Harare [Zimbabwe], Nov 30: Zimbabwe on Monday launched a national HIV/AIDS strategic plan which is set to guide resource allocation and implementation of the country's HIV response for the next five years, the state broadcaster ZBC reported.
The strategic plan running from 2021-2025 will guide the country toward ending AIDS by 2030, Chief Director in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Munyaradzi Dhobbie said, while praising the National AIDS Council for the strides it has made in the ongoing fight against the global epidemic.
"We have reached the 90-90-90-target and now we want to reach the 95-95-95 and this can be done if we deal with the older men. HIV prevalence and mortality have fallen and now we are working toward ending AIDS by 2030. We have to remain on guard," Dhobbie said.
The 90-90-90-target means by 2020, 90 percent of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90 percent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy and 90 percent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.
UNAIDS country director Sophia Moniko noted the need for a paradigm shift in health financing for the country to achieve its targets.
"To end AIDS, we have to end the inequalities. We need a paradigm shift in health financing. We need to invest in data systems," she said.
National AIDS Council board chairperson Margaret Mehlomakulu took the opportunity to launch this year's theme for the National AIDS Day commemorations as "End Pandemics End Inequalities, End AIDS."
Source: Xinhua
