Health officials in Zimbabwe say 2006 was a good year in the struggle against HIV-AIDS, although they acknowledge that much more remains to be done.
Zimbabwe was the first country in Southern Africa to register a decline in the prevalence of the AIDS virus. That infection rate is still high at 18%, but officials say the decline at least indicates prevention messages are getting through.
National AIDS Council Executive Director Tapuwa Magure told reporter Ndimyake Mwakalyele that the government’s main objective in 2007 is to significantly scale up antiretroviral drug therapy for the estimated 300,000 who need it.
At present, fewer than 50,000 people are receiving the drugs.