Spotlight on Success: Manicaland Centre well-represented at the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa

From December 4th to December 9th, the Manicaland Centre for Public Health Research was well represented at the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa in Harare. Throughout the event, a delegation of representatives from the Centre actively participated and contributed to the vibrant discussions and knowledge exchange. Rufurwokuda Maswera was invited to present one of our studies in an abstract-driven session within the plenary room. His presentation focused on the associations between masculine social norms, sexual risk behaviour and the use of HIV prevention methods in Manicaland. For those interested, a video of his presentation can be found below.

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​On December 6th, our team members Phyllis Mandizvidza and Blessing Tsenesa made impactful contributions during the poster-driven session. Mrs Mandizvidza shared insights on a study regarding survey measurements of community norms on Adolescent Girls and Young Women’s (AGYW) sexual behaviour and use of condoms for HIV prevention. Mr Tsenesa presented a study on HIV stigma, challenging its potential hindrance to the use of male condoms. Despite persistent high levels of stigma, the study findings suggest that it may not be a barrier to condom use.

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