Thursday, March 28, 2024

Zambia to receive US$269.2m for HIV/AIDS fight

Share

Zambia is to receive US$269.2 million to support comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care programmes this year from the United States Government’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Last year, Zambia was given US$216 million but US President George Bush has since decided to increase the figure towards scaling down the HIV/AIDS prevalence rates that considerably vary from one town to the other in the country.

This is according to a press statement released by the US Embassy in Lusaka and made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

The statement states that PEPAR has partnered with the Zambian government to expand the number of VCT sites providing ART to help improve quality of care and increase ART uptake among children and adults.

The statements indicates that a total of 151,900 Zambians have so far this year benefited from PEPFAR and they are receiving ART and that 59, 708,000 condoms were shipped from America to Zambia towards the HIV/AIDS fight.

Zambia is experiencing a generalised HIV/AIDS epidemic with a national HIV prevalence rate of 15.2 percent among adults aged 15 to 49 whose primary modes of HIV transmission is through heterosexual sex and mother to child transmission.

The Zambian government through the National HIV and AIDS Strategic 2006-2010 framework has prioritised making anti-retroviral therapy (ART) available to all the people in need.

But the major challenge government is faced with is inadequate human resources for counseling, testing and treatment related care, gaps in supply of drugs in the public sector and low pay among the Zambian workers.

Other challenges includes the high levels of stigma which hinders people from seeking treatment and care, lack of information and high levels of misinformation.

At least 600,000 children were left orphaned by HIV/AIDS last year and Zambia is being robbed off the productive age group unless people change their life styles to the killer disease.

Zambia is one of the beneficiaries of PEPFAR in 15 countries world-wide.

ZANIS/KC/AM/ENDS

30 COMMENTS

  1. Now where this money goes only God knows…more Pejaros for the tu ma NGO’s and their boses and no reduction on the level of infection/ transmissions/ deaths…God help us.

  2. 1. How much of that money is going for ‘education’,i.e. seminars and conferences?
    2. What has been the impact on the number of AIDS/HIV cases after the availability of ART?
    3. What percentage of that money will be spent on campaigning for abstinence?

    All I see are people in their 4x4s running NGOs. It is a lucrative business on par with prostitution but prostitutes have more integrity.

  3. that money can do a lot if not handed in wrong hands, please stop stealing funds like this ,use it for orphans and intended purpose

  4. It will all be spend on Pajeros and Raiders for so-called programe officers and huge salaris all sorts of opportunits in NGOs – some of the highest paid people in Zambia. It will go to sponsoring several trips to Siavonga and L/stone for endless workshops where they will have insanely high daily allowances. Only about 10% of the money will actually reach the people.

  5. People have made careers out out of this AIDS thing. The last thing they want is a cure to be found or this kind of money actually put to good use to reduce its spread and therefore consequently put them out of business. Its sad. Wonder how they sleep.

  6. I agree there is so much too say on this topic! so I won’t say much on the role of “ngos”!! One thing I have always felt is that we need to recognise the prevalence of STIs through human history. Bane, we can’t stop people from enjoying by scaring them. It has never and will never work. Our collective African problem is ignorance and stigma. We are not open about sex and we are not open about a silent culture of unfaithfulness in marriage. If I were in govt. I would definitley lobby for a law to make it compulsory for a couple seeking marriage to have an STI screen. Its the only way to know for sure. The info remains between you, your intended and the VCT centre, but you get a certificate

  7. contd. to say that at least the two people in question know what te story is. Let me tell you, it would do a lot to stop people from engaging in dangerous acts. I can predict an increase in condom sales if that was the case. Better than millions of dollars disappearing into the black hole of “charity” work when we have so much that is already mismanaged at home.

  8. ‘Zambia is to receive US$269.2 million to support comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care programmes this year from the United States Government’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).Last year, Zambia was given US$216 million but US President George Bush has since decided to increase the figure towards scaling down the HIV/AIDS prevalence rates that considerably vary from one town to the other in the country.’ Thanks Goerge W. Bush for this. You have been good to us Zambians.

    GRZ, when shall we start doing things for ourselves and reduce on waiting for help always?

  9. I would have found a cure for AIDS if you had voted for me…

    maybe now I can also form an NGO – and my 3rd wife who is a Dr will be Executive Director. Fr Bwalya will be on the Board and offer moral and religious direction. Those interested in accessing the funds or drugs must apply directly to me and show proof of PF membership and how much they have donated to the party. Willie Nsanda & GBM will vet the applications.

    Please support me

    Chief kaponya
    His Useless MCS

  10. There is only December remaining for this year When is Zambia going to recieve and is that figure correct sounds like alot of money. How is it used and on what projects. The impact is not being felt or seen

  11. Pepfar funding is administered by Usaid and Usaid employs Americans so it will end up back in America. Much as we would like to think that the money will buy Pajeros, well actually it will, these cars will be emblazoned with Usaid labels. Everything bought with Usaid money is labeled you can get dizzy. And getting money from Usaid is like getting juice from a stone. Don’t diss the NGOs too much. Most of the work they do is government work and the differences and improvements you see in Zambia are largely due to these NGOs. Amen

  12. This HIV/AIDS is more like a business. Whoever goes into it wants to enrich themselves first, and then, then, then later on maybe then think of the viticms.

  13. American funds only go to those who do not advocate condom usage. The church mostly are the ones who get these funds. However, a large component goes back to America, through consultants, travel, insurance and even drugs. We end up supporting American businesses like those making ARVs.

  14. Yeah right ba munkoyo why not start up something like it then? Wait and see where this crisis takes us. I hope it is for real so that America stops giving to that s)t)u)p)i)d continent.

  15. After all the sensitization programs we have seen over the years, why is it that we still have people getting HIV/AIDS through sex. Who are these people. Is it those who have never heard about aids? Or could it be that people know about the risks but they go take them any way. Just who is getting HIV, aprt from innocent babies through breast feeding?

  16. POPLE YOU MUST VISIT COUNTRIES LIKE BOTSWANA WHOSE HIV/AIDS TREATMENT PROGRAM IS 90% GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AND HAVE UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO ANTI RETRO VIRAL TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF MOTHER TO CHILD AND SUPPORT FOR OHANS AND MILK FOR BABIES IF FREE OF CHARGE PLUS PORRIAGE AND FOOD FOR THE INFECTED PERSON FREE SUPPORT FROM THE MONEY GOVERNMENT GET FROM SELL OF THEIR MINERALS. SO THERE IS NO REAL POVERTY HERE OR POOR VILLAGES 50% OF VILLAGES HAVE ELECTRICITY AND RUNNING WATER: DONOR SUPPORT IS FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND CAPAITY BUILDING AND ONLY A HAND FULL OF NGOS, WORLD BANK IS EVEN NOT KNOWN AS A DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTION. NOMBA PA ZED BULANDA BUSHALA!!

  17. People know about the risks and take them anyway. You know how men are when they see a seemingly innocent beautiful young woman with a dazzling body. Thats before they drink beer. What about when the beer is between thier two cheeks and it gets to the inside of the skull? there’s no turning back. When The song Carolina is blasting at that pub, who ever thinks of akashi shi ?

  18. All those who are running Tuntemba type of NGO’s will cry foul and commit suicide should the remedy for AIDS be discovered!

  19. oh boy not another HIV=AIDS post. People wake up and smell the fuqqin coffee brewing. I almost alwayswant to cry when I read some of these posts about this issue because most of ya’ll seem to be missing the damn point altogther. You have been so brainwashed that, what you see/hear in the media is what you ultimately believe. But, truthfully, that’s your fault. This hiv=aids thing is a business, my friends. The phamarcuetical companies have the upper hand and what they say goes. Because poeple are so terrified and scared of this so called AIDS, they will but into anything. Haven’t you guys noticed that, these NGOs that are popping up everywhere now more than ever before. And oh, they all have ONE thing in common. I dare you to guess what it is….

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading