Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
South African Press Association - June 15, 2005
"There has been massive awareness and behaviour change in our people over the past year," Health and Child Welfare Minister David Parirenyatwa told The Herald.
"Almost everyone has seen what HIV and Aids is capable of doing.
The disease has wreaked havoc across the board and there is not one among us who can safely say they have not been touched or affected."
The new statistics were the findings of an 18-month study by Zimbabwe's health ministry, UNAids and the US Centres for Disease Control.
"We want to reach the lowest figures possible and believe me, that is something we can do if people change their mindsets," Parirenyatwa told The Herald.
Zimbabwe is one of the countries hardest hit by the HIV and Aids pandemic with at least 3 000 people dying weekly from Aids-related illness -- or about one person every three minutes -- according to the National Aids Council.
Zimbabwe's battle with the pandemic has been compromised by a collapsing public health sector and dwindling donor funding due to strained relations between Harare and its former Western benefactors.
The government collects a monthly levy from workers to fund HIV and Aids projects.
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