility to champion a society that embraces compassion, empathy and inclusivity. To address this issue, we must first recognize that stigma and discrimination are rooted in ignorance, fear and misconceptions.

“Ending stigma and discrimination is not solely the responsibility of a selected few, it is an obligation that each one of us must embrace, let’s examine our own biases, examine attitudes and promote empathy and understanding within our circle of influence,” said Yikoniko.

Belinda Chindove, Senior Strategic Information and Evaluation Officer at Zimbabwe Health Interventions said

HIV related stigma remains a significant challenge in the country, hindering access to vital HIV prevention, treatment and care services.

She added that it is essential that we confront this issue head on and work collectively so as to create a more compassionate and informed society.

“Let us acknowledge the few key points, understanding stigma, it is not just a word, it’s a real world consequence.

“People living with HIV face many issues, denial of employment, housing and education.

“They may even experience violence; by addressing stigma, we can address the lives of those affected by HIV, let us break the silence.

“HIV related discrimination is a violation of human rights, everyone deserves respect,” she added.

Isheunesu Nhiringi, Technical Advisor Community Support at OPHID, revealed that the increase in stigma was worrisome and is not supposed to be taken lightly.

“The increase in stigma and discrimination from 65,5 percent in 2014 to 69,7 percent in 2022 is a wakeup call and testament to gaps in our current system.

“In Zimbabwe, combating HIV and AIDS is not just about medical treatment, it is about confronting a deeply engraved stigma and discrimination that exacerbates the epidemic.

“Our collective efforts to end stigma is not only morally imperative but also vital for the country’s public health and socio-economic development,” revealed Nhiringi.

He added that the stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV and AIDS did not only marginalize those living with the virus but also hinder prevention and access to treatment.

“Fear of discrimination prevents individuals from getting tested, seeking treatment and disclosing their status, perpetuating the spread of the virus.

“Furthermore, stigma leads to social exclusion, loss of employment opportunities and undermines the overall wellbeing of the affected individual and the community. “Addressing stigma and discrimination requires multifaceted approaches including education, advocacy and policy change. We must challenge myths and misconceptions about HIV and AIDS through community outreaches and awareness campaigns.

“Empowering individuals with accurate information can dispel fear and encourage acceptance. Moreover, legal and policy frameworks must be strengthened to protect the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS and prevent discrimination in healthcare settings, workplaces and society at large,” added Nhiringi.

He also revealed that ensuring equal access to health care and opportunities for all regardless of HIV status, is not just a moral obligation but a strategy imperative for sustainable development.

And he added that by fostering a culture of compassion, understanding and inclusivity, an environment can be created “where individuals feel safe to seek support, access treatment and live fulfilling lives without fear of judgment or discrimination.”

Similar sentiments were also echoed by Imelda Mahaka, Executive Director at Pangea Zimbabwe who revealed that while significant strides had been made in preventing HIV infections, stigma and discrimination was threatening to derail such progress.

“We have come a long way and made sterling progress in preventing HIV infections and putting people living with HIV on optimized regiments, the biggest threat to the gains in the HIV response and to sustain epidemic control is stigma and discrimination.

“We need to appreciate the complexity in the various forms of stigma at individual and community systems levels.

“More importantly, we need to appreciate the intersectionality of stigma for example as Pangea Zimbabwe, we serve communities and individuals who experience stigma either because they are on PrEP or living with HIV but also because, the same individual is a member of the KP (key population) community experiencing gender based violence or has mental health issues or is probably using drugs,” revealed Mahaka.

MCAZ-ZRP collabo raids Caledonia

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ), in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Drugs and Narcotics Division, on Wednesday raided unlicensed shops dealing in medicines and other pharmaceutical products in Caledonia, Harare.

During the raid at Gazebo area close to Old Tafara, six unlicensed shops were inspected, leading to the discovery of unregistered medicines, expired drugs, and registered medicines being sold unlawfully.

In a statement, Richard Rukwata, MCAZ Director – General, said all the shops were manned by unlicenced individuals and a result, six suspects were apprehended, including one supplier of the pharmaceutical products.

“Some of the medicines recovered include anti-biotics, anti-seizure drugs (anti-epileptic drugs), anti-hypertensive drugs, anti-diabetes drugs, antidepressants, cough syrups, analgesics, for example paracetamol and aspirin.

**MCAZ inspector in one of the raided shops**

“Resultantly, all the discovered medicines were confiscated by the police and the suspects are now in the hands of the police and assisting with investigations,” he said.

Rukwata further revealed that along with the ZRP, they remain committed to ensuring the safety and integrity of pharmaceutical products available to the public.

“Such collaborative actions underscore our dedication to upholding regulatory standards and safeguarding public health.

“We urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious pharmaceutical activities to the authorities. Together, we can combat the distribution of unregistered and expired medicines, promoting a safer environment for all Zimbabweans,” he added.

MCAZ is responsible for protecting public and animal health by ensuring that accessible medicines and allied substances and medical devices are safe, effective and of good quality through enforcement of adherence to standards by manufacturers and distributors.

It is further added that the mandate of MCAZ is to protect public health ensuring that medicines and medical devices on the market are safe, effective, and of good quality.

To protect everyone’s health, protect everyone’s rights

**Jane KALWEO – UNAIDS Country Director, Zimbabwe**

BY JANE KALWEO

This Friday 1 March, is Zero Discrimination Day, established 10 years ago by UNAIDS to protect the rights of everyone and build healthier societies. The evidence is clear: only by protecting everyone’s rights, can we protect everyone’s health.

There is much to celebrate.

Zimbabwe is one of the few countries in sub-Saharan Africa which has reached and surpassed the 95–95–95 targets. The country has reached 95 percent for the number of HIV-positive people knowing their status, 98 percent of HIV-positive people on ART and has reached the target of 95 percent of people taking ARV’s virally suppressed. The number of new HIV infections has also decreased by 78 percent from 78 000 in 2010 to 17 000 in 2022. These results have been achieved through the Government’s commitment to follow the evidence in the implementation of a combination of behavioral, biomedical, and structural prevention interventions targeted at diverse groups based on their needs, as prioritized in national strategic plans.

Although there has been remarkable progress in Zimbabwe towards reaching the global targets, inequalities continue to pose barriers to accessing lifesaving services for marginalized groups such as Key Populations, Adolescent Girls, and Young Women (AGYW) and People Living with HIV (PLHIV). The 2022 People Living with HIV Stigma Index 2.0 for Zimbabwe indicated an increase in stigma and discrimination against PLHIV from 65% in 2014 to 69.7% in 2022. The country, through its Zimbabwe National HIV AIDS Strategic Plan 2021 -2025 (ZNASP 2021- 2025) has identified addressing stigma and discrimination by strengthening community-led reporting mechanisms and developing comprehensive programmes to reduce stigma and discrimination, as a critical enablers towards attaining the goal of eliminating AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

When marginalized communities are criminalized or stigmatized, their vulnerability to HIV infection increases, and their access to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support services is obstructed. Laws which criminalize HIV transmission have proven to be ineffective, discriminatory and undermine efforts to reduce new HIV infections UNAIDS is advocating for legal reform aimed at decriminalization in areas such as: HIV exposure, non-disclosure, and transmission; key populations’ sexual relations; and drug possession and use. This ensures access to services and is a crucial step in ending AIDS as a global public health threat.

Every week in 2022, 4000 adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 became infected with HIV globally, in large part because their rights are not respected. When girls’ rights to education and empowerment are realized, then their vulnerability to HIV is greatly reduced. In Zimbabwe HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women is more than three times higher than among their male counterparts. The HIV incidence among young women who are 15 -24 years was 0.25 which is 3.6 times higher than their male counterparts 0.07, in Zimbabwe deeply entrenched gender inequalities and discrimination, often combined with significant levels of poverty, increase their risk of HIV infection, among Adolescent Girls and Young Women. It is vital to advance safe societies so that young women can protect their health and wellbeing.

Countries that are beating the AIDS epidemic are doing so by repealing laws and policies that discriminate, by expanding human rights for all and by allowing marginalized communities to lead the response. Progress towards eliminating AIDS as a public health threat has been strengthened by ensuring that legal and policy frameworks do not undermine human rights, but instead enable and protect them. It is commendable that in 2022, Parliament of Zimbabwe repealed section 79 of the Criminal Law Code, which criminalized HIV transmission. The rights path strengthens entire societies, making them better equipped to deal with the challenges we face today and those that are emerging.

Public health is undermined when laws, policies, practices, or norms enshrine punishment, discrimination, or stigma for people because they are women, migrants, key populations, (includes sex workers, and people who use drugs). Discrimination obstructs HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care, and holds back progress towards the end of AIDS.

We have hope, however, from communities on the frontlines. As Dr. Martin Luther King noted, “Social progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of people.” It is the communities most affected by discrimination that are leading the pushback against the erosion of their right to health, against the right to life. They are uniting their efforts to protect and advance human rights. They need, and deserve, all our support.

Protecting everyone’s rights is not a favor to any group but is the way that we can protect everyone’s health, end AIDS and create happier societies for all.

Contact

By Jane KALWEO – UNAIDS Country Director, Zimbabwe| tel. +2634338836-41

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

To protect everyone’s health, protect everyone’s rights

BY JANE KALWEO

There is much to celebrate.

Protecting everyone’s rights is not a favor to any group but is the way that we can protect everyone’s health, end AIDS and create happier societies for all.

Contact

By Jane KALWEO – UNAIDS Country Director, Zimbabwe| tel. +2634338836-41

UNAIDS

SADC Helpline Project; a ray of hope for adolescents and young people

**Tatenda Songore, Youth Advocates Executive Director**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

A SADC helpline project which is being implemented in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Malawi has reached over 22 000 adolescents and young people to access integrated HIV services.

The projected which was piloted in three districts in the three countries, Zvishavane (Zimbabwe), Francistown (Botswana) and Zomba (Malawi) has been famed for improving the wellbeing of youths.

Tatenda Songore, Executive Director of Youth Advocates who are spearheading the project also revealed that they have gone beyond issues to do with HIV prevention or treatment, to include other social support services.

“All of the 22 000 youths have been actually tested for HIV and we have managed to get at least 4 percent of them who were diagnosed HIV positive and they were put on treatment.

“We are very excited also on the fact that 94 percent of young people who were diagnosed HIV positive are on treatment, actually the figure is 96 percent, which means we have surpassed the 95 percent target for the UNAIDS.

“So these are the key achievements and we are looking at scaling up this project.

“The impact of this project has been seen beyond HIV prevention, to address issues of drug and substance, gender based violence to also helping young people to return back to school after they were out of school because of different problems.

“We know that when young people are out of school, they are more vulnerable to risky behaviour and HIV so we have been able to return young people using 393 helpline within the three countries,” said Songore.

Both Malawi and Zimbabwe use 393 toll free helplines while for Botswana it’s 16658, which youths can access and get help on various issues affecting them.

When the youths call the toll free lines, they are helped through ongoing counselling services, information dissemination and referral to services and follow-up on the uptake of such services.

Songore further revealed that those youths who were having challenges with drug and substance abuse, were given mental health support.

“Some of the most interesting achievements of this project also look at how we were also able to look beyond the fact that when young people are on drug and substance abuse, they are more vulnerable to GBV.

“They are more vulnerable to risky behaviour and we have been able to support about 7 000 young people who were showing symptoms of drug and substance use and we have also been able to put them on mental health support beyond the project,” he revealed.

He also revealed that since drug and substance abuse is now a pandemic in the region, they had been able to leverage on the HIV fund from SADC which has seen them addressing several issues that put young people at risk.

Further commenting on the 393 toll free youth helpline, Songore said when any young person in the country uses it, they can make a call or whatsapp or use chat box where they can be educated using written formats, video and audio formats.

He also revealed that the platform has registered tremendous success because over 90 percent of users complete their courses unlike the traditional way of communicating with young people.

“They (youths) are more concentrated, they are more focused, they do it at their own pace and we are able to address multiple issues from HIV.

“We are also able to address mental health, we are also able to address emerging issues like cholera and we also able to respond and educate young people on measles as well,” added Songore.

He also revealed that in Zimbabwe they had piloted the SADC Youth Help Line in Zvishavane “because of high activity of artisanal miners, issues of drug and substance abuse, issues of young people who were dropping out of school and going to do artisanal mining.

“Child marriages are also very rampant, so we explored Zvishavane to try and explore those issues using mobile technology and we have been very effective because in Zvishavane alone, we reached 8 600 young people in a period of two years and in a rural community, this is very much a significant figure.”

Speaking at the same function, Jeremia Manyika, UNAIDS Zimbabwe: Adviser: Equality and Rights for all; said it was commendable to see young people showing leadership, adding that it was resonating well with the last year’s International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) theme, “let communities lead”.

“We are really emphasizing the theme of let communities lead, we are very delighted that we see the communities actually leading and when we say communities we are actually talking about the actual people that are affected and infected by HIV.

“And in this case we talking about young people and they are there in their numbers leading the project and we are very elated and happy about that development,” he said.

He added that it was good that partners had collaborated to make this a success for the benefit of young people.

“Again to reiterate our theme let communities lead, the UNAIDS Global AIDS strategy provides guidance to countries towards ending AIDS by 2030 and we are talking about what we call the 30-60-80 and these are targets that are really important if we are to meet them we will be able to end AIDS by 2030.

“We are saying 30 percent of HIV treatment services should be led by communities and when we say communities of young people it is young people who should be leading the services.

“Then 60 percent of programmes to address barriers to HIV care and support should also be led by communities and when we talk of communities, communities of young people should be leading the programmes to end stigma, to end discrimination to address barriers to HIV care and support and 80 percentage of programmes for women, young people and key populations must be led and coordinated by women, young people and the key populations themselves for us to be able to end AIDS within those communities let communities lead.

“So the 30-60-80 targets are a reality when we witness communities taking leadership and ownership of programmes as we see in this intervention, the call line 393.

“Am happy to note that the intervention has contributed significantly to achieving the 95-95-95 targets by increasing uptake of…HIV testing services by young people.

“As we move towards sustainability approaches to the HIV epidemic, we are excited to see communities lead and we are excited to see communities lead initiatives that demonstrate effective engagement of young people in their diversity to ensure that no-one and no place is left behind.

“It is noteworthy that the youth helpline goes beyond HIV prevention and treatment to address broader issues of social protection, mental health, gender based violence substance abuse among other challenges being faced by young people,” added Manyika.

Freeman Dube, Research and Documentation Coordinator at National Aids Council (NAC) said they had endorsed the project which had not only improved the lives of young people but also adults.

“We should celebrate those achievements and we as NAC have even said what is good as the way forward, is we integrate the work of the call centre within existing programmes.

“And by the way the capacity of the line is not only for Zvishavane District although it was the focus of the SADC project, the capacity is national, so our districts as NAC is to integrate promotional activities for the call centre to be utilized across the country,” said Dube.

Thando Madondo, who is one of the beneficiaries of the Youth Advocates project said he was supported in his passion for music, recording three songs.

He also revealed that the empowerment by Youth Advocates had been a good escape for him as some of his peers in his community have fallen to drugs.

“On the issue of drug and substance abuse, I know for a fact that they will ruin one’s life, you won’t make any progress.

“If I look at the community where I live, many youths have fallen to drugs, you will see young people smoking weed, but because of the guidance I get here at Youth Advocates, I just made a I vow that I won’t partake in drug and substance abuse, it destroys my life, so I rather just empower my life.

“I recorded three songs under Youth Advocates, namely, Youth Advocate, which showcases the brand of the organisation as a whole, then there is another one called Zvinodhaka, I sang it after some youths died during the Covid-19 pandemic. Those who died were under the wrong influence, like I remember some would say if they take whiskey, they would not contract covid, but this was wrong. Then I also did a song called Child marriage which really touched on this growing scourge in the country,” added Madondo whose stage name is Firemaster.

Guests from Malawi, Botswana, government ministries, students among others, attended the event which was held at Youth Advocates head office in Chitungwiza.

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Japan donates US$774 000 for cholera

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

Manicaland Province has received a timely donation of US$774 000 from Japan for the emergency cholera response.

The donation which was made through UNICEF, will specifically target the most vulnerable communities in the province, which bears one of the highest burdens of the disease.

A statement by UNICEF revealed that the grant will provide a comprehensive range of life-saving support in areas such as access to safe water; provision of critical hygiene materials, healthcare, and nutrition; child protection; as well as other essential social services.

His Excellency Mr Shinichi Yamanaka, Japan’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe said, “I hope that our support will allow the most vulnerable people to recover quickly and rebuild their lives. I also hope it will help prevent the further spread of this disease and future outbreaks”.

Speaking on the same grant, Dr Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF Representative in Zimbabwe said, “we are extremely grateful to the Government of Japan for this support.

“This support exemplifies the commitment of the Government of Japan to the people of Zimbabwe to address the urgent needs of the affected communities and build resilience in the face of public health emergencies.”

The statement further read that, “the newly allocated funding will help the Government of Zimbabwe, UNICEF, and their partners to scale-up the multi-sectoral cholera response in affected areas, prioritising improved support and treatment to people infected by cholera; securing access to safe water with a special emphasis on the rehabilitation of sustainable, climate-resilient boreholes to ensure a lasting supply of safe water; and disseminating messages on cholera prevention and treatment through mass media platforms and interpersonal communication channels.”

Zimbabwe has been grappling with the cholera outbreak since February last year, recording 20,000 cases and over 400 deaths. Manicaland and Harare are the hardest hit provinces, as both account for 64 percent of all cholera cases.

And since the start of the outbreak, UNICEF has been working with the Ministry of Health and Child Care and partners to support affected communities, including by: “providing emergency health supplies and medical products to establish more than 50 cholera treatment centres and more than 90 community oral rehydration points in affected areas.

“Providing technical and operational support for the cholera vaccination campaign targeting 2.3 million people in the most affected districts.

“Training more than 2,200 health workers on case management, surveillance, and infection control in treatment facilities.

“Reaching more than 260,000 people with critical water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies.

“And reaching 5 million people with messages on health-and-hygiene measures to prevent cholera and the importance of seeking medical treatment early, particularly for children,” added the statement.

Organisation uses soccer to engage adolescents on critical health issues

**Happy Ncube (second from left) with her colleagues**

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

Grassroot Soccer, an organisation which was established over 20 years ago and has reached more than 18 million young people in over 60 countries, using soccer to address several health challenges.

The organisation which works through partnerships says it uses soccer as the hook because it’s the most popular and accessible sport in the world.

Adolescents have been helped in areas which include HIV and AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, mental health and gender based violence.

Happy Ncube, Partnerships Program Manager at Grassroot Soccer, further added that Africa where they have several successful projects, has the most engaged fan base.

“Soccer is a powerful tool that can teach many important life skills: resiliency, hard work, courage, trust, and teamwork.

“We use soccer games, metaphors and frameworks to engage young people around the most critical health challenges in their lives and teach them life-saving health skills.

“The GRS approach fuses soccer, health, role models, fun, and inspiration to drive meaningful and positive behaviour change,” she said.

She added that the power of soccer is used to equip young people with the much needed life-saving information, services, and mentorship they need to live healthier lives.

Ncube also revealed that GRS was founded in 2002 by Dr Tommy Clark and teammates Kirk Friedrich, Ethan Zohn, and Methembe Ndlovu.

It is said Tommy and his teammates had witnessed the devastating effects of HIV while playing professional soccer together in Zimbabwe.

“After watching friends die of AIDS, Tommy and his teammates recognized that soccer; a positive force in the community; could be used to engage adolescents to stop the spread of HIV,” added Ncube.

She added that over the past 20 plus years, the organisation has evolved to take an integrated approach to adolescent health, recognizing the interconnectedness of young people’s most pressing health challenges such sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence, and mental health.

“GRS looks at adolescent health issues in an integrated way; the relationship between HIV treatment and depression.

“Since 2002, we have grown from an initial cohort of 14 trained GRS Coaches to a global network of more than 13,000.

“We’ve reached more than 18 million young people in over 60 countries. GRS reached over 4 million youth in 2022 with health and life skills programs and services through our unique in-person SKILLZ interventions, digital platforms, and SKILLZ Magazines,” she revealed.

She added that locally “we are working through partners covering the whole of Zimbabwe.”

It was also revealed that through community-based organisations, international none governmental organisations, national and local governments, they have managed to reach more adolescents.

Ncube also revealed that through their interventions, GRS participants are three times more likely to test for HIV and get on treatment, resulting in 20 times fewer new HIV infections.

“GRS female participants are two times more likely to use modern contraception, resulting in 2/3 times fewer unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal deaths.

“GRS male participants are 10 times more likely to undergo voluntary male medical circumcision (which reduces HIV transmission), resulting in 11 times fewer new HIV infections.

“GRS achieved a 96 percent reduction in clinically significant depression symptoms amongst youth living with HIV who completed GRS’s Coach-led group therapy in Zambia.

“After completing GRS’s new mental health-enhanced sexual and reproductive health program in South Africa, female program participants were 24 percent more likely to identify local sources of support for challenges with mental health and alcohol.

“MindSKILLZ participants in Kenya demonstrated a 48 percent reduction in stigmatizing beliefs about mental health,” she added.

Spare a thought for women who use drugs

BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA

There is need to spare a thought for women who use drugs in Africa as they are disproportionately affected by several issues of society which leaves them more vulnerable, Tania Marumbwa, activist for the Community of People who Use Drugs in Zimbabwe has said.

Marumbwa revealed this during the recently International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) at the launch of the Harare Declaration by and for African Women who Use Drugs.

She said the obtaining situation was that African women who use drugs in Sub-Saharan Africa continue to experience inequality, violence, stigma, high exposure to HIV and discrimination from all sections of the society.

“Even where laws that protect them exist, the level of implementation is yet to reach the

desired level to adequately protect women who use drugs.

“It is therefore crucial that all relevant

stakeholders, governments, civil society organisations, and inter-governmental organizations come together in a coordinated fashion to increase the protection of the rights of these women.

“Women who use drugs in Africa have less social, psychological and economic support and are

more likely to have experienced traumatic events, such as sexual and physical assault and abuse

as children and/or adults and to be currently exposed to intimate partner violence.

“The experience of trauma can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health problems and can also increase the risk of substance use,” said Marumbwa.

She added that women who use drugs are affected in several facets of life including having difficulties to find jobs, which they need so as to live better lives. Marumbwa further revealed that as a result of finding it difficult to get jobs, economic burdens are heavier for them.

“Vulnerability experienced by women who use drugs pushes them to susceptibility to HIV.

“Women who use drugs are likely to share their injecting paraphernalia with more people than

their male counterparts, trade sex for drugs and have difficulties in negotiating condom use

with sexual partners.

“Generally, women who trade sex are more likely to experience violence and many have limited power to engage in safe sex or safe injecting practices, placing them at an increased risk of infections.

“Women who use drugs face significant barriers to accessing both HIV and harm reduction services,” said Marumbwa.

Marumbwa however said not all hope is lost, as they made a clarion call to African governments and all stakeholders for women who use drugs to be protected.

Some of the recommendations include; “for women who have experienced or continue to experience intimate/ gender-based violence; trauma informed treatment are recommended.

“There is also a need to ensure high level collaboration between the health system, community systems and justice sector to address all sorts of violence against women who use drugs.

“Sexual Reproductive Health Rights services for women who use drugs should address their wide spectrum of needs. They include cervical cancer and sexually transmitted illness (STI) screening and treatment and contraception to avoid unwanted

pregnancy.

“Services for pregnant women should include gynecological/obstetric care and

medically assisted treatment (MAT) treatment in case of opioid dependence.

“Support for parenting, including skills development/mentoring is needed and address childcare provision concerns.

“Support women who use drugs in accessing harm reduction services in a manner that is stigma free and a way in which services are available and accessible to them.

“Efforts are required to counter stigma and discrimination faced by these women. A range of interventions should be made available including MAT, NSP, counseling among others.

“The growing number of incarcerated women who use drugs face unique challenges that prisons and jails aren’t equipped to address.

“This means that “incarceration should not ever be an option for women who use drugs unless for other reasons”.

“Incarceration also has devastating effects on the families of incarcerated women who use drugs as it leaves lasting negative impacts on their children, and causes financial instability for their families as in most cases they are the sole breadwinners,” she added.

Marumbwa added that there was need to deliver services to women who use drugs in environments that are gender responsive, welcoming, non-judgemental, supporting and physically and emotionally safe.

“Spaces that are inclusive and safe for trans women and sex workers are needed. Services should be holistic and comprehensive, promoting healthy connections to children, family members, significant others and the community.

“Ensure the participation of women who use drugs in policy and programme development.

“This will promote gender-responsive policies and programmes by introducing and expanding

services and policies that meet the needs of women who use drugs.

“The leadership of women who use drugs should be deliberately sought in PWUID led structures and in other structures created to meet the needs of PWUIDs.

“Deliberate attempts should be made to assist in empowering women who use drugs both

socially and economically.

“Women who use drugs led CSOs should be funded to create interventions that will adequately address the needs of women who use drugs.”

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