| Abstract: | By May 1991, 6700 reported cases of AIDS existed in Zimbabwe and many included those in the labor force. Around 25% of the cases were infants. Moreover about 500,000 may actually have been HIV seropositive with an estimated 90% being of working age for an HIV seroprevalence of about 10% in the labor force. 50% of the 10 million inhabitants of Zimbabwe were 15 years old. In 1990, 18% of 1000 pregnant women screened in Harare were HIV positive. Furthermore, 51% of patients screened at an urban genitourinary clinic in 1990 tested HIV positive whereas, in 1987, only 18% tested HIV positive. The extended family can no longer cope with the problems created by the AIDS epidemic, so the community must support HIV positive people and AIDS patients. For example, grandparents or other relatives must often take in the children of parents who have died from AIDS. Indeed, the emotional turmoil in learning of one's own or a loved one's HIV infection can be overwhelming. The Ministry of Health has founded the AIDS Control Programme which includes counseling as an important component. This division trains health workers in counseling individuals and families afflicted with AIDS and provides pamphlets for primary health care workers. 1 thing that it emphasizes is that clients need time to deal with the situation. Yet many health workers do not have the time. More and continued integration between social workers and health providers is needed. A woman from the AIDS Counselling Trust suggests that counseling for mothers of infants with AIDS can begin with a small group in hospital wards, such as what has been done in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Further self help groups can be connected with clinics. Zimbabwe can also go the way of Zambia and provide home based care services and mobile units. |
