Former President, Kenneth Kaunda, has observed that beauty queens, like other celebrities, have great influence and responsibility of helping to mould young people into responsible adults.
Dr. Kaunda said this was not an impossible task to achieve because young people viewed celebrities as role models.
He said this at the Tourism HIV and AIDS Public Private Partnership event for Beauty, Business and Brains debate held at Hindu Hall in Livingstone last evening.
Dr. Kaunda said the event marked an important milestone in collective efforts aimed at fighting HIV/AIDS and its negative impacts.
And US Ambassador to Zambia, Carmen Martinez, said people should actively participate in the fight against HIV by leading responsible lives at individual levels.
Ms. Martinez said her government believed in forging partnerships across borders and among public and private sectors.
She said joint efforts were fundamental in providing HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment services.
And United Nations Development Program, UNDP, has commended the Zambian government for reducing the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate from 15.6 per cent to 14.3 per cent in the country.
UNDP Country Representative, Aneanas Chuma, has since called on stakeholders to enhance partnerships with government to sustain positive results in the fight against the pandemic.
Mr Chuma said the UNDP is determined to support Zambia in the implementation of programmes for reduced prevalence of the disease.
He was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.
He noted that the HIV/AIDS pandemic is a global challenge as it has continued to ravage the productive age group of society hence depriving the key sectors of the economy of qualified human resource.
He said though the indicators are pleasing, much needs to be done in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
He called for huge investment in the health sector to achieve the intended targets in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on quality health care.
He disclosed that the UNDP has established Community HIV/AIDS Task Forces in communities to combat the HIV/AIDS scourge.
Yesterday, Health Minister, Brain Chituwo, announced a 1.3 per cent reduction in HIV/AIDS prevalence from 15.6 per cent to 14.3 per cent in a period of six year in a period of six year
.
Dr Chituwo said Government is happy that the knowledge about HIV and AIDS awareness remains very high at 99 per cent
The health minister attributed the development to Government’s determination to improving the health sector and also the active involvement of stakeholders efforts of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Dr. Chituwo announced that the HIV prevalence in rural areas decreased from 10.8 per cent in 2001 to 10.3 per cent in 2007 while in urban areas the figure slightly increased.
Zambia has not been spared by the HIV/AIDS pandemic but the government is tackling the scourge through a multi-sectoral approach.
“Dr. Chituwo announced that the HIV prevalence in rural areas decreased from 10.8 per cent in 2001 to 10.3 per cent in 2007 while in urban areas the figure slightly increased.”
Someone, on the other HIV/AIDS prevalence reduction rate (TOPIC, posted yesterday or so on LT), wrote that the decrease in urban areas has actually reduced much more than that of the rural ones.
Back to the topic, let the so-called beauty queens lead by example instead of them just talking and doing the opposite. Young people will follow actual actions as opposed to cheap talk advice.
But we club wif these pipo!!!
GOOD MORALS MUST BE INCOURAGED AT ALL LEVELS,ESPECIALLY THE WORKING CLASS.