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HIV & AIDS, the associated reproductive & opportunistic infections, and the psycho-social challenges ensuing there from, pose a major public health challenge in Zimbabwe the region and world over.
In 2005 the Zimbabwean population was estimated at 13 million (UNFPA, http://www.unfpa.org/profile/zimbabwe.cfm), of which an estimated 1, 610, 000 adults and children were living with HIV/AIDS (Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Zimbabwe National HIV Estimates, 2005). An estimated 134 993 new infections were reported among adults age 15-49 in 2005, of which 78 120 were among women. In children, the number of new infections was estimated at 29,460. The estimated number of deaths among adults age 15-49 in 2005 was 139,950, of which 81,100 were women. According to the 2005-06 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, 18% of adults age 15-49 are HIV infected. HIV prevalence among women age 15-49 is 21%, which is higher than the 15% among males of the same age. The last five years have seen a decline in HIV prevalence: HIV prevalence among antenatal clinic attendees declined from 29.2% in 2002 to 23.9% in 2004. The current prevalence rate of 18% is a significant decline from the 24.6% that was reported by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare in 2003. Despite these impressive declines, Zimbabwe’s HIV prevalence still remains among the highest in the world (UNAIDS). It is therefore everyone’s duty to maintain the impetus that will ensure the persistence of the downward trend. It is therefore in this context that UZ-UCSF has been developing its facilities, human capital, lab technological and analytical systems and infrastructure to conduct research that will mitigate the effects of HIV on the Zimbabwe population at the same time making efforts to answer the global question on HIV/AIDS. |
