The
report,
presented
by
the
National
AIDS
Council
(NAC)
to
journalists
during
a
recent
workshop,
shows
a
picture
of
progress
that
still
has
gaps
to
be
addressed.
NAC
Bulawayo
Monitoring
and
Evaluation
Officer,
Primrose
Dube,
said
these
estimates
are
a
critical
tool
for
tracking
progress
and
adjusting
interventions.
“The
HIV
situation
for
2025
is
based
on
projections
using
2024
data
for
Bulawayo.
We
estimate
key
HIV
indicators
using
programme
data
from
clinics,
surveys,
and
surveillance,
combined
with
models
such
as
Spectrum,
Naomi,
and
the
VMMC
model,”
Dube
explained.
She
said
this
was
done
to
understand
the
trajectory
of
the
epidemic,
monitor
and
improve
the
response
and
inform
national
strategic
frameworks
and
donor
agreements.
“At
the
end
of
it
all
we
are
triangulating
all
available
data,
we
are
looking
at
high
quality
data
to
calculate
the
best
estimates
that
we
can
probably
share,”
Dube
said.
According
to
the
2025
HIV
Estimates
report,
76
608
people
were
living
with
HIV
in
Bulawayo
in
2024,
down
from
79
711
in
2020
based
on
calibrated
Zimbabwe
Population-based
HIV
Impact
Assessment
(ZIMPHIA)
survey
data.
This
represents
a
decline
of
more
than
3
100
people
and
reflects
improved
health
management
and
successful
prevention
strategies.
Treatment
access
is
also
expanding.
ART
coverage
has
jumped
from
87.5
percent
in
2020
to
98.3
percent
in
2024,
edging
the
province
closer
to
global
UNAIDS
95-95-95
targets
and
Zimbabwe’s
own
2030
commitments.
“The
data
show
that
Bulawayo
has
made
substantial
gains,”
Dube
said.
“We
also
noted
a
44
percent
reduction
in
new
HIV
infections
across
all
age
groups,
which
is
a
very
positive
signal.”
Despite
the
gains,
the
epidemic
remains
unevenly
distributed
between
men
and
women.
In
2024,
Bulawayo
had
28
776
men
living
with
HIV
compared
to
47
832
women.
Prevalence
among
women
was
significantly
higher
at
13.6
percent,
compared
to
7.8
percent
among
men.
Dube
said
the
profile
points
to
structural
inequalities
that
make
women
more
vulnerable
to
infection.
“Our
epidemic
profile
shows
that
prevalence
peaks
at
30
to
39
years
among
females,
where
26
to
28
percent
are
living
with
HIV.
Among
men,
prevalence
peaks
later,
at
40
to
49
years.
Even
among
adolescents,
we
see
the
imbalance
-five
percent
of
females
aged
15
to
19
are
HIV-positive,
compared
to
just
two
to
three
percent
of
males
in
the
same
age
group,”
she
explained.
The
data,
Dube
added,
highlight
the
need
for
targeted
prevention
strategies
that
address
women’s
early
vulnerability
to
HIV.
Children
and
adolescents
represent
a
smaller
share
of
the
HIV
burden
but
remain
a
key
focus
for
programming.
In
2024,
an
estimated
3
056
children
aged
0
to
14
were
living
with
HIV
in
Bulawayo.
Among
young
people
aged
15
to
24,
about
3
713
were
HIV-positive.
The
majority
of
cases,
more
than
73
000,
were
in
adults
15
years
and
older.
Encouragingly,
prevention
of
mother-to-child
transmission
(PMTCT)
programmes
appear
to
be
paying
off,
Dube
said.
The
report
shows
a
50
percent
reduction
in
new
infections
among
children,
from
158
in
2020
to
88
in
2024.
“This
shows
good
progress
in
PMTCT,”
Dube
said,
noting
that
continued
investment
in
maternal
health
and
paediatric
HIV
services
is
essential.
The
2025
HIV
Estimates
report
also
shows
steep
declines
in
HIV
incidence
and
AIDS-related
deaths.
Among
the
15
to
49
age
group,
incidence
fell
by
52
percent
between
2020
and
2024.
Men
saw
a
50
percent
reduction,
while
women
recorded
a
48
percent
drop.
Overall
new
infections
fell
from
1
016
in
2020
to
567
in
2024,
with
the
greatest
improvements
among
young
people
and
children.
For
adolescents,
new
infections
were
cut
in
half
from
234
to
117.
In
terms
of
mortality,
Bulawayo
accounted
for
5.7
percent
of
Zimbabwe’s
16,723
AIDS-related
deaths
in
2024,
with
an
estimated
946
deaths.
While
this
figure
remains
sobering,
the
trend
suggests
progress
in
reducing
HIV-related
deaths
through
better
treatment
coverage
and
care.
One
of
the
emerging
challenges
is
the
growing
population
of
older
adults
living
with
HIV.
By
2024,
most
people
living
with
HIV
in
Bulawayo
were
adults,
with
the
majority
aged
15
years
and
above.
Dube
said
this
shift
carries
implications
for
care
and
treatment.
“As
we
discuss
aging
with
HIV,
we
must
also
look
at
non-communicable
diseases
(NCDs)
in
this
population.
People
living
longer
with
HIV
are
now
facing
conditions
like
hypertension,
diabetes
and
cancers
alongside
HIV,”
she
noted.
This
dual
burden
complicates
care,
since
HIV
medications
can
interact
with
drugs
for
other
chronic
conditions,
and
health
systems
must
adapt
to
meet
these
new
demands.
Bulawayo
province
NAC
acting
programmes
manager,
Douglas
Moyo
said
the
findings
underline
the
importance
of
sustaining
momentum
while
addressing
gaps.
“Bulawayo
has
made
measurable
progress
toward
epidemic
control,
but
the
persistent
gender
gap,
high
prevalence
among
young
women,
and
the
growing
needs
of
older
patients
require
tailored
solutions,”
he
said.
“The
decline
in
new
infections
and
deaths
shows
that
prevention
and
treatment
efforts
are
working.
However,
high
adherence
rates
must
be
sustained,
especially
as
patients
navigate
economic
challenges
and
treatment
fatigue.”
Dube
also
added
that
the
estimates
are
not
just
numbers
but
a
roadmap
for
action.
“These
projections
are
there
to
help
us
see
where
we
stand
against
the
95-95-95
and
2030
targets.
They
are
there
to
inform
policy,
strengthen
our
response
and
make
sure
that
no
group
is
left
behind,”
she
said.