Zimbabwean health officials have set a bold target to eliminate HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, crediting the United States for making significant progress possible through aid and support.
The announcement was made during a recent visit by U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pamela Tremont and officials from PEPFAR and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to Marondera Hospital, where HIV/AIDS once ravaged thousands.
Dr. Delight Madoro, a district medical officer in Mashonaland East province, attributed the progress to PEPFAR’s strategies, including blood-based self-testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
“There is a lot happening on the ground in terms of the fight against HIV through the support we’re getting from PEPFAR,” Madoro said. “We’re getting more staff, which means our clients will have more time with clinicians, making our treatment more thorough.”
Tremont emphasized the U.S. commitment to fighting the HIV epidemic in Zimbabwe, highlighting an 80% reduction in HIV-related deaths since 2006. The U.S. has provided antiretroviral treatments and healthcare workers to clinics and hospitals across Zimbabwe.
This development aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, which aims to end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria by 2030.
Zimbabwe’s progress serves as a model for other countries striving to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
