Shocking statistics reveal that Zimbabwe has an estimated eighty-four thousand two hundred and ninety-five (84 295) children below the ages of 14 who are HIV positive.

According to a report by ZBC News, Zimbabwe government together with the World Health Organization are working towards a solution to end mother to child transmission of HIV and syphilis.

Minister of Health and Child Care, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga read a speech on behalf of his Deputy Minister Dr Mangwiro stressing the need to eliminate mother to child transmission of HIV and syphilis.

The World Health Organisation has come up with the initiative for countries to eliminate mother to child transmission of HIV and syphilis.

Zimbabwe embraced the initiative as we are determined to reduce mother to child transmission of HIV to less than five per cent, reads part of the speech.

The speech was read on the occasion of the fourth quarter national validation committee meeting on dual elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV and syphilis.

Zimbabwe’s World Health Organisation Representative Dr Alex Gasasira said everyone should know their status and those living positively should be put on treatment.

“We need to do more with urgency for us to realise the goal of ending AIDS by 2030, we need to be innovative to reach out to those people including people living with HIV who do not know their statuses, ensure that all HIV positive people are put on treatment and they have suppressed viral loads,” Dr Gasasira said.

In Zimbabwe, a total of one million three hundred and fifty-six thousand (1 356 000) people are currently living with HIV.