As thousands of Zimbabweans return home from South Africa and other neighbouring countries, health advocates are urging people living with HIV to overcome stigma, register at their nearest health facilities and actively engage with healthcare workers instead of hiding their status.
My experiences at local health facilities have shown that, despite decades of HIV awareness campaigns, many people still struggle with fear and shame associated with living with HIV.
One day, while waiting to collect my three-month supply of antiretroviral (ARV) medicines, I watched a well-dressed man arrive in a luxury vehicle.
Clearly impatient, he complained about the inconvenience of collecting medication on behalf of someone else.
However, an experienced nurse calmly explained that the clinic was only issuing ARVs directly to registered clients because every patient needed to be physically assessed before receiving medication.
The man requested a private discussion with the nurse, but she politely declined, insisting that clinic procedures applied equally to everyone.
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Eventually, after everyone else had been served, he admitted he had actually come to collect his own medication but had been too embarrassed to publicly acknowledge that he was living with HIV.
In another incident, I came across two men from my neighbourhood who had fallen off their motorcycle.
Scattered across the road were several bottles of ARVs. Although neither had suffered serious injuries, the embarrassment on their faces was unmistakable.
They insisted they had been collecting medication for other people from a distant clinic, but it was evident they had travelled far from home to avoid being recognised while collecting treatment for themselves.
These are not isolated cases. Many people continue to obtain their medication from health facilities far from where they live to avoid being identified by neighbours or acquaintances.
Unfortunately, this behaviour exposes them to unnecessary risks, including road accidents, travel costs and missed opportunities for routine health assessments.
For many Zimbabweans who lived and worked in South Africa, relatives and friends back home often collected ARVs on their behalf before sending them through transporters or cross-border couriers.
In many cases, this arrangement worked well because it was done transparently, with healthcare workers fully aware of the circumstances.
However, once people have permanently returned home, that arrangement should come to an end.
Returning migrants should register at their nearest clinics, attend medical reviews in person and allow healthcare workers to monitor their overall health, identify any opportunistic infections and manage possible treatment side effects.
Returning migrants are not a uniform group. Some were already living with HIV before leaving Zimbabwe, while others acquired the virus during their time abroad.
There are also individuals who suspect they may have been exposed but have never taken an HIV test. Each group requires appropriate counselling, testing and linkage to care.
Equally important is honest communication between partners. Those who know they are living with HIV should disclose their status to their partners so that informed decisions can be made.
Likewise, partners who acquired HIV while their spouses were working abroad should also be open about their status.
The safest approach is for couples to undergo HIV testing together before resuming sexual relationships.
HIV is no longer the death sentence it was once perceived to be. With consistent treatment, regular medical reviews and responsible behaviour, people living with HIV can lead long, healthy and productive lives.
The greatest obstacle today is often not the virus itself, but the stigma that continues to prevent some people from seeking care openly.
Ending that stigma begins with accepting one’s status, engaging with healthcare providers and recognising that protecting one’s health is both a personal responsibility and an act of care for others.