Zambia today commemorated the National Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) Day whose aim is to increase national access to VCT services.
Speaking during the commemoration whose theme is “take the lead, go for VCT,” Minister of Health Dr. Brian Chituwo said utilization of VCT services is still unacceptably low in Zambia.
Dr. Chituwo pointed out that only 15.6 percent of the population has accessed VCT services and undergone HIV/AIDS testing despite government and non-governmental organizations’ efforts to make VCT services widely available.
He stated that VCT is an entry point for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support saying focus must be directed towards vulnerable populations such as orphans, widows and the disabled.
Dr. Chituwo noted that HIV/AIDS continues to be a major public health concern to the country.
He pointed out that infection rates are still high in both urban and rural areas as they stand at 19.7 percent and 10.3 percent respectively.
Dr. Chituwo has since urged Members of Parliament, Traditional leaders, the church, civil society and other cooperating partners to mobilise all the citizens to access VCT.
Speaking earlier, United Nations Population Fund Country Representative Deji Popoola said though VCT is targeted at individuals it significantly benefits the general population as it provides information to reduce the risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV.
Dr. Popoola said wider knowledge of HIV status and its links to interventions will lead to a reduction in denial, stigma and discrimination.
And Network of Zambian People living with HIV Chairperson Mirriam Banda commended government for its commitment to providing the necessary services to reduce the HIV infection and prevalence rates.
“…only 15.6 percent of the population has accessed VCT services and undergone HIV/AIDS testing despite government and non-governmental organizations’ efforts to make VCT services widely available.”
This statistic is very low. Fellow Zedians let us go for VCT in numbers. As Dr Chituwo has rightly put it, “VCT is an entry point for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support” for everyone alive today.
Does this figure include the estimates from the Zambia Demographic Health Survey? I get claims CSO that the percentage is bigger than that.
Mwanawasa has a strok why is Zamnet.zm reporting it as high blood presure? POST, BBC CNN are saying he has a strok. I personally wish him a quick recovery. The days of lies and propaganda are over. Presidents are human beings and they can fall sick just like any other person. So why the fuss….
Fellow Zedians the importance of VCT can never be overemphasised. Our friends in the western world have laws which help to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS but in a country where 1/6 is ++ we do not have anything. That’s why people infect others anyhow. Infecting others knowingly must be a criminal offence and our politicians should work on laws to this effect. But with politicians like Shaka, I doubt.
Confidentiality must apply if success is needed? we need to seek other alternatives to increase participation. People must have the respect and confidentiality they deserve. their is no confidentiality as individuals affected have to line up at the centers to receive their medications, which is not right? some of our ministers take medications and we do not see them queing for the same, the same treatment should apply? privacy laws need to applied in Zed? that is why the health care workers came up with their office at Bennie Mwiinga housing project…?confidentiality must apply to every citizen? we all know the sigma that is attached with the disease?
Go for VCT and then what? Start ARVs? Got to be honest I do not trust stuff these westerners send to Africa.
Kuisungafye people, then there will be no need for VCT.
Perhaps VCT should be replaced by ICT ” involuntary counseling and testing”.
As long as it is still VCT, Kuisunga fye bwino. Why mental torture when i still look healthy? Kuya nga wambo kusungunuka.
why do you have to wait till wapoleka?
So sad to hear few people are accessing VCT. Much as i support VCT and knowing one’s status, my worry is that statistics are confusing here. Recently, it was reported that the prevalence rate had reduced and today its reported that few people go for VCT. This just gives me an idea of how irresponsible reporting, moderation of important data can ruin our country. By and large, we Zambians like being called “nice” and we dont want to “ALARM” the nation by reporting the TRUTH. The truth is, according to my opinion that the low figure reported earlier may have been due to few people accessing VCT hence a low percentage.
Otherwise the best is to keep oneself pure by not indulging in ILLICIT SEX
Peopl we can no longer hide in the “if you cant abstain use a condom” phrase. ABSTINENCE has never produced HIV positive people NOR have i heard that some one died because he or she was abstaining from sex.
The people who make condoms want money and so they will give you a language to defeat your inner ability of self control so you can buy their product. Lets think again. If i may tell you, condoms are very expensive in developed countries and quite rare to access yet you want to think, condoms brought to you are fine? Not really as they are not 100% safe mind you.
#10 be open minded,and donnot not be too categorical without facts.in the west,it is practically impossible to have unprocted sex outside marriege,its no condom no sex unless the relationship is at a very high level.donnot be so negative about condom use,and more importantly know that;not all pipo that are positive disregard the importance of abstinence,some did yet circumstances led them into the present state.think of the million rape victims,children,men and women who get it in marriege etc.conclusion:pipo go fo VCT,NO CONDOM NO SEX,ONE MAN ONE WOMAN,THUS,NO VCT NO UNPROTECTED SEX.PLZ ABSTAIN IF YU CAN=the best option ever.
now another issue for thoughts,hiv is a big public health concern in our country and beyound.thus,it calls fo radical measures at both individual and nationanl level.as an effective primary prevention strategy,why can’t hiv test be routine in public health institutions?yes it might be painful to the “victim” in the 1st instance,but what are the benefits of such a move to the patient,and at public health level?why play hide and sick till yu are wasted?why waste time till yo CD4 level is below recovery state? countrymen,lets think deep!! gogo zed.
#11 I think #10 i right. Condoms are very expepnsive in developed countries. There was a time condoms were being given for free in Zed (not sure this is still the case). I do not trust them!
You are wrong yet again by saying taboca (Icibempa please) without umupila. Makes you wonder why the rate of infection is so high in Africa. I know of a lady who has 3 children with different fathers, yet she is seeing another man now and chances are she is very HIV negative. Batata ngani ku Zed ngakalilila. Four different men! You are history in Africa.
How many people are having unprotected sex at any one time in Zambia and should we take it 14.3% of them could be HIV positive. After VCT then what? Are you going to pass a law that all HIV positive people should wear red arm bands or something like that? Just behave right, there will be no need for you to go for HIV test, call me antithetical but I for one think that we should change our strategy towards HIV/AIDS no just implore people to go for VCT for the sake of it.
Good for you zed.Try and get the word out for pipo to test.Its better to no and do something about it.
#12/#13,altitude change is vital no debate,abstenence is the ans.but alas history has it plain,sex matrix is too complicated right from the very begging of time.just go to dermatology clinic and see the STIs,go to gynacology dept and see the numb. of abortions per month,pipo have heard about abstenence,fornication,adultery,name it yet the animal in man still urges him to have sex.to such a man,the message is; be responsible by having protected sex,and later know yo status.our men and women of God have spoken for centuries on this matter yet right from getting the message, pipo go ahead and do the opposite,go thru history.
Problem is stigma. You find the pipo giving this service appear disappointed once they find you are negative and so they ask you to later again. Next time they tell to see them again and again …. So I get a the feeling they are disappointed to find individuals who are negative as they would like to justify the relevance of their existence. Am sorry, but there is a lot of money for this pandemic which has become an industry on its own, such that should someone come up with a cure there would be massive resistance due to the amount of livelihoods that would be threatened. There are pipo who have even specific phds in hiv only. What will happen to them if the disease comes to an end? W
#11, 12 & 16, i wonder which part of China you hail from.Tell me how many free condoms has the Chinese govt, rich as it is given out? Zero. You have to buy at the pharmacy/chemist. The same applies in the U.S and U.K. Nothing is for free my friend in the business world. Remember, some one is running a machine to churn out that rubber into the sheath and you think its a chariatable organisation? Nay. We should just face the facts squarely. It also goes for VCT, much as i support that one know’s his/her status, the question is where do you go from now on? The facilities in Zambia have not been upgraded to help those who are positive as there is no clear plan for them to follow. Actually most o
contd
Actually most of the pipo are just told to start ART even before some one tests for compatibility of the particular ARV to be administered. Thats why we see pipo suddenly become fat and again suddenly fall ill and die abruptly. One blogger touched an issue of stigma. There is little that has been done in Zambia and Africa as a whole to bring stigma levels down. This alone is enough to knock out someone’s hope for survival.
The best is YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL, REMAIN TRUE TO YOURSELF AND LEARN THAT THERE IS NO CURE AND THE VIRUS IS QUITE AGILE AT MUTATING INTO NEW AND NEW STRAINS. So keep your man/womanhood in a safe place called ABSTINANCE LOCKER. It will never depreciate as i have neve
never heard of a person who just exploded because the sexual drive was just too much. I think God made us with an escape valve if pressure builds up. On a masculine level, men tend to have this problem a lot becoz they like feeding their minds on sex 3/4 of the time each day while women are busy with some thing else than sex. So change your mindset and think about how you will enhance yourself rather than who you will sleep with just to satisfy your ego. VCT in itself is not an answer. I have done about 3 tests so far due to the nature of my work, i handle human blood sometimes in my research and so i need to do a bit of self quality control. But i have seen on all accounts that i have under
gone counselling, the counsellee, does not provide a clear way forward should i be found positive.
By the way, its mostly in AFRICA where i have seen a lot of adverts on HIV. When i visited Japan, i never saw or heard anything on TV or radio about HIV/AIDS.
#7 and 12, those are very good points.
We need true statistics and so there is need to test everyone who goes to a clinic, health centre or hospital at any time. However, the patient must be given a choice as whether he/she wants to know his/her HIV/AIDS status. The govt. can effect this move for all private and public hospitals.
THis move will help in national planning and service delivery. Let us not wait for the so-called STIGMA to derail our progress as a nation. We need every form of disaster management technique available to chart our way forward.
#10, I like those points too.
Yuta-you seem to doubt your status. As a positive person I urge everyone to get tested.ARVs work and you can lead a healthy life. Fear of the unknown is what is killing our people.
Let all leaders who are rushed out of the country go for VCT. Accordingly #24 they can lead a healthy life when they know the status and start taking ARVs instead of hiding in BP, strokes or heart attack
#25 kwena tau mfwa mwana. ati hiding in BP, strokes or heart attack. yah u made me laugh.
#19,20,21,26,yu made yoself crystal clear on abstenence,totally agree with yu.however,what’s wrong with provision of free condoms to poor masses who earn less than a dolla per month yet cannot abstain?yes out here they are sold,so what?do you have good reasons why that part of the world(sub sahara africa) is the worst hit?is it that they donnot abstain or they have not received the Word?lets keep rocking my friend?
# I use condoms only when i dont want my wife to get pregant suddenly without the two of us devoting to thinking of expanding our family. Other than that, i don’t. Yah condoms will be distributed free but for how long? Even when a 100% sure way of avoiding HIV/AIDS is rite within reach? Academics say people who continue to do something they have been told not to do are simply UN TEACHABLE and when the senate of a particular instiute of learning reaches to this comment, the affected student will kiss goodbye to such an institute, we have had plenty of students at UNZA and CBU who have been relegated to other colleges on this precept. The bottomline is this, if you ABSTAIN, you wont catch HIV