The Zambia Prevention Care and Treatment Partnership, ZPCT, has given Chiyeke Rural Health centre in Chavuma over K300 million for HIVand AIDS programmes.
ZPCT Programmes Officer, Ernest Phiri, said during the launch of voluntary
counselling and testing at the week-end, that the funds would be used to procuring
equipment, training of staff and renovating of structures at the centre.
Mr Phiri said K46 million would be spent on purchasing chemistry and haematology
analysers for the laboratory, to be used in the detection of HIV.
District Commissioner, Frobisher Fulayi, said the funds have been released at the
time when the the district is experiencing an economic boom that has created an
increase in population hence the need for intensified HIV/AIDS prograammes.
Mr Fulayi said the district is faced with a lot of challenges due to its proximity
to the border, adding that the discovery of oil and gas would create a lot of
economic activities.
He said the major frustration the district is facing at the moment in the fight
against HIV/AIDS is the lack of tribal boundaries between Zambia and Angola a
situation that has created a rise in intermarriages in the area.
He reiterated government’s commitment to partner with all stakeholders in the fight
against HIV/AIDS, saying government alone could not afford to reach out to everyone.
Speaking earlier, District Director of Health, Christopher Likando, bemoaned the low
number of people living with HIV/AIDS, currently placed on Antiretroviral treatment.
Mr Likando said out of the expected 120 only 30 people were receiving ARVs and
attributed the low number to lack of VCT facilities in the district as people were
made to travel to Zambezi to access the services.
