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Sikhumbuzo Moyo  [email protected]

BUBI district is today holding the Matabeleland North World Aids Day provincial commemorations at Tame Primary School where the
Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Simelisizwe Sibanda will be the keynote speaker.
Deputy Minister Sibanda is also the Bubi Legislator.
The commemorations are running under the theme: “Take the right path: My health, my rights, our responsibility.”
World AIDS Day, designated on 1 December every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease.
Speaking in Parliament in July this year, the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, revealed that Matabeleland provinces (North and South) have the highest HIV prevalence rate in Zimbabwe, Matabeleland South standing at 17.3 per cent. With Matabeleland North following at 14.5 percent.
The figures are notably higher compared to the national average, where most provinces range between 9 percent and 11 percent respectively. Manicaland reported the lowest prevalence rate at 9.4 percent followed by Masvingo at 9.6 percent.
However, during this year’s World Aids Day commemorations held in Rusape, Minister Mombeshora revealed that Zimbabwe has attained the 95-95-95 goals in its fight against HIV/AIDS.
Minister Mombeshora said the achievement of the target is evidence of the country’s commitment to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
The 95-95-95 targets, set by UNAIDS, aim to ensure that 95 percent of all people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those who know their status are on treatment and 95 percent of those on treatment have viral suppression.
UN resident and humanitarian coordinator Mr Edward Kallon, said this year’s theme underscores the importance of human rights in the fight against AIDS.
He added that this observance finds itself amidst the ongoing 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, emphasising the intersection of gender equality and human rights with the fight against HIV.
He said empirical evidence points out that young girls, women, commercial sex workers, and other key populations continue to bear the brunt of the epidemic, exacerbated by societal challenges like gender-based violence.