NATIONAL Aids Council (NAC) has raised alarm over a disturbing trend where HIV positive children are stopping their medication, putting their lives in danger.
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This worrying phenomenon, known as treatment fatigue, was revealed during the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province 3rd Quarter Provincial Development Committee meeting held at a local lodge yesterday.
NAC Bulawayo provincial acting manager, Douglas Moyo, said many children abandon their antiretroviral (ARV) drugs because parents or guardians fail to explain why the medication is important.
“We have noticed a growing trend where children stop taking their ARVs simply because they are not told the reasons for taking the medication,” said Moyo.
He painted a grim picture of young lives at risk.
“We are talking about kids as young as five years old who grow tired of taking ARVs. Clinic records will show the medication is being collected on time, but the reality is that the children are simply not taking it,” he added.
The statistics reads:
In 2024 alone, 77 250 adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 were recorded as HIV positive. Of these, 36 726 were males while 40 424 were females.
A total of 1 344 deaths were recorded during the same year, with 671 males and 673 females losing their lives.
Health officials are urging parents and guardians to be open with children about their HIV status to prevent more lives from being lost.
