In June of this year, approximately 90% of women aged 16 to 50 and above who were tested for HIV in Bulawayo received positive results, raising concerns about a rise in cases in the Matabeleland region.
A report from the Bulawayo City Council revealed that out of 2,984 women tested, 2,641 were found to be HIV positive.
This development follows concerns raised by the National Aids Council (NAC) about the increasing number of women testing positive for HIV in Matabeleland. The council attributed this surge to the high mobility rates in the provinces.
The NAC recently highlighted that Matabeleland South province has the highest HIV rate in the country, with a rate of 0,34%. Matabeleland North follows with a rate of 0,24%, making it the second highest.
Bulawayo has the fourth lowest HIV rate at 0,13%, which is below the national average of 0,15%.
Douglas Moyo, the NAC Bulawayo programmes officer, pointed to the high mobility of the population, particularly those residing in neighboring countries like South Africa, as a key factor contributing to the high HIV incidence rate in the Matabeleland region.
