Zim GBC News | Harare Correspondent
HARARE – Religious institutions in Harare Metropolitan Province are intensifying community-led interventions to curb HIV transmission, as the region records the highest infection rates in the country.
According to the latest data from the National AIDS Council (NAC), Harare has 195,429 people living with HIV, representing a prevalence rate of 8.4 percent. The province also records approximately 2,644 new infections annually, with nearly half of these occurring among young people aged 15 to 24.
In response, churches are mobilising to support government and NAC efforts to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Speaking after a provincial development committee meeting on HIV, Bishop Roger Jeffrey, founder of Tabernacle of Worship, Family Ministries International and chairperson of the Harare Metropolitan Provincial AIDS Action Committee, outlined the church’s expanded role.
“We belong to the community, and as churches, it is our duty to amplify the voices of His Excellency the President, the Minister of Health and Child Care, and NAC,” said Bishop Jeffrey.
“We coordinate programming, brainstorm, and communicate effectively to ensure that accurate information reaches everyone.”
Bishop Jeffrey emphasised that churches act as community gatekeepers, uniquely positioned to disseminate prevention messages, combat stigma, and encourage testing and treatment.
A major focus is addressing the stigma that persists even within religious settings.
“My people are perishing because of lack of knowledge,” Bishop Jeffrey noted, highlighting the need for continuous education within congregations.
Churches are also leveraging digital platforms to engage youth.
“We are teaching the youth that social media, when used properly, can bring life. It is an effective tool to promote behavioural change and disseminate accurate information about HIV prevention,” he explained.
Through sermons, workshops, and social media campaigns, religious leaders are promoting abstinence, faithfulness, and safe practices, while also linking congregants to health services.
The initiative aligns with the national development mantra of “leaving no one and no place behind,” integrating faith-based advocacy into the broader multi-sectoral response to HIV.
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