LUSAKA records approximately 185 new HIV infections everyday,
Community Development, Mother and Child Health Permanent Secretary Elwyn
Chomba has revealed.
Speaking in a speech read for her by Lusaka Province medical officer Tackson Lambart, Professor Chomba said Lusaka had a high prevalence rate of 20.8 per cent compared with other districts.
She was speaking when she launched the Universal Testing and Counselling Campaign for Lusaka District under the slogan 'Universal Testing and Counselling: Get Tested for HIV Now, Know Your HIV status Today', in Lusaka yesterday.
She said everyone should go for HIV testing every year through the health facilities when one was ill or during routine health checkups.
She said Zambia had a prevalence rate of 14.3 per cent that indicated a generalised mature epidemic infection that required stakeholders to support the universal testing intervention.
Prof Chomba was concerned with the low ratio of Zambians going for counselling and testing annually as the country had a high HIV existence.
She said the campaign was meant to cover all populations of people including tertiary learning institutions, schools, prisons and communities that may not be able to reach the static health facilities.
She said the HIV Testing and Counselling (HTC) Campaign played a role in HIV prevention as it served as an entry point into care and treatment.
"Before rolling out this activity at once, it was agreed that five districts be first selected as model ones for universal HTC campaign namely, Kasama, Luwingu, Solwezi, Chongwe and Lusaka," she said.
She said in recent years, multiple initiatives of HTC models that had been tried and tested across Lusaka district were a success.
Acting Lusaka district medical officer Matimba Chiko said the campaign would allow health personnel to follow people to communities door-to-door, public places like markets, prisons and schools to sensitise them on HIV testing and counselling in a bid to increase the numbers of those to go for VCT.
Dr Chiko encouraged people to access HIV testing and counselling services, care, treatment and support services.
Speaking in a speech read for her by Lusaka Province medical officer Tackson Lambart, Professor Chomba said Lusaka had a high prevalence rate of 20.8 per cent compared with other districts.
She was speaking when she launched the Universal Testing and Counselling Campaign for Lusaka District under the slogan 'Universal Testing and Counselling: Get Tested for HIV Now, Know Your HIV status Today', in Lusaka yesterday.
She said everyone should go for HIV testing every year through the health facilities when one was ill or during routine health checkups.
She said Zambia had a prevalence rate of 14.3 per cent that indicated a generalised mature epidemic infection that required stakeholders to support the universal testing intervention.
Prof Chomba was concerned with the low ratio of Zambians going for counselling and testing annually as the country had a high HIV existence.
She said the campaign was meant to cover all populations of people including tertiary learning institutions, schools, prisons and communities that may not be able to reach the static health facilities.
She said the HIV Testing and Counselling (HTC) Campaign played a role in HIV prevention as it served as an entry point into care and treatment.
"Before rolling out this activity at once, it was agreed that five districts be first selected as model ones for universal HTC campaign namely, Kasama, Luwingu, Solwezi, Chongwe and Lusaka," she said.
She said in recent years, multiple initiatives of HTC models that had been tried and tested across Lusaka district were a success.
Acting Lusaka district medical officer Matimba Chiko said the campaign would allow health personnel to follow people to communities door-to-door, public places like markets, prisons and schools to sensitise them on HIV testing and counselling in a bid to increase the numbers of those to go for VCT.
Dr Chiko encouraged people to access HIV testing and counselling services, care, treatment and support services.
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