UNAIDS/WHO Report on the Global Epidemic estimates the adult HIV prevalence in Zimbabwe in 2007 at 15.3%. An estimated 1,300.000 people were living with HIV in Zimbabwe at the end of 2007 including 120,000 children.
Zimbabwe reports a decline in HIV prevalence starting in the late 1990s. Among the general population HIV prevalence declined from 26.5% in 2001 to 15.3% in 2007.1 Among pregnant women (15-49 years) HIV prevalence declined from 25.8% in 2004 to 17.7% in 2006. 2 The decline in HIV prevalence is attributed to effective behaviour change and increased mortality.
Young women aged 15-24 are disproportionately more likely to be HIV positive than men in the same age group. HIV prevalence among young women is 7.7% compared to 2.9% among young men.
The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare first reported a decline in HIV prevalence among pregnant women (15-49 years) in 2004. This declining trend continued in 2006 with prevalence decreasing from 25.7% in 2002 to 17.7% in 2006 among antenatal clinic attendees aged 15-49
During 2006 and 2007 Zimbabwe continued to scale up access to care and treatment for HIV and AIDS-related opportunistic infections. The number of people on antiretroviral therapy increased from 25,000 at the end of 2005 to 98,000 at the end of 2007. While this figure represents only 19% coverage this increase is still remarkable given the country’s resource-constrained environment.
