Over one million people in Zimbabwe are on ARVs – Min of Health

A Ministry of Health and Child Care official has confirmed that Zimbabwe currently has 1,188 million people on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).

Dr Chiedza Mupanguri, National ART Coordinator in the Ministry, said the country was almost achieving epidemic control and was doing well in terms of HIV response.

“For 2021, for people living with HIV, who know their status, we are at 91,8 percent.

“Of those who know their status, 98,5 percent are on treatment and for those who are in treatment, 93,2 percent are virally suppressed,” she said in an interview with the state owned media.

“Many of our patients now are aging because of ARVs, we have less children on ART.

“Most of the patients are actually above 50, who are on ART, and so it means that we really need to look at issues such as diabetes, hypertension that affects the aged to integrate it with HIV because of this picture.

“According to experts, people with HIV are more likely to have type 2 diabetes and some HIV medicines may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in people with HIV.

“Most of our patients, who are on ART, are looking at the Primary Healthcare facility.

“Most of them, about 7,8 percent get their medications from the clinics.

“We have about 460 patients on third line antiretroviral medicines,” said Dr Mupanguri.

“In children, unfortunately, we have 74,8 percent of our children who know their status compared to adults who have 92,8 percent,” she said.

“We have children out there who have not gone for testing and who don’t know their status. Fortunately, of those who know their status, 100 percent are on treatment and 79,3 percent are virally suppressed,” she said.