Abstract:

Background: There were approximately 38 million people across the globe with HIV/AIDS in 2019. Of these, 36.2 million were adults and 1.8 million were children (<15 years old). (2) However, with increasing access to effective HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, including for opportunistic infections, HIV infection has become a manageable chronic health condition, enabling people living with HIV to lead long and healthy lives. However not everyone is able to access HIV testing, about 19% (7.1 million people) still don’t know their HIV status (2) and due to gaps in HIV services, 690000 people died from HIV-related causes in 2019 and 1.7 million people were newly infected (3). The aim of this study was to the prevalence and risk factors among individuals testing for HIV at Mnazi mmoja hospital, Zanzibar.

Methodology: The study was conducted at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital based on quantitative cross-sectional study among 74 participants conducted in CTC and VTC units at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, Zanzibar.

Results: Among the 74 participants, 25(33.8%) were male and 49(66.2%) were female. 51(68.9%) reside in urban and 23(31.1%) reside in rural area. 26(35.1%) were single, 30(40.5%) were married, 5(6.8%) divorced and 13(17.6%) were widowed. The prevalence of 39.2% of HIV infections among participants tested for HIV at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar and HIV among participants was significantly associated with higher risk sex in past 12 months with, paid for sex with, regular exposure to blood and bodily fluids and place for work.

Conclusion and Recommendation: Further screening on HIV should be done at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar and education should be provided to people on the transmission of HIV infection on work place collaborated with Occupational safety health Agency (OSHA).