By Christopher Makaza
Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo has today launched the National Comprehensive HIV Communication Strategy in Harare today.
The strategy, whose vision is improved health for all Zimbabweans accessing high quality HIV prevention, care and treatment to end AIDS by 2030, runs from 2019 to 2025
In his address, Dr Moyo said it took social behaviour change and proper communication strategies to fight HIV, urging other stakeholders to assist in information dissemination on HIV related issues in a bid to attain an AIDS free generation by 2030 and also make the HIV Communication Strategy, the first of its kind in Zimbabwe a success.
"What do we need to do different, to end HIV 2019- 2025? It takes social behaviour change communication, prevention, developing the first ever comprehensive national HIV communications strategy for Zimbabwe.
"I am grateful for our funding partners, PEPFAR, USAID, UNICEF and implementing partners among others,” he said.
Minister Moyo revealed that government will continue to assist Albinos with their basic needs, castigating some countries with communities which kill Albinos for ritual purposes.
“We want to continue protecting the Albino society in Zimbabwe. As government we continue supporting them with lotions and other necessary chemicals they need to protect their skin and I urge individuals and other corporate organisations to follow suit and assist our dear friends.
“We condemn their killings for ritual purposes especially in countries like Tanzania and Malawi where they are really not safe,” he said.
Speaking at the same event while giving an overview of the strategy, Deputy Director STIs/ HIV/ AIDS in the ministry, Dr Tsitsi Apollo highlighted that the communication strategy was designed to follow people along the stages of their journey, offering programme implementation with key programmes for more effective behaviour change and communication intervention.
Dr Apollo highlighted that the strategy is for programme planners, implementers, and health care workers to develop communication strategies, interventions and social mobilisation activities tailored to specific audience which include young boys and girls, sex workers people with disabilities among others.
Meanwhile, Population Service International Country Director Staci Leuschner in her congratulatory message said, “We would like to applaud the Ministry of Health and Childcare for taking the bold step to create a national communications strategy using human centred design approaches.
“The integrated communications strategy is an ambitious project that will help demand creation cadres to build a culture of putting the client at the centre of all programming, understanding their journey towards adopting services, the barriers they face at each stage and what influences this journey at the individual, family and community level,” said Leuschner.
