THE LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIV-POSITIVE WOMEN: THE CASE OF MAGUNJE TOWNSHIP, ZIMBABWE

Maureen Cresencia Kambarami,Abe Sumbulu

doi:10.15270/53-3-573

Abstract

The increasing levels of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in sub-Saharan Africa have seen more women being infected by HIV. This article explores the interplay between culture, HIV transmission and disclosure experiences. The setting for the study was Magunje, a rural village in Zimbabwe. Using a semi-structured interview schedule, the interviews were conducted with women living with HIV/AIDS. It emerged that culture condones male promiscuity, since virility is judged by the number of partners that men have, while women face many challenges with regards to disclosure.

Highlights

HIV was discovered in the early 1980s (Whiteside, 2008) and has caused much havoc to those affected, resulting in many deaths caused by the human human immunodeficiency virus virus and acquired human immunodeficiency virus syndrome (HIV/AIDS)
What emerged is that the women were confronted with fear, despondency, helplessness and a plethora of other challenges based on their anxiety about disclosing their status. They were afraid of the stigmatisation associated with HIV, which is confirmed in the literature (Vranda & Mothi, 2013; Woolett, 2013)
Disclosing their HIV status to anybody was a complicated process that included a lot of soul searching and consideration of its consequences

Summary

Introduction

HIV was discovered in the early 1980s (Whiteside, 2008) and has caused much havoc to those affected, resulting in many deaths caused by the human human immunodeficiency virus virus and acquired human immunodeficiency virus syndrome (HIV/AIDS). In sub-Saharan Africa alone an estimated 23.5 million people were living with HIV in 2012 (UNAIDS, 2012) and by the end of 2015 WHO estimated that the figure had risen to 25.6 million people (WHO/July 2016). Of this figure, women constitute 58% of the total HIV infections (UNAIDS, 2014). In Zimbabwe, since the discovery of the first AIDS case in 1985, there have been efforts to lower the infection rate. According to UNAIDS (2016), there were 64 000 new HIV infections in 2015 in Zimbabwe

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Conclusion