News / Regional
Border towns record highest HIV prevalence rate
31 Jan 2014 at 06:55hrs | Views
BORDER towns in Matabeleland North and South have the highest HIV prevalence rates (new infections) due to transactional sex and mobility to neighbouring countries.
This was disclosed by National Aids Council (NAC) chief executive officer Tapiwa Magure, who yesterday appeared before the Parliamentary Thematic Committee on HIV and Aids chaired by Midlands senator Lilian Timveous (MDC-T).
About 10% of the country's population is said to live with HIV, with 76 402 new infections, 46 653 HIV
related deaths annually. Close to one million people are on anti retroviral treatment (ARV) and 900 000 Aids orphans.
Matabeleland South registered 21% HIV prevalence, Bulawayo 19%, Matabeleland North 18%, Mashonaland East 16%, Mashonaland West 15%, Midlands 15%, Mashonaland Central 14%, Masvingo 14%, and Harare 13%.
"The high prevalence at border towns can be attributed to a lot of mobility and transactional sex that takes place at border towns such as Victoria Falls and Beitbridge, as well as a lot of informal activities that take place in areas like Tsholotsho and mining towns," Magure said.
"Almost all of the men in those areas are in Botswana or South Africa and the women that they left behind are also human beings and might engage in unprotected extramarital sex activities."
This was disclosed by National Aids Council (NAC) chief executive officer Tapiwa Magure, who yesterday appeared before the Parliamentary Thematic Committee on HIV and Aids chaired by Midlands senator Lilian Timveous (MDC-T).
About 10% of the country's population is said to live with HIV, with 76 402 new infections, 46 653 HIV
related deaths annually. Close to one million people are on anti retroviral treatment (ARV) and 900 000 Aids orphans.
"The high prevalence at border towns can be attributed to a lot of mobility and transactional sex that takes place at border towns such as Victoria Falls and Beitbridge, as well as a lot of informal activities that take place in areas like Tsholotsho and mining towns," Magure said.
"Almost all of the men in those areas are in Botswana or South Africa and the women that they left behind are also human beings and might engage in unprotected extramarital sex activities."
Source - newsday
