Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe

ROHR Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world in observing World Aids Day. This is the day when individuals and organisations from around the world come together to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic that has claimed millions of lives across the world. According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.2 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2007 some 2.5 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.  

ROHR Zimbabwe salutes all men, women and children who are living with HIV/Aids everyday; who manage to fight the stigma associated with it; who persevere even in the face of hardships, poverty, non-availability of cash from the bank and crumbled health sector in Zimbabwe.

We realise the stakes are high, and therefore the need is urgent for the nation of Zimbabwe and the world at large to unite and fight tirelessly to eradicate the epidemic. Collective input is required from all citizens, communities, churches, organisations, educational institutions, and governments to join hands in massive awareness and educational campaigns over the fight against HIV/AIDS, and stigma surrounding it.

People living with HIV and AIDS have the same rights as anyone else in the world and therefore any form of discrimination and stigma should be condemned in the strongest terms. Stigma and discrimination almost always triggers redundancy in the society leading to negativity, hate and underdevelopment of humanity. The victory over the disease will require commitment from all sectors, hard work, and above all love. We urge youths to act responsibly for the scourge to be successfully managed since statistics show that this age group has the highest infection rate. 

We urge the ‘Government’ of Zimbabwe to urgently look into the plight of those infected and affected; guarantee the constant provision of cheap and adequate supplies of anti-retroviral drugs and other drugs in hospitals. Noting that as long as the health sector remains static in its dilapidated status quo, the fight against HIV/AIDS would never be successful, there is a need for the Government to urgently seek solutions that can revive the health sector. The state needs to ensure that financial and human resources are made available in state hospitals and clinics which have been either operating below capacity or not operating at all since the strike of nurses and doctors in August 2008. Today the situation remains untenable as patients continue to be denied treatment in State hospitals and clinic due to non-availability of medical personnel, equipment and drugs.