News / National
'Mugabe's rural hometown among HIV hotspots'
02 Jul 2015 at 15:57hrs | Views
MASHONALAND West districts such as President Robert Mugabe's rural home, Zvimba, are emerging as the country's potential HIV hotspots, according to a recent National Aids Council (NAC) survey that lists Matabeleland South Province as a high risk area.
The NAC hotspot analysis and mapping report classified Zvimba and other Mashonaland West areas as having the potential of becoming HIV hotspots, and said steps should be taken to prevent this.
The survey was undertaken by NAC in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, UNAids and World Food Programme.
"The HIV geographical hotspots are mainly in Matabeleland South and to a small extent in parts of Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Central. Although most of the rest of the country is rated as medium in terms of hotspots, most districts in Manicaland have the potential of becoming hotspots if special attention is not taken according to the analysis. This includes those districts rated as medium with high risk factors in the northern districts of Mashonaland West Province (Hurungwe, Makonde, Zvimba, Centenary, Mount Darwin and Shamva) and in the Mhondoro-Ngezi)," the report read in part.
The NAC report said new infections were a result of low-risk heterosexual sex (56%), with casual heterosexual sex (24%), transactional sex (paid sex) with 14% and mother-to-child at 7%.
The NAC hotspot analysis and mapping report classified Zvimba and other Mashonaland West areas as having the potential of becoming HIV hotspots, and said steps should be taken to prevent this.
The survey was undertaken by NAC in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, UNAids and World Food Programme.
"The HIV geographical hotspots are mainly in Matabeleland South and to a small extent in parts of Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Central. Although most of the rest of the country is rated as medium in terms of hotspots, most districts in Manicaland have the potential of becoming hotspots if special attention is not taken according to the analysis. This includes those districts rated as medium with high risk factors in the northern districts of Mashonaland West Province (Hurungwe, Makonde, Zvimba, Centenary, Mount Darwin and Shamva) and in the Mhondoro-Ngezi)," the report read in part.
The NAC report said new infections were a result of low-risk heterosexual sex (56%), with casual heterosexual sex (24%), transactional sex (paid sex) with 14% and mother-to-child at 7%.
Source - newsday
