Story by Silibaziso Dlodlo
STAKEHOLDERS in Bulawayo have reported significant progress in the province’s HIV response during the Second Provincial Development Committee Meeting, which reviewed implementation of the National Development Strategy Two (NDS2) for the second quarter of 2026.
The meeting assessed progress on development targets, infrastructure delivery, health outcomes and key Government programmes.
Health sector discussions highlighted gains in HIV testing, treatment and viral suppression, with officials attributing the progress to sustained interventions.
National AIDS Council Bulawayo Provincial Manager, Mr Sinatra Nyathi said the province continues to make significant strides in reducing new HIV infections.
“We want to celebrate that 95% of our people now know their HIV status. Of those, 98% are on antiretroviral treatment, while 96% are virally suppressed,” he said.
“When people are virally suppressed, the chances of transmitting HIV are greatly reduced. We encourage everyone to know their HIV status and access treatment so that we can build communities where HIV transmission is significantly reduced.”
Secretary for the Ministry of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Mr Paul Nyoni said the province has surpassed key global HIV response targets.
“We are reviewing progress since January, focusing on the second quarter from April to June and assessing our cumulative performance under NDS2,” he said.
“The province is performing well in tackling the HIV epidemic. Under the 95-95-95 targets, we have achieved 99% for people who know their HIV status, 99% for those on antiretroviral therapy, and 96% for viral suppression.”
Stakeholders reaffirmed the need to sustain the momentum across key sectors to ensure the successful delivery of provincial development targets under NDS2.
