President Mnangagwa World Aids Day National Address

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has assured people living with HIV/ AIDS in Zimbabwe that the government will do all in its power to enhance accessibility of their medications.

“I want to assure all people living with HIV that my government will continue to prioritise allocation of foreign currency for the purchase of ARVs, related medical commodities and medications for the health of our people,” he said.

He said the government is committed to addressing the challenges the country has faced in relation to the availability of foreign currency for the purchase of antiretroviral therapy medications.

President Mnangagwa said of the 1.3 million HIV positive people in Zimbabwe, 97% are now on antiretroviral therapy, up from 88% in 2015.

He added that the number of people dying due to AIDS has also significantly fallen.

The President pointed out that new infections have also declined from 47,000 in 2016 to 40,000 in 2019.

World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year. It raises awareness across the world and in the community about HIV and AIDS.

It is a day for the community to show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died of AIDS related conditions or other conditions associated with HIV.

UNAIDS’s theme for World AIDS Day 2020 is Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility. UNAIDS is leading the global effort to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The focus of UNAIDS is on stopping new HIV infections, ensuring that everyone living with HIV has access to HIV treatment, protecting and promoting human rights and producing data for decision-making.

-Zwnews