News / Health
Zimbabwe launches HIV testing for under 15s
23 Nov 2014 at 22:03hrs | Views
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has introduced HIV and AIDS testing and counselling for children below the age of 15 to attain universal access, prevention, treatment and care services.
The ministry's representative who is also AIDS and TB programmes director Dr Owen Mugurungi said children can now be treated without the consent of the parents as was the norm in the past.
"Our people have a right to access health services and within this right also to know their HIV status. To attain universal access in HIV and AIDS prevention treatment and care services, we need to considerably expand services for testing and counselling to all people in urban and rural settings," said Dr Mugurungi.
The Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan province, Miriam Chikukwa, who was the guest of honour at the launch, said government of Zimbabwe remains committed and focused on halting and working towards reversing the spread of HIV and AIDS in line with millennium development goals.
"As we enter the homestretch towards 2015, our primary target in HIV testing and counselling (HTC) is that 85% of the people in Zimbabwe know their HIV status," Chikukwa said.
In Zimbabwe, 18% of women compared to 12% of men are infected with HIV.
Six percent of young people aged 15 to 24 are HIV positive.
The ministry's representative who is also AIDS and TB programmes director Dr Owen Mugurungi said children can now be treated without the consent of the parents as was the norm in the past.
"Our people have a right to access health services and within this right also to know their HIV status. To attain universal access in HIV and AIDS prevention treatment and care services, we need to considerably expand services for testing and counselling to all people in urban and rural settings," said Dr Mugurungi.
"As we enter the homestretch towards 2015, our primary target in HIV testing and counselling (HTC) is that 85% of the people in Zimbabwe know their HIV status," Chikukwa said.
In Zimbabwe, 18% of women compared to 12% of men are infected with HIV.
Six percent of young people aged 15 to 24 are HIV positive.
Source - zbc
