For the past 24 years, Humana People to People through its 29 independent member associates reached 24.8 million people with HIV prevention, access to testing, referral to treating including quality care and support. For the past two decades, Total Control of the Epidemic, an HIV prevention programme from Humana People to People has engaged people to take control against the spread of the HIV epidemic under the motto: “Only the people can liberate themselves from HIV”.
As DAPP Zimbabwe, we focus on the people and not the disease as we equip individuals and communities with the knowledge and tools to take control of their own health. We engage community-based, people-centred and targeted approaches with the goal of protecting people’s lives against HIV, promoting healthy communities, supporting the vulnerable and saving lives.
Our sister organisation, DAPP Zambia’s TCE programme has shown that targeted community-based HIV testing approaches are effective in finding people who are unaware of their HIV+ status. The index testing approach initiates and pursues contact tracing of known HIV-positive cases for possible HIV infection: spouse, sexual partners and biological children. DAPP Zambia has achieved an HIV-positivity yield of 24% for persons who received Index Case Testing in communities of Eastern Province of Zambia in the year 2023 alone.
Preliminary, reports findings from the latest UNAIDS report launched on 22 July at the AIDS 2024 Conference shows that ending AIDS as a public health threat is achievable by 2030 but that success is being threatened by pushes to reduce funding and to restrict human rights. Taking the wrong path, by limiting resourcing or clamping down on human rights, would lead the pandemic to continue to grow, costing millions more lives and undermining global health security.
Represented by our sister organisations at the ongoing 25th International AIDS Conference currently taking place in Munich Germany, we are making presentations which are all based on factual data driven findings from HIV and TB programmes being implemented in southern African countries namely; Angola, Botswana, Congo, D.R., Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
This year’s 25th International AIDS Conference is being held under the theme: Putting People First.
Development Aid from People to People (DAPP Zimbabwe) was the first member of Humana People to People to pioneer HIV/AIDS prevention work using the Total Control of the Epidemic (TCE) programme concept in 2000. Since then, TCE has reached nearly 1 million people throughout Zimbabwe, equipping them with the capacity to take control of their lives against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
DAPP Zimbabwe recognises that people are responsible for their own health, but must be empowered to make the right decisions. People’s active participation in protecting their health can be done through community-based public health campaigns that reach out to individuals, groups and target populations.
The TCE Zimbabwe programme assisted nearly 700 000 individuals in developing a personal HIV risk reduction plan from 2000 – 2012. The model has enabled pregnant women to know their HIV status, get tested and receive counseling and undergo treatment. More than 50 000 pregnant women have received HIV support services to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
TCE has, over time, been funded by various partners; however, the first grant in Zimbabwe from USAID made it possible to provide evidence of a successful HIV model, leading to the interest of different national governments, and ultimately, expansion into 12 countries reaching 20 million people in Africa, India and China by 2017.
Today, DAPP Zimbabwe runs an HIV/AIDS programme, HOPE Bindura, reaching vulnerable populations with HIV prevention, treatment, and care services along the continuum of care. HOPE Bindura mobilises young mothers to attend and participate in pre-natal and ante-natal care sessions. Additionally, the project works closely with local clinics and hospitals; it coordinates with the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare to provide HIV services.
As of 2019, HOPE Bindura has engaged over 42 000 people in its community outreach work, with more than 25 000 referred for HIV treatment at various local health centers. 830 People Living with HIV were organised in community-based support groups to promote treatment adherence, receiving training in Internal Servings and Lending, and small livestock husbandry to improve their nutrition.
As the world continues the fight against COVID -19, the gains made in fighting HIV/AIDS must be maintained. Following the extension of the nationwide lockdown in Zimbabwe, HOPE Bindura’s voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) centre resumed offering HIV counseling and testing to the Bindura community in May 2020.
HOPE Project Leader Rebecca Njopera says providing HIV health services such as HIV prevention, testing and treatment remains a priority during the level 2 lockdown period in order to reach the 95-95-95 targets. “As we resume the services, we continue to adhere to laid down precautionary measures of social distancing, and hand washingt among others. The nurse and staff manning the testing centre worked together to ensure that both clients and the staff are safe.
New measures implemented to protect clients and staff:
Both clients and staff are screened for COVID-19 symptoms before entering the clinic
Both clients and staff wear face masks in the centre
Water and Soap and hand sanitizer are provided for both staff and clients
Staff advises clients on safe physical distancing.
