Policy consistency urged when dealing with HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe
Published: 2013 February 03 19:54:11 (3349 Views)
The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare has been urged to maintain policy consistency when adopting approaches to fight HIV/AIDS to achieve the target of zero new infections.
The calls come as debate rages on over the adoption of male circumcision as a national response to HIV.
Zimbabweans who spoke to the ZBC News said intervention methods adopted by government in fighting HIV and AIDS are not consistent and are instead confusing recipients.
They said they do not understand how male circumcision can help fight HIV when figures indicate that it can only offer 60 percent protection when someone has unprotected sex.
For years, the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare has been spearheading the ABC campaign which stands for abstinence, faithfulness to one partner and consistent and proper use of condoms.
However, critics say adopting male circumcision as an intervention method sends out a confusing message to the people as it appears to suggest that they can have unprotected sex.
The Deputy Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Douglas Mombeshora who was Guest of Honour at a launch of a condom use campaign by a local pharmaceutical company, says circumcised and un-circumcised males should use condoms.
“Circumcision is effective but why risk the 40%? As government we will take on everything that comes our way in fighting this pandemic,” he said.
Operations Director of the condom manufacturing pharmaceutical company, Mr Guy Chingaya, said his organisation is complementing government efforts to reach achieve the zero new infection target and called on other corporates to come on board and fight the pandemic.
He said, “HIV is everyone’s baby so corporates should also channel resources towards the fight.”
Zimbabwe’s HIV prevalence rate has declined from 24 percent to just over 15 percent with condom use being cited as the major factor.
With government however targeting to circumcise over three million men by 2015, experts have warned of a backlash as the effectiveness of the method is yet to be proven.
- zbc
The calls come as debate rages on over the adoption of male circumcision as a national response to HIV.
Zimbabweans who spoke to the ZBC News said intervention methods adopted by government in fighting HIV and AIDS are not consistent and are instead confusing recipients.
They said they do not understand how male circumcision can help fight HIV when figures indicate that it can only offer 60 percent protection when someone has unprotected sex.
For years, the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare has been spearheading the ABC campaign which stands for abstinence, faithfulness to one partner and consistent and proper use of condoms.
However, critics say adopting male circumcision as an intervention method sends out a confusing message to the people as it appears to suggest that they can have unprotected sex.
The Deputy Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Douglas Mombeshora who was Guest of Honour at a launch of a condom use campaign by a local pharmaceutical company, says circumcised and un-circumcised males should use condoms.
“Circumcision is effective but why risk the 40%? As government we will take on everything that comes our way in fighting this pandemic,” he said.
Operations Director of the condom manufacturing pharmaceutical company, Mr Guy Chingaya, said his organisation is complementing government efforts to reach achieve the zero new infection target and called on other corporates to come on board and fight the pandemic.
He said, “HIV is everyone’s baby so corporates should also channel resources towards the fight.”
Zimbabwe’s HIV prevalence rate has declined from 24 percent to just over 15 percent with condom use being cited as the major factor.
With government however targeting to circumcise over three million men by 2015, experts have warned of a backlash as the effectiveness of the method is yet to be proven.
- zbc
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