Copperbelt Provincial AIDS Coordinator and Advisor has challenged the country to reduce dependency on donor funds for HIV/AIDS programmes.
Violet Mongeza said government and other stakeholders should be able to mobilize funds from local corporate entities because most donors were currently struggling with their own financial crises.
Ms Mongeza said business houses should also offer to assist in the fight against the HIV and AIDS pandemic because the scourge also affects them.
Ms Mongeza was speaking in Kitwe yesterday during a World AIDS Day preparatory breakfast meeting organized by the National AIDS Council for Chief Executive Officers of Kitwe based corporate organizations in an effort to lobby their support to the World AIDS day commemoration which falls on December 1.
Kitwe has been chosen to host this year’s National World AIDS Day Commemorations.
The decision has been arrived at due to this year’s theme which is targeting youths and Kitwe happens to have the highest population of youths compared to other districts in the country.
The Copperbelt province also has the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the country which stands at 23 per cents while the average national rate is at 14 per cent.
And Kitwe District commissioner Elias Kamanga appealed to business houses in the city to sponsor the organization of the World AIDS Day commemorations and ensure that that it becomes successful.
Mr Kamanga said HIV and AIDS is a serious health problem that cuts across all social economic fabric as such tackling it needs consented efforts from both government and the private sector.
This year’s World AIDS day will be commemorated under the theme ‘Getting to Zero; I am a Youth Making a Change for an HIV Free Zambia’.
ZANIS
Donor money for HIV is important for economy. How many people have built houses & driving nice cars in the name of HIV/AIDS? What kind of adviser is that Mongeza?
“Violet Mongeza said government and other stakeholders should be able to mobilize funds from local corporate entities because most donors were currently struggling with their own financial crises.”
Windfall tax.