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ZAN national conference to take civic society's HIV &AIDS interventions up a notch
Maggie Mzumara
November 20, 2011

Even though Zimbabwe as a country has been internationally applauded for successfully responding to and managing the HIV and AIDS pandemic, the country still has the third largest HIV burden in Southern Africa. Zimbabwe's steady decline in HIV prevalence among adults from 26.5 % in 1997 to 13.4% in 2010 demonstrates that joint efforts to manage the HIV and AIDS pandemic are bearing fruit. However, the country has 1.2 million people living with HIV; and an estimated 49 percent of adults and children needing Anti retroviral therapy (ART) are unable to access treatment. Against that backdrop, it is important to note that interventions have to be scaled up if more is to be achieved. Several commitments and plans to achieve more are on the ground, however, political will, renewed vigour and budgetary support are required if national, regional and international commitments are to be met.

To this end, the Zimbabwe AIDS Network (ZAN) - one of the key players that have been at the forefront of mobilizing and organizing the nation's response to HIV and AIDS - is planning a national conference to be held on Wednesday 23 November, 2011 at the Great Zimbabwe Hotel in Masvingo. To be held under the theme "Scaling up, owning and sustaining community capacity in HIV prevention, access to treatment, care and support services," the conference is expected to draw more than 200 delegates from around the country. Delegates will include ZAN civic society members, representatives from government, National AIDS Council, NAC, funding and cooperating partners, and UN agencies among others.

The conference is expected to be a learning and experience - and expertise- sharing platform with experts on Maternal and Child Health (MCH), Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (ASHR), HIV and AIDS, Disability and Mental Health presenting papers.

"This conference provides a great opportunity for sharing insights and lessons emerging from the various interventions being implemented by ZAN members in contribution to the national response to HIV and AIDS," said ZAN National Director Lindiwe Chaza Jangira . "We hope that the outcome of the conference will empower communities to effectively respond to the epidemic in order to achieve zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths."

The ZAN conference will place special emphasis on MCH, ASHR and HIV and AIDS thematic areas as a build- up on ZAN's new 2011-2013 "Community Powered Response" Strategy which was launched in May 2011. By focusing on those three thematic areas, the new strategy integrates the provision of health services using a gender lens.

Both the conference and the strategy echo the country's national priorities. Government through the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare has committed to a goal of eliminating new HIV infections in children and keeping mothers and children alive.

By so doing, Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Brigadier (Dr.) Gerald Gwinji says, " Children will have more chances of growing up healthy, becoming involved in education and ultimately contributing to our economic prosperity. Women will enjoy healthier lives, better pregnancies and nurture stronger families. And men, as partners, husbands and fathers, will play and active role in maintaining and supporting healthy families with hope for the future."

ZAN as a national membership of HIV and AIDS organisations and institutions providing community health, HIV and AIDS and TB services is in line with government's goal and thrust.

"Our conference will give us an opportunity to consolidate a shared vision and new strategic direction and strengthen linkages with national priorities," said Chaza Jangira.

The conference will be followed by ZAN Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the 24th of November at the same venue.

ZAN is a national membership network comprising of HIV and AIDS service organizations, NGOs and other private sector companies, learning institutions providing MCH, ASRH, Prevention of Mother to Child HIV Transmission (PMTCT), and HIV and AIDS services among others. Founded in 1992, ZAN contributes to the effective response for the epidemic with communities accessing a continuum of comprehensive and integrated sexual and reproductive health and rights and HIV and AIDS services for improved maternal health outcomes.

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