There has been an almost 50 percent decline in HIV prevalence in some groups in Zimbabwe as people delay when they first have sex and cut down on casual partners,  according to research published in the magazine Science (3 February).

HIV prevalence has dropped by 49 percent in women aged between 15 and 24, while there has been a 23 percent drop in men aged 17 to 29, according to researchers from Imperial College London and the Biomedical Research and Training Institute, Zimbabwe.

They found that overall HIV prevalence declined from 23 percent to 20.5 percent.

In 2003 Zimbabwe was estimated to have 1.8 million people infected with HIV/AIDS out of a population of 12 million.

‘€œAlthough we can’t say for certain, fear of HIV and AIDS may have influenced this change in behaviour, with Zimbabwe’s well educated population, good communications, and health service infrastructure, all combining to create this effect,’€ said research leader Dr Simon Gregson.

The researchers studied 9 454 people recruited from two household censuses, the first conducted between 1998 and 2000, and the second between 2001 and 2003.

In the second census, slightly more than a quarter (27%) of young men aged 17 to 19 had started having sex, whereas that figure was closer to half (45%) in the earlier census.

For women aged 15 to 17, the percentage reporting sexual experience was slashed by more than half, dropping from 21% to 9%. At the same time, the proportions of men and women reporting a recent casual sexual partner fell by 49 and 22 percent respectively.

Professor Geoffrey Garnett, from Imperial College London, and one of the researchers, said: “A key reason for this decline appears to be the reduction in the number of casual sexual relationships, although there was also a delay in the onset of sexual activity and increases in condom use prior to the time of the study may also have contributed”.

Meanwhile, an anonymous letter published in the latest issue of the prestigious London-based Lancet magazine notes that Zimbabwe’s AIDS treatment programme is running out of antiretroviral drugs.

“The government, despite limited funds, has established a national antiretroviral rollout programme consisting of a single-dose formulation of stavudine, lamivudine, and nevirapine (known as Stalanev) as first-line therapy, produced by local company Varichem,” notes the letter.

“In recent months, however, secondary to the lack of foreign currency, Varichem has not received the funds needed to purchase raw materials. As a result, there has been no Stalanev available through the private sector, and the government-funded public sector is running out of drugs. All opportunistic infections clinics have decided not to start any new patients on antiretroviral therapy; everyone is in suspended panic as to what will happen to those who are already on treatment.” ‘€“ Health-e News Service.