HIV/AIDS, while pregnant women as well as young children will also be at high risk. Furthermore, several cases of women giving birth in the open 59 after being cut off from reproductive health services were reported in the areas visited by the mission. In Caledonia Farm, the mission observed that some of the people were infected with scabies. Testimony by, an 18-year old woman from Zengeza: “Both of my parents left me when I was very young and I stayed with my grandparent living in the city. Then my grandparent fell ill and died in 2000, and my neighbors helped since I was homeless. I pushed myself into a marriage because of the living conditions. I don’t know any of my relatives. Before the clean-up operation, I was a pregnant housewife and my husband was working in one of the tuck-shops. We used to pay rent with that money and it bought enough food for us to survive. Life changed when our cottage and the tuck-shop were destroyed. I gave birth in the open space where we are now staying with our seven days old baby. We don’t have enough blankets to cover our baby. We are spending the whole night outside with our newborn baby and our property.” There will also be need for psycho-social support to help individuals and households overcome the traumatic experience of having witnessed the destruction of their homes and, in many cases, having been forced to demolish their homes with their own hands. Testimony from the affected population suggests that there are examples of people adopting self-destructive behavior patterns following the evictions.60 Some people also suffered physical injuries during the demolitions. In one case reported to the mission, a man sustained fatal head injuries on 19 June 2005 when a wall he was breaking down collapsed on him, leaving his family and relatives in mourning.61 According to the UNCT, priority needs in basic health services including child health (diagnosis and treatment of common illnesses; immunization; Vitamin A supplement), maternal health (antenatal care; delivery, postnatal care) and care of the chronically ill. The UN interim response plan is targeting 40,000 households (200,000 persons) for basic health care over three months, at a cost of USD 600,000. The view of the mission is that these figures will have to be revised upwards. 3.6.5 HIV and AIDS An estimated 24.6% of adult Zimbabweans are infected with HIV/AIDS.62 Assuming that the displaced population had an HIV/AIDS prevalence rate similar to the rest of population, the mission estimates that over 79,500 persons over 15 years of age living with HIV/AIDS have been displaced. The Operation has led to an increase of vulnerability and, probably, risky sexual practices and gender-based violence. It has also led to a disruption in HIV/AIDS services, particularly ARV treatment, home-based care and prevention. Immediate consequences likely include shortened life expectancy and death owing to lack of treatment and care in a situation where life expectancy has already dropped to only 33 years, malnutrition and exposure to the elements. Medium to long-term consequences include increased transmission of HIV, leading to higher infection rates and a more rapid progression of the disease that may only be detected over the next few years. 59 Confidential source. Testimonies submitted by women’s groups in meeting with the Special Envoy in Harare. 61 Confidential source. The mission did not receive confirmation or negation of this fatality from the authorities. 62 UNAIDS: AIDS epidemic update, December 2004. 60 39