Zambian Intellectuals slowing down HIV/AIDS campaign

Sinazongwe District HIV/AIDS Task Force Coordinator (DATF) has said most educated people’s fear to come for Voluntary Counseling and testing (VCT) is hindering the combating of the deadly HIV/AIDS pandemic in the country.

 

Mr. Lester Nambale said in Sinazongwe at an HIV/AIDS discussion that most intellectuals find it difficult to go for HIV test for fear of their position in society, their peers, and their family.

 

“Intellectuals want to hide their real self for fear of their peers, this attitude is killing them, they have to change it if we are to slow down the rate of HIV infections,” he said.

 

A Nurse in charge of VCT at Maamba Hospital Martin Muloongo said the response for people coming for VCT from

Maamba Township was poor.

He said most people in the

Maamba Township fail to come for VCT while those from low income groups in the villages were the ones making use of the VCT clinic at the Hospital.

Mr. Muloongo said the response from women was encouraging while men are not too willing to come for VCT.

Maamba Hospital Clinical Officer Kelson Lungu noted that people should change their attitude to reduce the HIV/AIDS pandemic which is spreading so fast.

Mr. Lungu said the continued attitude of people to ignore the problem of HIV/AIDS would worsen the already high levels of the pandemic.

 

“First an individual must examine himself and change the attitude if we are to reduce the HIV/AIDS rates,” Mr Lungu said.

The National HIV/AIDS/ STI/ TB Council (NAC) publication states that despite the effort to hold leaders accountable in 2006, progress in halting HIV is failing to meet the targets.

The publication adds that over 25 million people have been lost of HIV/AIDS through out the world and 4.5 million people were infected with HIV in 2006.

Courtesy of  ZANIS