Leave No One Behind
HIV/AIDS among people aged 50 and older in Zimbabwe
Briefing paper | Leave No One Behind | 2018
Fortunate Machingura, Gibson Mhlanga, David Hulme, Tapuwa Magure
The commitment to leave no one behind is at the core of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, emphasising the importance of inclusiveness, empowerment and non-discrimination.
With the scale-up of antiretroviral treatment in Zimbabwe, many people are living past the age of 50 with HIV. But, many others are getting infected by HIV after their 50th birthday. Ageing with HIV infection presents unique challenges for preventing other diseases as both age and HIV heighten the risk of cancers, bone loss and cardiovascular disease.
Additionally, older people are more likely than younger age groups to face isolation due to illness or the loss of family and friends, and stigma may prevent them from seeking care and disclosing their HIV status for fear of abandonment and isolation.
This briefing paper provides an overview of the realities of people 50 years or older living with HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe. It encourages reform champions to think about people-centred participatory research to understand better the impact of ageing on the course of HIV infection, to develop and implement practical education and prevention measures, and to determine the efficacy and safety of antiretroviral therapy in older HIV-infected patients in Zimbabwe.