CommuTalk Reporter
GWERU: The mining town of Zvishavane has become the new HIV and AIDS infections hotspot amid calls for traditional leaders to take a leading role in awareness campaigns against the spread of the scourge in communities.
The latest statistics from the National AIDS Council see the Zvishavane mining town replacing Shurugwi mining town which now occupy second position with Mberengwa rural district occupying third position.
Kwekwe district remains with the highest HIV and AIDS infections followed by Gweru while Gokwe South has the third largest infections in the province.
The National AIDS Council (NAC) says, despite several gains made in dealing with new infections, the mining communities remain troublesome with non-communicable disease also posing a new threat to the gains accrued to dealing with the pandemic to date.
“Our response mechanisms had shown that we had achieved a lot in terms of dealing with the pandemic. However, it is the issue of non-communicable diseases that is now giving us problems.
“Research shows us that 1 in every 4 people who are HIV positive have some non-communicable diseases,” said NAC Midlands Provincial Manager Mambeu Shumba.
Traditional leaders say there is need for a paradigm shift in the way people behave in societies as a way to deal with the scourge.
“Our greatest challenge is the appetite for new things that is being brought about by urbanisation. The guys from mines and towns are spoiling our kids with gifts and we end up in such situations,” Chief Njelele said.
“We have a situation where our kids are now out of hand. They do what they feel is right to them and when we try to control them thus where the problem arises. It’s affecting our social norms,” added Chief Nenyuka.
“The society of today has become too sophisticated. Our problems have become complex. I think as a nation we need to guard against a number of issues chief among them being the drug and substance abuse that is creating most of these problems,” further said Chief Bvute.
