Thousands of Zimbabweans returning from South Africa because of escalating xenophobic tensions are facing delays in accessing HIV treatment, with health expert...
Thousands of Zimbabweans returning from South Africa because of escalating xenophobic tensions are facing delays in accessing HIV treatment, with health experts warning that interruptions in antiretroviral (ARV) therapy could worsen the country’s HIV burden and place additional pressure on the healthcare system.
Among those affected was Renious Gumbi, a 49-year-old bricklayer from Mberengwa who had lived in South Africa for about two decades. Gumbi, who was living with HIV, had received free ARV treatment through South Africa’s public healthcare system. However, his access to medication was interrupted after anti-immigrant groups allegedly blocked non-citizens from entering some health facilities.
Unable to obtain treatment from June, Gumbi’s health deteriorated rapidly. His wife, Senzeni, arranged for him to return to Zimbabwe using cross-border transporters known as malayitshas. Although he received ARVs at the Zimbabwe-South Africa border, he died shortly after arriving home.
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“It was cruel for South African leaders to leave anti-migrant activists blocking my husband from getting his ARV treatment drugs,” Senzeni said. She also questioned Zimbabwe’s preparedness to support citizens living with HIV who are forced to return from South Africa.
The challenges come as Zimbabwe continues to face uncertainty over HIV funding following the breakdown of discussions with the United States on future health assistance earlier this year. According to reports, around 1.2 million Zimbabweans rely on HIV programmes previously supported through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), while a recent study projected that about 75,000 additional people could contract HIV within a year if support is completely withdrawn.
Another returnee, Gilbert Muzokomba, 58, who had lived in South Africa since 1999, said he also stopped receiving ARVs after being prevented from accessing a clinic in Gauteng. After returning to Zimbabwe, he said there was no immediate guidance on how to resume treatment and that he was placed on a waiting list before being registered for free medication.
“I left South Africa voluntarily after seeing that I might end up dying without access to my HIV treatment drugs,” Muzokomba said, adding that his health had deteriorated after defaulting on treatment.
Twenty-three-year-old Nelisiwe Mugodhi, who was born with HIV in South Africa, also returned to Zimbabwe after being unable to access treatment during the xenophobic tensions. She said she eventually resumed medication but only after experiencing prolonged delays and serious health complications, including diarrhoea, headaches, swollen feet and persistent coughing.
Health Minister Douglas Mombeshora recently told Parliament that health workers had been deployed at Zimbabwe’s ports of entry to screen returning migrants for chronic illnesses, including HIV, diabetes and hypertension. According to the minister, more than 99,000 Zimbabweans had already been screened.
Mombeshora, however, said long-term treatment could not immediately begin at border posts because patients first require baseline assessments, including viral load testing, before being enrolled into ongoing care programmes.
Aid organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said it has been providing medical assistance at South Africa’s repatriation centre in Musina, helping returnees who have defaulted on ARV treatment and medication for chronic conditions such as hypertension. MSF said the scale of displacement had reached levels usually associated with humanitarian emergencies, urging governments in the region to strengthen cooperation to ensure continuity of healthcare.
According to official figures, about 21,000 Zimbabweans had been repatriated with government assistance by early July 2026, while another 57,000 returned independently. Media reports cited by MSF estimate that around 100,000 Zimbabweans have returned from South Africa. HIV activist and lawyer Kensington Marufu warned that many returnees may struggle to maintain treatment because they are unfamiliar with available services after years away from home. Pastor Reki Jimu, who works with people living with HIV, said several returnees who interrupted treatment have already been hospitalised. With about 1.3 million people currently living with HIV in Zimbabwe, according to UNAIDS, health experts say ensuring uninterrupted access to treatment for returning migrants will be critical to protecting public health.
