CENTRE for Sexual Health, HIV and Aids Research (CeSHHAR) says more than 57% of female sex workers in the country’s 22 hotspot areas are HIV positive.
The revelations follow another study by the National Aids
Council (Nac), Health and Child Care ministry and Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and
Drug Network, which stated that Harare is the biggest red-light district with a
high rate of sex workers at 36,07%.
Indications by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency are
that women constitute the biggest number of unemployed people in the country at
59,6%.
Most women are now resorting to sex work to make ends meet.
Speaking yesterday on the sidelines of an HIV symposium
organised by Nac, CeSHHAR statistician Sungai Chabata said the HIV prevalence
rate was high among teenagers aged 16-19 years.
HIV prevalence is high among sex workers in Zimbabwe, and
it’s estimated at 57% and it rises with age. One of the studies that we have
done demonstrated that HIV prevalence can be about 2% among 16-year-olds, and
rises steeply to 22% among 19-year-olds, which is an indication of high
incidence which is estimated to be ranging from 4% to 10%, which is rather five
times more than in the general population,” Chabata said.
As a result, Chabata added that CeSHHAR has begun an
education campaign, meant to enlighten sex workers on pre-exposure prophylaxis
(PrEP), and other means to help prevent HIV infections.
“We have started a programme that focuses on sex workers.
We have people going around giving out the message of PrEP and other means. We
conduct community mobilisation meetings and night outreaches.”
Chabata called for HIV targeted interventions, to help
reduce the prevalence of HIV in the hotspot areas.
“If we know most of the problems faced by sex workers, then
we can be able to come up with interventions. The main problem faced by sex
workers now is poverty and financial strains,” Chabata said.
Data from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids
shows that around 5 500 young women aged between 15 and 24 globally, are being
infected with HIV weekly. Newsday
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