Health Correspondent
HARARE – Zimbabwe has achieved a major global health milestone, becoming one of only seven countries in Eastern and Southern Africa to reach the UNAIDS 95-95-95 HIV treatment targets ahead of schedule. However, the National AIDS Council (NAC) warns that severe international funding cuts threaten to reverse these hard-won gains, compounded by the nation ranking second globally for HIV-related stigma.
The UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2025 confirms Zimbabwe met the targets by 2024: 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those diagnosed are on life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 95% of those on treatment are virally suppressed. This success is attributed to five years of intensive efforts, including expanded testing, person-centred care, and innovations like multi-month ART refills.
NAC Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Bernard Madzima, welcomed the recognition but sounded a stark alarm:
“The UNAIDS, they are right, we are one of the countries which have achieved the 95-95-95 targets despite the cuts… Our worry is that with the funding cuts now, we might suffer a sort of reversal of our gains over the next few years.”
He emphasized the 2025 cuts, particularly from PEPFAR, are disrupting vital prevention programs, medical supplies, and community-led interventions critical for reaching the 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.
Stigma Casts a Long Shadow:
Celebration is tempered by a sobering reality highlighted in the same UNAIDS report: Zimbabwe ranks second globally (after Iran) for the proportion of people living with HIV (30%) who experienced stigma and discrimination while seeking HIV or other health services in the past year. Internalized stigma is also pervasive, with 20% of PLHIV reporting they missed ART doses due to fear of disclosing their status.
“Internalized stigma remains common and is a frequently cited reason for missing health-care visits,” UNAIDS stated.
Persistent Challenges:
Despite overall progress, significant hurdles remain:
- A gender gap exists: 73% of men on ART achieve viral suppression vs. 83% of women.
- Key populations (sex workers, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs) face high levels of stigma, discrimination, and violence, hindering access to services and accounting for 25% of new infections in the region.
- Late presentation is an issue, with one in four people starting treatment only when HIV is advanced.
Progress Under Threat:
Dr. Madzima stressed the urgency of building domestic funding and strengthening community responses to safeguard progress. “We were supposed to keep the momentum up to 2030… We have not reached the target of 2030… We have to keep pushing.” UNAIDS globally warns that without corrective action, funding cuts could lead to 6 million new infections by 2029.
Zimbabwe’s achievements – a 75% reduction in new infections since 2010 and significant drops in AIDS-related deaths and mother-to-child transmission – demonstrate what’s possible. Sustaining this momentum now depends on addressing the twin threats of diminished resources and deeply entrenched stigma.
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