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Research shows that artisanal miners are more likely to have additional sexual partners and this exposes many to sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. Image by Unsplash
Matabeleland South province that has been reported as having one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the country. Some of the major contributions to the increase emanate from artisanal mining communities. The migratory patterns of miners in search of the greenstone belts is cited as one of the major contributors
BY LYNNIA NGWENYA | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | JUL 12, 2023
GWANDA (The Citizen Bulletin) - In gold rich districts, little compounds have emerged providing a source of income for some, and temporary marriages for others.
Doris Moyo* narrates how she became first an informal trader and later a ‘wife’ to one gold panner at a local mining site in Gwanda nicknamed “FM”.
“At first I was selling commodities like food and clothes,” Moyo says. “Due to the mine business nature, sometimes we would spend nights there.
“As time went on, I found a male ‘friend’ from Mutoko and we built a shack and cohabited.”
In artisanal mining, most men will be away from families for extended periods of time, resulting in many cohabitating with local women.
“At the mine ‘compound’ we don’t worry much about a person's marital status, what is important is the current agreement we would have made,” Moyo explains.
“We need men to cohabit with at the site so that our businesses move. Also we need them for protection, mine sites are risky sometimes, violence is of high prevalence.”
According to Research Gate, men who stay away from their sexual partners due to migration from their hometowns to the mines are more likely to have additional sexual partners.
This exposes many to sexually transmitted diseases and HIV.
“Illegal mining areas often do not provide accommodation for spouses or families, and most illegal mine workers migrate alone. As a result, and because these miners earn higher incomes than the average male in the area, they may choose to have, and be able to support their wives and girlfriends, or may interact with female sex workers in the areas surrounding the mine,” reads the report.
Moses Rocha* from Masvingo recalls how he almost killed his wife after he silently infected her with Syphilis and HIV.
“I have stayed in many different mines in the country, and in all those mines, I had sexual partners,” Rocha says.
“On a certain year, I fell sick whilst residing at a mine in Esigodini. I got diagnosed and tested positive for Syphilis and HIV, but did not finish the medication I was given. I went back to Masvingo. Upon arrival I didn't disclose my health status to my wife…”
Moses Rocha*, artisanal miner from Masvingo
“She got very sick and also tested positive for HIV and Syphilis. We were both counselled and given medication.”
According to the National Aids Council (NAC), as of 2022, Matabeleland South had the highest HIV prevalence rate at 17.1 percent followed by Matabeleland North and Bulawayo at 14.5% and 13.7%.
Mashonaland Central had the lowest at 0.2% followed by Manicaland at 10.2%.
Some of the drivers of cases of STIs among artisanal miners as reported are poor sexual health knowledge or resistance to condom use, substance misuse, stigma, lack of entertainment, and poor sexual health services.
Artisanal miners find unprotected vaginal intercourse more pleasurable than protected vaginal sex. Image by International Institute for Sustainable Development
According to Cosmopolitan without open discussions about sexual health, many people feel ashamed and stigmatised.
“They believe they don’t owe a partner any kind of explanation about their sexual past, habits or health status,” reports Cosmopolitan.
“Sometimes as men we are too proud to disclose crucial information that can save us and our spouses,” Rocha.
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Studies have found that men intentionally resist the use of condoms because of their ‘reduced pleasure’ misconception.
“Several studies have reported that this is one of the main reasons for not using a condom. Both women and men rated unprotected vaginal intercourse as more pleasurable than protected vaginal sex,” reports National Institute of Health.
One such artisanal miner at Bina Mine who identified himself is Ncube.
“It's like eating an egg with its shells, you won't enjoy it fully. What is not wanted is pregnancy only, so if a woman says she is on control pills then there is no need for the use of condoms.”
Ncube
In efforts to mitigate cases of STIs in the country, NAC has launched various prevention models as a drive to revolutionise and scale up prevention services to communities
“This is in response to high HIV incidence among specific subgroups such as sex workers, prison inmates, artisanal miners and others. NAC adopted these models to bring combination HIV prevention interventions to population sub groups that are at increased risk of HIV infection.”
“Adopted models include the Brotha 2 Brotha, which focuses on addressing sexual reproductive health needs of adolescent boys and young men,” reports NAC.
Editor’s Note: Some names marked with * have been changed to protect the identity of sources.
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