Bulawayo has recorded significant progress in the fight against HIV, with provincial stakeholders reporting major gains in testing, treatment and viral suppression during the Second Provincial Development Committee Meeting reviewing implementation of the National Development Strategy Two (NDS2) for the second quarter of 2026.
The meeting assessed progress on provincial development targets, infrastructure delivery, health outcomes and the implementation of key Government programmes.
Secretary for the Ministry of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Paul Nyoni, said the province had exceeded 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.
“The province is performing well in tackling the HIV epidemic. Under the 95-95-95 targets, we have achieved 99 percent for people who know their HIV status, 99 percent for those on antiretroviral therapy, and 96 percent for viral suppression,” he said.
Health sector officials said sustained interventions have strengthened the province’s HIV response, resulting in improved access to testing and treatment services.
National AIDS Council Bulawayo Provincial Manager, Sinatra Nyathi, said the province continues to make significant strides in reducing new HIV infections.
“We want to celebrate that 95 percent of our people now know their HIV status. Of those, 98 percent are on antiretroviral treatment, while 96 percent are virally suppressed.
“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,” he said.
Stakeholders reaffirmed the need to sustain progress across all sectors to ensure continued success in the HIV response while advancing broader provincial development targets under NDS2.
