Health Reporters

BY the end of the first quarter in 2014, a total of 53 000 new cases of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) were recorded by the National Aids Council (NAC).
The statistics are a cause for concern as it appears efforts at behaviour change are not producing intended results.
The statistics are high considering that Zimbabwe is regarded as one of the leading condom consumers in Africa.
According to authorities, the country spends not less than US$8 million on condoms annually and the NAC says the figures show that new infections are high in young people particularly between the ages of 15 and 24 particularly young girls.
This brings back the debate that has been raging for the last 4 years whether condoms should be introduced in schools.
While the Ministry of Health and Child Care and parents are in tandem that condoms should not be availed in schools, statistics reveal that students are the most vulnerable.
It is against this background that the NAC is working with communities to improve their capacities in the response to HIV as the nation seeks to achieve zero new infections.
The NAC authorities said US$5 million has been set-aside to support various prevention and interventions throughout the country.
These funds have been availed in order to intensify community level prevention interventions at local level to ensure better and people-centred programmes.
Each of the country’s 10 provinces will receive US$500 000 to address specific needs and key drivers of the epidemic at district level. 
This plan to decentralise implementation is with immediate effect.
Implementation of the various interventions will be done through partners who are already working in the respective districts
“An orientation meeting for provinces and districts started on Monday January 19 2015 in Masvingo to discuss this new thrust and ensure that the process is smooth,” NAC officials said in a press statement.
The Masvingo conference was a result of a decision by the NAC’s Board and management to support a district focused response which aims to empower communities to make decisions on how best to respond to HIV.
It was realised that the response to HIV is district based hence disbursements should also be at that level. 
This new shift is also expected to be more effective in better targeting for specific populations within districts that drive the epidemic as well as address unique needs of each district.
The response is now therefore need-specific and not generalised.
“It is important to note that centralised disbursement of funds meant more work at central and provincial levels,” said NAC in a statement.
“This shift in resources management will allow staff at these offices to focus on other issues in the response in addition to ensuring compliance with policies and guidelines related to programmes implementation.”
The major focus of the programming at district level which is based on plans that have already been received show that there will be a major focus on youth related activities in order to prevent new infections in young people.
Workplace programmes have also been prioritised and these will cover both the formal and informal sectors of the economy.
Raymond Yekeye, NAC operations director said; “because there are guidelines in place, we expect proper and efficient use of resources based on evidence and targeting key drivers of the epidemic.”
Speaking during the same meeting, Mr Albert Manenji, NAC finance director emphasised the need for careful planning.
“Failing to plan is planning to fail,” he said.
“We need to consider NAC’s central role towards ending AIDS by 2030 and plan accordingly.”
Manenji said NAC was determined to play its part in contributing to the attainment of the objectives of the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-ASSET).
He said it is important to ensure that resources channelled to the districts are clearly accounted for and used in a transparent manner meant to benefit the HIV response.