News / Health
'Stop arresting sex workers'
09 Feb 2015 at 04:17hrs | Views
SEX workers are among the key affected populations that are drivers of HIV, hence should not be victimised or arrested as they have the right to access treatment, Health and Child Care Minister David Parirenyatwa said.
Addressing delegates at Southern Africa AIDS Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS) 20 year celebrations on Friday in the capital, Minister Parirenyatwa said this group cannot not be ignored in HIV prevention.
Minister Parirenyatwa said as a ministry, they are not in the business of calling on for the legalisation of prostitution but authorities should not bar thigh vendors from accessing treatment.
"We have people who sell sex, do not arrest them. This is a key population that we cannot afford to pay no attention to in all our HIV prevention programmes.
"We want them to get access to treatment and do not turn them away at health facilities otherwise we will not achieve the zero new infection target. It is time we address this in an open manner," he said.
He added that those in prisons were also a key population that can not be ignored in HIV prevention.
"We have those in correctional services where men are engaging in sex with other men. This is a very critical area and we need to look at them vigorously. We are not paying attention to the legalities but our concern is that they access HIV prevention services and for those who are already infected we want them to get treatment.
"It is such key drivers that we need to pay attention on more than before. Truck drivers are also a key population because of their nomadic job, they are also at risk of being infected and infecting their spouses," he added.
Minister Parirenyatwa also bemoaned the increase in the number of sexually transmitted infections in the country adding that youths were also triggering the rise hence a key population.
"We have another key population that we need to pay attention to before we see a rise in new HIV infections. Those in universities and other tertiary institutions are key in HIV prevention, of late the country has seen STI cases shooting and that could trigger a rise in HIV infection cases so we need to continuously engage this group and provide information," he said.
Addressing delegates at Southern Africa AIDS Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS) 20 year celebrations on Friday in the capital, Minister Parirenyatwa said this group cannot not be ignored in HIV prevention.
Minister Parirenyatwa said as a ministry, they are not in the business of calling on for the legalisation of prostitution but authorities should not bar thigh vendors from accessing treatment.
"We have people who sell sex, do not arrest them. This is a key population that we cannot afford to pay no attention to in all our HIV prevention programmes.
"We want them to get access to treatment and do not turn them away at health facilities otherwise we will not achieve the zero new infection target. It is time we address this in an open manner," he said.
"We have those in correctional services where men are engaging in sex with other men. This is a very critical area and we need to look at them vigorously. We are not paying attention to the legalities but our concern is that they access HIV prevention services and for those who are already infected we want them to get treatment.
"It is such key drivers that we need to pay attention on more than before. Truck drivers are also a key population because of their nomadic job, they are also at risk of being infected and infecting their spouses," he added.
Minister Parirenyatwa also bemoaned the increase in the number of sexually transmitted infections in the country adding that youths were also triggering the rise hence a key population.
"We have another key population that we need to pay attention to before we see a rise in new HIV infections. Those in universities and other tertiary institutions are key in HIV prevention, of late the country has seen STI cases shooting and that could trigger a rise in HIV infection cases so we need to continuously engage this group and provide information," he said.
Source - H-Metro
