A senior government official in eastern province is concerned that high poverty levels in rural areas have worsened the HIV/AIDS situation in the areas.
Eastern Province Permanent Secretary, Kelvin Kamuwanga, said poverty has made most people, particularly women more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.
Mr. Kamuwanga was speaking in a speech read for him by eastern province Assistant
Secretary, Binwell Mwansa, during the official launch of Treatment Advocacy and
Literacy Campaign, TALC, hub in Chipata yesterday.
He said infected people, in most cases, failed to access the medical facilities due
to long distances to health centres.
And regional HIV/AIDS Task Force Coordination Advisor, Admason Chongwe, urged
stakeholders to work in collaboration to effectively combat the scourge.
“People’s lives will only change, especially on stigma if drama groups are used to
sensitize them. That is the only way to reduce the number of infections through
increased awareness,” he said.
Meanwhile, TALC National Programmers Manager, Felix Mwanza, said the mandate of his organization was to ensure that people living with HIV and AIDS had quick access to
antiretroviral treatment.
The TALC Eastern hub received a computer after the launch which it would use scale
up the response in the mitigation and prevention of HIV/AIDS.
