PROJECT OVERVIEW

The purpose of this project is to address identified HIV care and treatment gaps among high-risk subgroups and work towards epidemic control in Zimbabwe. This project is under the Zimbabwe Partnership to Accelerate AIDS Control (ZimPAAC) consortium, where Pangaea Zimbabwe is a partner, working through direct support and established, sustainable and collaborative relationships with MOHCC, NAC and other stakeholders.

Main objective

To improve access to HIV prevention, care and treatment services for high-risk population in 20 districts in Zimbabwe

Scope of work

The purpose of this project is to address identified gaps in KP HIV care and treatment and work towards epidemic control in Zimbabwe under the Zimbabwe Partnership to Accelerate AIDS Control (ZimPAAC) consortium, through direct support and establishment of sustainable and collaborative relationships with MOHCC and others

Target population

Funding Source

U.S President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through CDC

Implementation period

October 2023 to September 2028

High level key outcomes from 2020 to 2024:
  • Capacity building: Over 400 healthcare workers and 85 community cadres across 23 supported public sector facilities in Harare trained to offer health services that are friendly to high-risk populations. Trust in specific public sector facilities has been fostered and accessibility increased.

  • HIV Prevention

    – Condoms: Over 2 million condoms distributed across 85 sites

    – More than 10000 high risk subgroups were reached with PrEP literacy sessions through face to face and virtual platforms

    – PrEP Linkages: At least 70% of HIV-negative individuals in high-risk subgroups were linked to PrEP for HIV preventionPrEP initiations: In the 20 supported districts, PrEP use increased from 1815 in 2020 to 12,172 high risk subgroups in 2024.

    – PrEP continuation: active monitoring of PrEP continuation, and fostering community support through PrEP support groups led to 52% continuation rate at month 1

    – New biomedical prevention products: PZ is creating demand for CAB -LA, as a pilot at 3 public sector sites.

    Overall understanding of HIV prevention increased, thereby leading to less risky behaviourPre-Exposure Prophylaxis

HIV Care and Treatment

Community understanding of and uptake of HIV services has increased.

-Over 1,000 integrated outreach initiatives, which successfully engaged and educated 34,350 high-risk individuals about the various available HIV services

-More than 4,000 HIV self-test kits distributed through the different facility and community platforms, whilst more than 2600 clients were screened with 99% linkage to treatment for the 875 (33%) who were positive for STIs.

Community members empowered to make informed decisions about their sexual health, thereby fostering a proactive approach to HIV prevention, care and treatment

– ART adherence and care: Peer support groups were established, resulting in at least 95% of participants achieving either undetectable viral load or low viremia

  • Complementary services

· Mental health: Over 657 individuals at high risk were screened for common mental disorders (between 2022 and 2024) and offered Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) – a Friendship Bench model.