The drop in infections from 29 percent of the population in 1997 to 16 percent in 2007 and, according to United Nations data, 13.75 percent last year was nothing short of a miracle, coming against the backdrop of political strife and an economic implosion that deprived the government of resources to provide health or any other essential service.
For most of the period when the study was carried out the public health sector the source of health services for arguably more than 90 percent of Zimbabweans was itself in coma, unable to provide anything more than ordinary aspirin to all who came knocking on its doors seeking relief.
With the economy in freefall and the government simply too busy trying to break the limps of its political opponents or murder them altogether, only the fatally optimistic would have given Zimbabwe a chance against an HIV/AIDS epidemic running amok even in some of the worlds best governed countries.
Indeed one of the senior researchers Simon Gregson could not help but remark: “Very few other countries around the world have seen reductions in HIV infection, and of all African nations, Zimbabwe was thought least likely to see such a turnaround.”
In trying to understand why and how Zimbabwe recorded so much success against HIV/AIDS the researchers examined and analysed various social phenomena including the countrys relatively well-educated population and strong traditions of marriage compared to neighbouring countries.
They also investigated how the unfavourable economic situation in Zimbabwe that caused extensive migration by mostly the sexually active from Zimbabwe to other countries during the past decade, while also helping driven down the number of concurrent partners a man could have due to the constraints on his wallet.
But as we report elsewhere in this issue the researchers found all these factors to have played an important but largely secondary role in influencing behaviour change among Zimbabweans that was critical to driving down HIV infections.
The conclusion by the researchers is that the dramatic change in Zimbabweans attitude towards the number of sexual partners to have was primarily driven by HIV/AIDS prevention programmes organised by the governments National AIDS Council which were reinforced by church leaders, employers, non-governmental organisations and community leaders.
Put differently, it was one united effort that has brought us success against a scourge that threatened the very existence of our nation. What a magnificent reminder of the old adage: divided we fall, united we stand!
Post published in: Editor: Wilf Mbanga