Zimbabwe is a signatory to a number of regional and international conventions which include MDGs, UNGASS, Final communiqué 2003 SADC, The Maseru declaration, SADC Strategic framework on HIV and AIDS and others. By adopting the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment, governments, among other issues commit themselves to: • Increase and accelerate research on HIV vaccines. • Increase research to improve on HIV prevention and therapy, access to prevention, care, treatment, women-controlled methods of prevention, microbicides, and the means to prevent mother-to-child transmission; understanding of the epidemic; and a conducive and ethical environment for research. • Support the development of research infrastructure, laboratory capacity, surveillance systems, data collection, processing and dissemination, and training of researchers, social scientists, health-care providers and technicians, particularly in countries most affected by, or at high risk of, HIV/AIDS. 1.4 Impact of HIV vaccine in Zimbabwe Data on the epidemiological impact of HIV vaccines are scanty and those that exist are based on mathematical models based on adult data and in situations where vaccines are used for prevention not therapy. The epidemiological impact 8