News / National
11,000 flee their HIV results
05 Sep 2014 at 06:38hrs | Views
ABOUT 11,000 people who were tested for HIV since last year have chickened out from collecting their results, according to the National Aids Council (Nac).
The statistics were revealed at the Association of Health Funders in Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) all-stakeholders conference that ended in Victoria Falls yesterday.
According to the Nac report that was presented, the 25 to 49 age group has the highest positivity rate at 14 percent followed by those above 50 years at 13 percent.
A total of 196,000 in the 25-49 age group went for HIV tests but only 185,000 collected their results meaning 11,000 do not know their status after testing.
Nac communications officer Tadiwa Pfupa said there are concerns about people not going back to collect their results or not consistently taking their medication. "Some don't collect their results because of fear while society also is to blame because there is still stigmatisation," she said.
About 800,000 people are on anti-retroviral therapy and $100 million was used per year to provide for them. 98 percent of the drugs come from donors.
Pfupa said $35 million was collected each year through Aids Levy and plans were underway to ensure ARVs are obtainable at pharmacies to decongest hospitals. It was not clear how much of that was channeled towards the purchase of ARVs.
"Close to 800,000 people are on ART against a target of 1,273,188. This translates to 56.9 percent of people in need of ART against a target of 66 percent per annum," she said.
There are 668,825 adults on ART and 55,474 children while those in need are 1,152,077 (adults) compared to 121,111 children.
Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Paul Chimedza said government was working on refinancing the whole health sector.
"We are working on refinancing the health system as we try to revive the sector which took a nose dive in the last few years," he said.
The statistics were revealed at the Association of Health Funders in Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) all-stakeholders conference that ended in Victoria Falls yesterday.
According to the Nac report that was presented, the 25 to 49 age group has the highest positivity rate at 14 percent followed by those above 50 years at 13 percent.
A total of 196,000 in the 25-49 age group went for HIV tests but only 185,000 collected their results meaning 11,000 do not know their status after testing.
Nac communications officer Tadiwa Pfupa said there are concerns about people not going back to collect their results or not consistently taking their medication. "Some don't collect their results because of fear while society also is to blame because there is still stigmatisation," she said.
Pfupa said $35 million was collected each year through Aids Levy and plans were underway to ensure ARVs are obtainable at pharmacies to decongest hospitals. It was not clear how much of that was channeled towards the purchase of ARVs.
"Close to 800,000 people are on ART against a target of 1,273,188. This translates to 56.9 percent of people in need of ART against a target of 66 percent per annum," she said.
There are 668,825 adults on ART and 55,474 children while those in need are 1,152,077 (adults) compared to 121,111 children.
Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Paul Chimedza said government was working on refinancing the whole health sector.
"We are working on refinancing the health system as we try to revive the sector which took a nose dive in the last few years," he said.
Source - chronicle
