Zimbabwean Health Minister Henry Madzorera said Friday that 60,000 new HIV infections have been recorded this year despite efforts to boost public awareness of the risk.
Madzorera told VOA Studio 7 reporter Sandra Nyaira that much more must be done to reduce the new infections that contribute to the so-called HIV prevalence rate, now about 10 percent across Zimbabwe though less than half where it stood several years ago.
Though observations of World Aids Day on Wednesday provided a boost for many of those living with or fighting the deadly disease, some HIV positive Zimbabweans say they have little cause to celebrate because surviving remains a daily battle, as Studio 7 correspondent Arthur Chigoriwa reported from Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West.
In activities following up on World Aids Day, the Youth Forum met with members of the parliamentary committee on Women, Youth, Gender and Community Development for what the young activists called a no-holds barred discussion.
Youth forum projects coordinator Wellington Zindove said the organization expressed its views on governments engagement of youth, economic disenfranchisement, political violence, proposed 2011 elections, and youth access to HIV testing and treatment.
Zindove told reporter Tatenda Gumbo that the panel was very receptive.
Youth Fourm member Tapiwa Mushati said he hopes Parliament and the government will focus more on the economic empowerment of young people.