‘Foster scientific research to bolster HIV response'

INFORMATION, Publicity and Broadcasting Services minister Jenfan Muswere says it is time for the National Aids Council (NAC) and its partners to foster scientific and pharmaceutical research to consolidate the gains made in the HIV and Aids response.

Zimbabwe is among a number of countries globally that have demonstrated that the HIV pandemic can be overcome, thanks to robust intervention programmes implemented under the NAC-driven multi-sectoral approach. New HIV infections and Aidsrelated death have continued to go down in the country and Muswere believes it is time NAC and its partners go gear up and find a lasting solution to the pandemic.

“It's now time NAC allocate resources and manpower towards scientific and pharmaceutical research in order to have epidemic control,” Muswere said. For us as a country, we need scientific sovereignty, we need to be able to treat our own people using homegrown ideas. We need to widen our scope of activities so that we combat the challenges.”

Muswere paid tribute to a young lawyer Kensington Marufu who overcame adversaries having been diagnosed of HIV when he was very young.

“His testimony is proof that living with HIV was not the end of life. It's testimony that humanity is important and it's a testimony that we have to be positive with our life.”

Marufu handed over the minister a book titled, Touched by Grace, which delves into his personal story of courage and resilience in the wake of HIV and Aids.

“I want people to see what God can do to change a life. I want people to appreciate that a person's destiny is not determined by any condition,” Marufu said.

NAC chief executive officer Bernard Madzima said media workshops were among a cocktail of engagements his organisation is having with stakeholders in pursuit of achieving epidemic control.

“Workshops such as this one complement our other efforts which include media tours, media awards and regular dissemination of our diaries to the media,” Madzima said.

“In addition to several national events, NAC structures coordinate implementation of various communitybased interventions intended to revitalise HIV prevention and treatment, with a key focus on adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, boys and men.

“Various developments have taken place since the engagements we had last year. As you are aware, Zimbabwe successfully hosted the International Conference on Aids and STIs in Africa. We have also just completed the compilation of the Global Aids Monitoring Report.”

Various media organisations drawn from across the country were represented.