Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, Zimbabwean Minister of Health and Child Care, commended the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA) for their confidence in the ability of Zimbabwe to host the conference for the second time in ten years.
Zimbabwe hosted the 18th edition of ICASA in 2015 and noted that Zimbabwe is one of the countries with a high burden of HIV, but through deliberate political commitment and leadership and sustained implementation of high-impact interventions, it has recorded tremendous progress in ameliorating the burden.
He said the HIV incidence is currently at 0.17 percent, while the prevalence is at 11 percent. Of the 1,3 million people living with HIV, over 1,2 million are on treatment.
Dr Mombeshora made the commendation at the ongoing 22nd edition of the International Conference on Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The ICASA 2023, which started on December 4 and is expected to end on Saturday, December 9th, is on the general theme “AIDS is not over: Address inequalities, accelerate inclusion, and innovate."
It is being organized by the Society for AIDS in Africa in collaboration with the government of Zimbabwe and other partners, including the World Health Organisation, the Global Fund, and others.
The Zimbabwean Minister of Health and Child Care said despite setbacks related to COVID-19, the response has recovered and is expanding in line with the goals of Zimbabwe National Development Strategy 1 and ending AIDS by 2030.
“Evidence from major surveys has already indicated that as of 2021, Zimbabwe had achieved the 95-95-95 fast track targets, with the percentage of people who know their HIV status at 96 percent, of whom 96 percent are on ART and 93 percent have a suppressed viral load.
“We are now focused on sustaining these gains and ensuring that we scale up services to vulnerable communities, including adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, other key populations, and those above 50 who are aging with HIV,” Dr. Mombeshora stated.
Dr. Pagwesese David Parirenyatwa, President, of the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA), has noted that: “Africa must examine the impact of COVID-19 on our efforts to combat HIV, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the delivery of life-saving services to vulnerable communities and exacerbated infections.
"AIDS is not over, encapsulates our focus on understanding the intertwined impacts of HIV and COVID-19 and strategies to mitigate both diseases.
“We must acknowledge that subsequent pandemics are likely; therefore, it is crucial for Africa to come together and develop the capacity to produce vaccines”.
He noted that the fight against infectious diseases is ongoing, and the challenges facing Africa demand attention.
Dr. Parirenyatwa stressed that the contributions of Africans in the Diaspora, who have played a significant role in producing COVID-19 vaccines, hold great promise for improving our healthcare systems and eventually eradicating AIDS from our continent by 2030.
He noted that individuals living with HIV who contracted COVID-19 faced significant challenges in managing both conditions.
Additionally, the rise of the Anti-Homophobic Bill in Africa underscores the need for the ICASA 2023 theme, "AIDS is not over: Address Inequities, Accelerate Inclusion, and Innovation," he emphasized.
The ICASA 2023, which started on December 4, is on the general theme “AIDS is not over: Address inequalities, accelerate inclusion, and innovate." It is being organized by the Society for AIDS in Africa in collaboration with the government of Zimbabwe and other partners, including the World Health Organisation, the Global Fund, and others.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe opened the 22nd edition of the International Conference on Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) in Harare, Zimbabwe, which started on December 4th and is expected to end on December 9.
Among the high-profile dignitaries who attended the opening section were Ghana’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr. Alexander Grant Ntrakwa, who is a career diplomat with extensive experience in multilateral diplomacy as well as some African diplomats, Civil Society Organisations working in the health sector, and the donor community in Zimbabwe.
-CDA Consult || Contributor
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