Ayesha Nyanzunda
The City of Bulawayo has issued a statement to correct recent misleading articles about HIV statistics among women that were going viral on social media recently.
The alarming reports circulating on social platforms, claim that 90% of women aged 16 to 50 in Bulawayo who were tested for HIV in June 2024 were found positive.
The reports also mentioned a 71.7% positivity rate among women, causing widespread concern.
The viral articles incorrectly interpreted data from the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid and Camera (VIAC) program, which focuses on cervical cancer screening mostly for women who are already HIV positive.
“The data was extracted from the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid and Camera(VIAC) Programme that targets mainly HIV positive women as we screen from cervical cancer (women who are already on the Antiretroviral Treatment(ART) and have been confirmed as HIV positive) with a few who are HIV negative screened as well,” said Bulawayo City acting town clerk Dr Edwin Mzingwane.
The VIAC is an effective way of preventing cervical cancer in women between the ages of thirty and fifty.
It includes examination of the cervix for changes that might indicate changes in epithelial cells.
If and when detected early , the cells can be killed before they become cancerous through cryotherapy or the loop Electrosurgical Procedure.
According to https://www.yalemedicine.org website, Cryotherapy is a medical treatment that uses extreme cold to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue, such as tumors or precancerous cells.
While (LEEP) is a minimally invasive diagnostic and treatment procedure that utilizes a thin, low-voltage electrified wire loop to remove abnormal cervical tissue or cells.
This procedure is commonly performed to diagnose and treat cervical dysplasia, which may progress to cervical cancer if left untreated.
Dr Mzingwane highlighted the importance of responsible journalism, particularly in health-related issues.
“The media plays a key role in disseminating health information, and there is a need to ensure that accurate reports are issued as they affect the knowledge and health beliefs of the public,” he said.