Zimbabwean Men At Greater Risk Of Advanced HIV

Zimbabwean men face a higher risk of developing advanced HIV, with more AIDS-related deaths recorded among them, partly because they are less likely to seek medical care.

The draft Zimbabwe National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (ZNASP) 2026–30 highlights that stigma, discrimination, unpredictable donor funding, and certain laws make it harder for people to access treatment. The report reads:

“Viral suppression in children and young people is significantly lower than in adults.

“Disparities also remain among men and key populations. Men and at-risk groups have lower testing coverage and initiate treatment late.

“Societal barriers such as stigma, discrimination and some legal frameworks continue to impede access. 69,7% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) report experiencing stigma (Stigma Index 2022).

“Men are more likely to start treatment late, often with advanced HIV disease, due to lower health-seeking behaviour, which contributes to higher Aids mortality among men.”

The report also showed that urban areas such as Harare and Bulawayo have large numbers of people living with HIV, while some rural border districts, like those in Matabeleland South, have higher infection rates than the cities.

Certain groups are at greater risk, including female sex workers, transgender people who inject drugs, prisoners in crowded conditions, and occupational groups such as miners and truck drivers.

By 2024, a total of 1,295,675 Zimbabweans were living with HIV, down from over 1.5 million a decade earlier.

This decline has been linked to the expansion of effective treatment and government prevention efforts.

Related:

Traditional court orders woman to pay husband a beast over alleged HIV transmission Bulawayo’s Magwegwe And Pumula Flagged As New HIV Hotspots