Mashonaland East continues to top STIs list

Zim Now Writer

The National Aids Council has intensified its multi-sectoral approach in the fight against HIV, Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections, which have been on the rise in the province during the first quarter of 2024.

Goromonzi District has remained top the list for STIs for the 3rd time in a row with over 1 900 cases recorded in the Q1 of 2024.

This was revealed at a National Aids Council breakfast meeting held in Marondera on Monday where it was revealed that Mashonaland East province recorded a 30% increase in STIs in 2024.

“It is worrisome that Goromonzi has recorded such an increase with the cases having repeated which is not good for our interventions,” said NAC Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mercy Muguti.

“We are doing all we can to make sure our intervention goes to all areas as we seek to reach all corners in our interventions,” said NAC Programmes Officer, Marko Muguti.

Mashonaland East Provincial Medical Director, Dr Stanley Matsvimbo said as a ministry, they will visit Goromonzi to find out what exactly is happening there, describing the statistics as “very disturbing”.

Mashonaland East Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Senator Apolonia Munzverengwi said there is a need for more HIV and Aids intervention programmes as the pandemic is not yet over.

“Such statistics as presented here show that the HIV/Aids pandemic is still a threat to our public health systems and need to be taken seriously,” she said.

Mashonaland East, which has a prevalence rate of 10.38% has 136 962 people living with HIV and Aids, with ART coverage standing at 99%.

However, there has been an increase in STI cases from just over 5 800 in the last quarter of 2023 to more than 7 200 this year.