The Zimbabwe Population- Based HIV Impact Assessment (ZIMPHIA) organisation has roped in eight Zimbabwean musicians to help undertake a health survey project to disseminate information about HIV and Aids pandemic through a musical DVD.
By Edward Makuzva
The artists include Albert Nyathi, Dereck Mpofu, Tererai Mugwadi, Pauline Gundiza, Adiona Chidzonga, Bob Nyabinde, Flem B and popular producer and guitarist Mono Mukundu.
Head of the group, Albeit Nyathi said there is need for continued leadership and resource mobilization in order to reduce the pandemic.
Nyathi added ZIMPHIA whose aims are to estimate HIV incidence at the national level and the prevalence of suppressed viral load in HIV – infected adults offers an opportunity to the nation and policy makers to understand the pandemic so as to design more effective interventions.
The DVD carries information and achieving the target of ending AIDS by 2030 and calls for novel ways of doing business.
‘’ As a country, we are also proud to be the first of twenty countries that will implement this new type strategic information generating survey.
‘’Being the first always has its own challenges but I am confident that our country will acquit itself well as we are known for our leadership in various facets of the HIV and AIDS response, including domestic funding’’, Nyathi explained.
Speaking at the same occasion Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy Robert Scott, and PEPFAR has invested $ 3 million for implementation of the survey and an additional $ 5 million to strengthen the health and laboratory systems to support the survey.
Scott said in 2016, PEPFAR will invest $103 million in Zimbabwe to work towards epidemic control of HIV.
‘’PEPFAR is committed to continuing supporting the implementation of the pandemic in Zimbabwe and in particular, for this first HIV Impact Assessment’’, Scott said.
The initiative follows more than 30 years of responding to the epidemic hence Zimbabwe is at turning point where an AIDS free generation is not only a possible but is in sight.
