The prevention of parent to child transmission remains crucial for countries of the world to achieve the reduction of HIV and AIDS prevalent rate. This is important in children growing up to become parents. Advocacy in supporting HIV prevention remains important especially in African communities so as to reduce parent to child transmission .PAEDIATRIC HIV and AIDS has been so much lowered up to date in many African countries.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health And Child Care, Zimbabwe, Mother to Child Transmission in Zimbabwe is at Prevalence Rate 7% from 15% and above the past decades.
Prevention , remains vital as advocacy for us to remain with the gains which we already have achieved after winning on parent to child transmission which Zimbabwe has gained so far . Apart from that, those children growing up must remain with the same spirit of fostering prevention, prevention, prevention.
A Zimbabwe civil society organization , KATSWE , which works with young generations in Sexual Reproductive Health , HIV and AIDS , care , counseling , prevention , support and training has done much to reduce the epidemic spread .
KATSWE , Director , Talent Jumo has the spiritual feeling that , young girls must reach their destination in achieving Education For All Goals , Health and the goal to reduce poverty and vulnerability . Current issues hitting their scheduled programs look at Prevention of Mother to Transmission of HIV and AIDS.
”As a country, we need to celebrate the gains we have in the elimination of parent to child transmission. .This helped reduce the rate of HIV prevalent rate in the country and around the world’’.
‘’Therefore as a nation, Traditional, Faith and local leaders must create demand of uptake of Anti-retroviral Therapy and Prevention of parent to child transmission”
‘’Advocacy has greatly contributed to the massive spread of awareness on issues related to HIV and AIDS, therefore sex education is important ”
Talent Jumo added that traditional, faith and local leaders who as stakeholders must push for a way forward in educating children on issues related to prevention, sex and sexuality education .They get training and then train others in their respective communities.
”This is training of Trainers .Above all advocacy and prevention stands vital as we have achieved goals in spreading sex education and the effects of early sex, early marriage and the consequences related to HIV and AIDS. ‘Said Katswe Director.
The coming of condoms in the HIV and AIDS era might have given confidence in rapid use of contraception during sex but prevention remains very important. Prevention could have surpassed the wide spread of HIV an AIDS, but it was taken over by factors which lead to HIV and AIDS prevalence .
Alphias Mutyiri who works on Gender issues with the Men Forum on Gender [Padare] echoed the need for the Government spearhead sex education in schools. He said this education must be prioritized in Primary and Secondary schools. This, he echoed gives more education to children about, Sex and Sexuality, HIV and AIDS, Sexual Reproductive Health.
”We are hindered by Government policies which prohibits us get into schools and talk about such issues, but it important to talk about sex education in schools so as to catch the young and make them grow with knowledge.”
Children population around the world amounts to a billion and half at a time we are heavily facing problems which are not addressed today. These affect our children tomorrow. Taking a snap of children as leaders he further stated.
”They are leaders tomorrow, they are growing, and they need sex education, advocacy and sensitization in order to grow up with sex education knowledge in the country ”
” Growing up needs much education on issues related to sex and sexuality and this goes well up with the strength of prevention.” said a community leader ” .
Giving his comment Chief Fortune Charumbira said, the problem around Children getting involved in sex at an early age is the big problem at large. However, he further reiterated on the Government’s effort in Children Marriage Law which he said need to work.
‘’The only weapon lies with the Law looking at child marriages in the country .We as Chiefs Council , we have prohibited marriage of these young girls before the age of Majority , that is 18 years . If child marriage is completely done with we see the swift move of some stagnant blocks currently on the ground, said the Chief.
Civil Societies organizations are making much noise owing attention to the issue nastily resonating in the country, related to Age of Consent, which is at 16 years. Ekeniah Chifamba , Shamwari Ye Mwanasikana Director said , it is still one left area at large to the civil society , to cast an eye to so as to address child marriages .
‘’We want civil society to push on this issue as quick as we can , to foster a move to look at the child concert to sex of 16 years of which the girl child will still be in school .
‘’There must be a shift. Age of consent must be at least 18 then age of marriage to be at least 20 or 21 years. We need to take the campaign against child marriage to other countries in the African Region .That makes us achieve the long goals of the United Nations by 2030 ‘’.
Zimbabwe has scored on prevention of parent to child transmission of which is goal number 4 of the Millennium Development Goals that is Reducing Child mortality. Also it improved on maternal mortality goal number 5 , goal on gender parity goal 3 and goal number 6 on HIV and AIDS .As the World moves on , It is looking at Sustainable Development Goals .
