Gonese made the pledge during a political dialogue on
health policy proposals convened in Mutare last week by the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human
Rights (ZADHR) and its partner The Advocacy Core Team (ACT).
According to UNAids, gay men who have sex with men, sex
workers, transgender, people who inject drugs, prisoners and other incarcerated
people are considered as five main key populations vulnerable to HIV while they
lack adequate access to services.
Gonese emphasised that CCC will not be promoting
homosexuality, but rather recognising common experiences affecting the LGBTQI
community's health and well-being.
“As CCC we are saying anyone at higher risk of contracting
diseases, be it LGBTQI community or young key populations they must have access
to healthcare services,” he said.
“By teaching youths about sexual reproductive health care, we are not encouraging teenage sexual activities. We are just recognising that it is happening despite that we do not like it.”
Gonese added: “We may not like homosexuals, but if they are
there, they must have access to health care.
“They do it behind the curtain and we do not want them to
suffer in silence while they spread STIs and other diseases.”
He said vulnerable groups should not be discriminated
against when it comes to access to health care services.
“Young children must be taught about sexual reproductive
health so that whenever they indulge in sex they will seek for services.
“This will help our nation to reduce new infections of HIV
and various STIs,” said Gonese, adding that CCC will also raise the age of
consenting to sex from 16 to 18 years.
He was responding to
Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) Manicaland
coordinator, Moses Chananuka who had asked how a CCC government will work with
key populations.
“HIV is now prevalent amongst key populations and other
groups of people who must be given health care services.
“As CCC how are you going to work with the LGBTQI community
and other key populations who need access to services?” Chananuka questioned.
According to UNAids statistics, key populations and their
sexual partners outside sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 80% of new HIV
infections in 2016.
In 2016, in sub-Saharan Africa, key populations accounted
for 25% of new HIV infections.
National Constitutional Assembly candidate for Dangamvura
constituency, Larmeck Mwandunguza pledged free health care services for every
citizen if their presidential candidate Lovemore Madhuku is elected.
“If you vote for our president Lovemore Madhuku, everyone
will not pay fees at government health care centres and they will be treated
for free.
“Expecting mothers will only cater for preparation and they
will not pay for delivery as it will be paid for by government,"
Mwandunguza said.
He added that the NCA will offer higher pay for health
workers.
“NCA will ensure health workers are well motivated to do
their work,” he said.
“We will introduce mobile clinics in public places and
equip our hospitals with cancer machines.”
Mwandunguza said an NCA government will use money accrued
from farming and the sale of mineral resources to improve the health sector.
ZADHR officials revealed that panelists from the ruling
Zanu PF party snubbed the political dialogue.
“We have failed to get panelists from Zanu Pf here in
Mutare and Bulawayo. They promised to come but they could not show up.
“We made an effort to invite them,” ZDHR secretary Norman
Matara said. Standard
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