ZAMBIA STILL RANKED AMONG THE 10 COUNTRIES WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV.

BY BOSTON MUVWANGA
The National Aids Council (NAC) says Zambia still ranks among the 10 countries with the highest number of people living with HIV.
NAC Acting director general John Mwale says the total estimated number of people living with HIV is 1.2 million of 500,000 do not know their HIV status and about 80,ooo of these are adolescents.
Mr. Mwale has however disclosed that the country been able to stabilize the HIV epidemic saying the HIV prevalence rate decreased from 15.6% in 2002 to 11.6% in 2016.
The NAC Acting director has added that the rate of new infections has in the past 7 years dropped by more than 41% while 800,000 people are on anti-retroviral Therapy.
Mr. Mwale said the council remains committed to ensuring that interventions aimed at combating the spread of HIV/AIDS are fully implemented.
Mr. Mwale was speaking when the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) handed over condom dispensers to NAC.
And UNFPA Country Representative Mary Otieno bemoaned the low condom use especially among young people.
Dr. Otieno says condoms have proved to be among the key drivers of reducing new HIV infections in countries such as south Africa hence the need to promote condom use among sexually active groups.

What's your reaction?
0Like0Dislike

Leave a Comment