Zimbabwe one of few countries to reduce HIV, Aids pandemic

Zimbabwe is among countries that have significantly reduced the HIV and Aids pandemic, according to a latest United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) report on the global response to the disease, the Newsday reported.

Released on Tuesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the sidelines of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, the publication stated that worldwide new HIV infections had fallen by 35% and Aids-related deaths by 41%.

The report also shows that 83 countries, which account for 83% of all people living with HIV, have halted or reversed their epidemics, including countries with major epidemics, such as India, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe UNAids country director Michael Bartos said the gains had largely been a result of concerted efforts from both the government and partners.