Thursday, March 28, 2024

Defence forces not spared by HIV/AIDS

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The Ministry of Defence has launched an HIV/AIDS policy for the defence forces which provides guidelines on how best to continue defending the nation despite the ravages of HIV/AIDS on the military personnel.

The policy caters for the Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force (ZAF), and the Zambia National Service (ZNS).

Launching the policy at Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) in Lusaka today, Defence Deputy Minister Elijah Muchima observed that military personnel were more vulnerable to contracting HIV because of the nature of their job.

The military carry out duties that demand high geographical mobility in adventurous environments with long periods of absence from their homes, thereby increasing circumstances in which they can contract and transmit HIV.

Mr. Muchima said such an exposure would have negative effects on the Zambia Defence Forces’ combat preparedness if left unchecked.

He said combat preparedness in the military depended on the mental and physical fitness of the combatants, which he said could only be achieved if health standards among military personnel were not compromised.

“The impact of HIV and AIDS is felt more in the military than any other organisation because it is dependent on Zambian youths and citizens for its personnel,” he said.

Mr. Muchima hoped that the HIV/AIDS policy that has just been launched would provide a suitable environment for the military to achieve desired results.

The policy provides the framework for addressing the HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and tuberculosis (TB) situations in the military and outlines causes and factors that perpetuate transmission, including the debilitating effect on the Zambian defence force personnel and their families.

The policy further outlines workable interventions against HIV/AIDS at work places in operational areas such as peace keeping missions abroad and cantonment in general.

The Deputy Minister said the policy was well designed as it gave a lot of attention to areas such as care, prevention and support on people that were affected.

He thanked cooperating partners who provided various forms of support in formulating the Zambia Defence Forces HIV/AIDS policy.

Earlier, Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary, Medson Lisati said the HIV/AIDS pandemic has heavily reduced work forces and reversed many years of economic and social progress in the country.

Mr. Lisati said the military personnel have not been spared by the pandemic hence the need to put up measures that would address the effects of HIV/AIDS.

“A lot of military personnel have died from HIV and AIDS related conditions in the last three decades,” he noted.

Zambia recorded the first case of HIV/AIDS in the early 1980s. Today, the pandemic has become a major challenge to both the public health and social economic development of the country.

Currently, about 14 per cent of the country’s adult population, which is between the ages of 15 years and 49 years, is infected with HIV, of which 18 per cent are female while 13 per cent are male.

ZANIS/ENDS/KSH/AM

35 COMMENTS

  1. what the defence force must do is,when they send the soldiers to go and work somewhere(out of station) let them go with their wives. otherwise this Hiv thing WILL NEVER BE HISTORY IN OUR DEFENCE FORCE. I KNOW THESE GUYS BALIBA BAD NA MAULE.

  2. #1 & #2 you are thinking like babies. Even in US and Britain where human rights are highly observed no soldier can go into operations with his wife coz the area itself is more than dangerous. Look at Iraq surely you even know that its life and death then you go with your loved one who doesn`t even know how to take cover. Guys ninchito yopayana its not like business you do yapatuntemba where you can be side by side with your wife whilest selling tupamela.

    Its a good idea and this was implimented a long time ago in other countries. For this one keep it up mwebuteko.

  3. I would just advise members of the Defence Forces in particular Soldiers coz there are the vulnarable ones, to ABSTAIN.

  4. #4 You did not understand my comment and I am not thinking like a baby because I think it is ridiculous just because someone cannot be for sometime without sex he should have his wife with him all the time. You should be able to understand some humour. Guys wake up! There are other ways of getting it – what do you have a hand for?

  5. If you can’t abstain or use a condom, dig a small hole on the ground, pour in a bit of warm water and dip the mazooka.

    For more excitement, ‘waponyelamo naka nshaba’.

    Then you’re home and dry.

  6. Good idea #8! actually it is better to masturbate than lose your life. I have tried it a few times, aaaahhhhhhh!

  7. am sory there is no way u can send a soldier to war with his wife,zambian soldiers are just stupid cos each time they send them abroad for peacekeeping,when they come back with little dollars they run away from their wifes and marry prostitutes,also cos they are given half priced beer and become heavy drinkers.i joined the british army as a commonwealth citizen and currently we are about 46zambians,i have been to iraq at basra airport for 5months so there is no way u could go with your wife.

  8. #11 i challenge you to disclose your self.Right now am in the USA doing a course with the USA army and i will be coming to the UK for my vacation and x-mass in December.Dont cheat people even in the army where youare sevring because of your stupidity has foolish and drankard soldiers.Stupid coporal.may be you are a private.switch on kapala

  9. #12 i dont c the reason why u have to insult #11,why should he disclose himself,u can not compare british army with zambian,be realistic maybe u just wish u were the one in the british army,cos american army dont employ non american,i wonder what u do there,cos its only britain that allow citizens of her former colony to join her army,i reckon u just clean the hostels of the soldiers,stop attacking each other and concentrate on the topic u fool

  10. “Currently, about 14 per cent of the country’s adult population, which is between the ages of 15 years and 49 years, is infected with HIV, of which 18 per cent are female while 13 per cent are male.”

    I dont understand, 18% female and 13% male, what are the other 69% ? transexuals or what.

  11. For this maths, the 14% themsevelves are taken as a 100 per cent of themselves.So its 18% and 13% of the total, (100%) of the infected.

  12. #you an equal to # 11 ,i have done many years of servise to the Zambian army wich makes me proud.I have done courses both in the UK and USA including China.Ps dont cheat people Iknow the standars of a private soldier in the BA. #11 stareted by saying zambian soldiers r stupid and u r defending a fool who want 2 pretend that being a coparal in the BA is any beter than being an officer in the ZA. find out the standards of Army officers Mr immigrannt.Do you know what the same people say about you people who decided to serve in the their army instead of Defending your people?you r just foolish.

  13. #15, unama. To help you, it means 14% of the country’s adult population is infected with HIV. Therefore if this 14% is deemed a (100%)as you say, then 13% male and the 18% female of the 100%is infected. What about the balance of 69% which of course is also infected? Who are they? Thats why #14 is right. N’way, i stand corrected.

  14. c,tnued# How can you join the British Army in order to die for the British and their people when you are not British?So Bo Nyambe I told you I will be in the Uk (london) for my my vacation.I’m confortable with my life by any standards.I can take my family for a decent vacation once n a year any where in the world.Where can a soldier E1,E2,E3,E4 in the BA finf the money to do this apart from paying endless bills.Remember i have relations in britain even here in the USA.So stupid coparol switch on hombrey.

  15. Again #13 don’t display your ignorance.Who told you that the US doesn’t employ other nationals?You want to argue over some issues you have no knowledge about.Right now there are Zambians who are serving in the US army except they had to apply for citizenship here which would be very easy for me as i have had enough experince and education to do so.But Am not stupid.I joined zambia Army because am proud and Jelousy of my country.And i can assure you am going to rise to the highest rank.Wathc me.Why cant you apprecaite your own things or at least do something to make a change than making noise.

  16. #13 i have just noticed that you adressed me as a fool.ahh are you sure ! you senseless useless imigrant.uncircusised baboon have manners.Next time you do repeat i will tell you something you will never forget in your life.Dickhead d’u understand?

  17. # 14 and 15. Shushushu is right. That statement doesnt make sense at all. ‘Of which’ means of the adult population in question (the 14%). If we our focus is now on this group then we take it as a new 100%. If this is agreed then since male and female (acceptably)form the members of the population (unless there are signifivant transexuals like shushushu points out), then their %s must add up to 100, which is not the case above (13+18 =31%). Someone must explain what 69% is, if not the writer/editor must go back and study statistics or simple English grammar.

  18. Correction to #22….If our focus is now on this group then we take it as a new 100%. If this is agreed then since male and female (acceptably)form the members of the population (unless there are significant numbers of transexuals like shushushu points out),

  19. Yes I agree,there should be a new 100%; but true, in this case things don’t add up-sorry,unless the originating authority can clarify, makes no sense.

  20. Its possible to serve in the army and be faithful to your wife whilst on duty. You can use other means of “personal administration” like masturbation. Or maybe our soldiers can be kitted with sex toys like vibrators. Sounds foolish but it can help save a life.

  21. The statement on percentages needs to be expalianed as:
    Of the female population on their own (100%) 18% of them are positive and the other 88% are negative. Of the male population on their own (100%) 13% are positive and 87% are negative. In short it means there are more females who are positive than males. Then of the whole population combined males and females 14% are positive and the rest 86% is negative. The data is treated as three separate sample and should not be added. Nevertheless the mean average should still be 15.5% AND NOT 14%.

  22. In other words, according to the statements if there are 100 females and 100 males in the sample, then 18 females will be positive and 13 males will be negative. Altogether of the 200 people 31 will be positive which is 15.5%. I hope this will help those of us no very familiar with statistics. Goodday.

  23. Hello Bloggers, its unfortunate some of you have lowered the intillegence by making unreasonable comments about a disease that can kill any one either being careful or not. I will advise you all instead to contribute to the research that are being done to end this killer.Stop pointing fingers at a group people. The fact is that we all products of sex so is HIV 80% Unless you want to say humans should stop reproducing themselves then can you curb this disease completetly. ABC is good but not enough. We need a cure not prevention. I will remind you in the early 80s SIDA was being talked but no one talk this serious. Now it has spread worldwide,not only among soldiers.

  24. # 26, 27. I do not agree with your explanation. Here is what you must take into account: We have an HIV infected population of 14% of all adults (in the age group 15-49)countrywide, OF THIS (meaning now we focus on this HIV infected group)18% are FEM while 13% are MAL. Look at the quote,

    “Currently, about 14 per cent of the country’s adult population, which is between the ages of 15 years and 49 years, is infected with HIV, of which 18 per cent are female while 13 per cent are male.”

    Therefore there are no ‘negative ones’ in this population of the “HIV infected”. The explanation given on #22 stands.Dont confuse the readers further please.

    Apologies to all. A small matter of clarification

  25. Having consulted with someone who prepared the statistics used for the said report, I’m made to believe that the “of which” refered to the whole population (particularly those who have been tested) and not the infected people. I suppose it is lack of proper proof reading that resulted in incorrect language being used resulting in a misleading statement. If you wish to clarify futher you can consult the ministry of health.

  26. # 30 Thanks for that…it should help seeing that we debated and concluded purely on the article and not disputing the actual figures. LT must be serious. Out for now

  27. balumendo na bakashana pa nsanka napabula chipuba,elyashi elili pamwela likankala sana eicho uli namano nasendepo ifyamano,tekwesha ukukokelela abakashana na balumendo abasosafye efya mungulu ukwabula ukubomfya sikopo

  28. The issue of the defence force is not just going with their wives when going for peace keeping its all about being faithful and abstain. Because people in the army when they come back from their mission, thats when they start to behave in funny ways cause they have a little dollars which they are given. No one in the defence can go on tour with the wife cause the condition and environment cant allow. It nice to encourage them to be faithfull abstain or even use a condom. And again its nice that the governemt should give them some days to be with their families before they go.

    Abstain and being faithful is the best option

  29. When you hear that in a dinning hall with 22 plates only five have poison, and you have choice would you even try to eat or you just call it a day?? Thats about sex outside marriage and with an untested man/woman. It all comes back to choice, fellas. Just dont sleep around the risk is to heavy. You soliders, you always use stretegy in war…you just dont blindly go after an enemy….the analogy doenst mean that HIV women are enemies, but you have to use strategy to navigate the HIV risky, lest a bullet misses you and a virus gets you. I sound ruthless, insnt it? AIDS and infecting others is worse.
    Man hold your “guns’ and only shot when its safe for you and your family.

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