Opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema has said that the UPND will minimize new HIV/AIDS infections using different strategies if the party forms government after January 20, 2015 presidential elections.
In statement released to media to the media today, Mr Hichilema said: ” A UPND Government under my leadership will work hard to ensure that we minimise new infections using different strategies. We will ensure that no one person who is supposed to be under treatment has recourse to take the state to task. We pledge to ensure that care services are commensurate with the minimum standards that won’t compromise their human dignity.”
Below is the full statement:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
1st December 2014
Lets us Continue the Fight against HIV and AIDS
Today December 1st is World AIDS Day. This is the time to sit back and reflect where we are coming from and where we want to go as a country.
At the turn of the century, people suffering from HIV faced a lot of discrimination. People that suffered from the disease never had hope of living normal lives. The nation was fortunate in that around the same time, there was a change of Presidency and Mwanawasa took over who immediately declared this scourge a national disaster. Since then a lot of progress has been made, from 20% prevalence we are down to less than 14% all because of proper leadership.
In the past three years however we have seen a spike in new infections amidst a questionable supply of ARVs. The spike is due to hardships people are facing while some have relapsed due to lack of a steady supply of ARVs because of Government mismanagement of the procurement process. The past three years should have moved us from 14% downwards but it has not.
Our healthcare system needs attention. Some progress has been made in building more clinics and facilities in recent times. These developments are very welcome. However, we need to make sure these are staffed properly, have the right medicines available and that they are affordable, otherwise they won’t do any good.
A UPND Government under my leadership will work hard to ensure that we minimise new infections using different strategies. We will ensure that no one person who is supposed to be under treatment has recourse to take the state to task. We pledge to ensure that care services are commensurate with the minimum standards that won’t compromise their human dignity.
As we observe this day, let us not forget that everyone is affected by HIV and AIDS in one way or another. Let us therefore encourage more people to go for voluntary testing and counselling (VCT). Knowing your status is the first step, We should all know our status.
I also want to thank every single person and organisation that works day in and day out to address the problem. I know you work under tough conditions with limited resources to reach everyone you need to. Please continue your good work. We are grateful.
I thank you.
Hakainde Hichilema
UPND President
At this rate we are going which is supossedly mac2 speed. ..Very soon the guys will be promising to raise the dead…
It seems HH is the best candidate as things stand.
Well done HH for spearheading this infectious and deadly disease that has claimed millions of lives if not billions.
Meanwhile, Anarchy continues in PF & MMD as Mike Mulongoti has become the incoming “Munkombwe”. Mulongoti is busy endorsing any one from RB to Edgar Lungu.
49 days left and counting.
Keep it up HH, that’s the leadership Zambia needs and wants, hope people wake up from their slumber and vote with their heads.
he has not promised.
it is a the journalist who is trying to murder HH while doing a good job of reporting. HH has to say what he is going to and when he says that he is not really promising but assuring the voter that given the chance he will change the situation.
so there is nothing wrong with him saying what he wants to do
Ba LT, what is your agenda?
The man did not say “They will minimise new HIV infections”. He said they “will work hard to ensure that we minimise new infections using different strategies”
The two statements are very very different.
That’s true Permalink. What amazes me is this chap does not tell the how. to many question marks
Uko……yaba. …..
Zambian Politicians kuti
waseka mwe. …HH next promise. …..raise people from the dead……
HH over-promising
HH false hope
Don’t vote for HH
2015 vote PF
I thank you
Looks like HH has already started running government affairs whilst PF spear themselves to a painful demise. PF….. Fight, fight, fight!!
HH promiser in chief. . I think
HH is just feeling giddy. …
In Bemba ati eleumfwa
Umundowendowe….
but that giddy feeling won’t go beyond January 20….
2015 vote PF
I thank you
Please HH, You have already done good, but these Promises will cause you problems. You mean Zambian Leadership never learn from Mistakes?? we had 90days stories and now you are also busy making promises??
Please get My Advise, Talk less and surprise Zambians. You will be under pressure to fulfill these Promises which would lead you to have wrong priorities.
You are Educated please stop this and people with what you thing will Improve our Economy and Lives of Zambians.
Are you there when People are doing each other for you to minimize Infections?? Please Stop this?? It all Propergander
Promise promise promise promise and HH will soon run out of Promises. …kwena
when it comes to promises HH takwata akaso. ..he is a very generous promiser….easier said than done..
He can promise all he want…but January 21 someone else be heading to the State house
2015 vote PF
I thank you
See for yourselves how dull some PF cadres on this blog are?? This is what HH said…
“A UPND Government under my leadership will work hard to ensure that we minimise new infections using different strategies. We will ensure that no one person who is supposed to be under treatment has recourse to take the state to task. We pledge to ensure that care services are commensurate with the minimum standards that won’t compromise their human dignity.”
Now look at their responses and LT’s headline… there for all to see.
‘HH Promises to minimise new HIV infections by using different strategies’
Let’s boot them out!! Twalema nazo mwe!! Kavuluvulu everyday. Seleni tu bombe bane!
Zambians probably believe this nonsense. We all know what it takes to avoid AIDS and it is not HH!
Great statement ! Politics is about competing on how you will fix social and economic problems. And this is what HH is doing.
Today is World Aids Day, what did you expect HH to say?
Hahaha you have cracked me kikikikiki
And whats with the Kneeling ? Are you that desperate? Desparado ?
The Privatisation thief has absolutely nothing to offer.
He does not pay taxes ,he owes ZRA huge sums like mumembe in taxes .VAT and PAYE.
Ever wondered why he does not condemn membe for not paying taxes. ?
Eish, am now worried about these promises flying left right and centre. Badala muli kabotu? Is everything okay? I’m sure before this campaign season is over, you are going to make the ultimate promise that will bring PF cadres to UPND- As HH and UPND under my Government, I will bring Sata back to life, vote for us– I can’t wait to hear that
Observer
Please tell them aisha….uyu musankwa HH tali kabotu..
Blah blah blah blah
too much kusabaila
2015 vote PF
I thank you
It seems HH is the best candidate as things stand.
Well done HH for spearheading this infectious and deadly disease that has claimed millions of lives if not billions.
Meanwhile, Anarchy continues in PF & MMD as Mike Mulongoti has become the incoming “Munkombwe”. Mulongoti is busy endorsing any one from RB to Edgar Lungu.
49 days left and counting.
Keep it up HH.
LT what are u trying to achieve.Discredit HH or what.Please use correct head lines.I know u can do better than these stupid headlines of yours.
I think LT just quoted your HH. Just tell your HH to stop politicising everything. There was no need to politicise HIV and blame PF for the rise in infections by your HH. HIV is a social issue and not a political football please.
@Observer. No Sir.
They are not quoting. They are deliberately twisting the statement.
HH DID NOT SAY “we will minimise new HIV infections”.
He said “will work hard to ensure that we minimise new infections.
In short in order to accomplish anything, effort is required. Right now the whole world is WORKING VERY HARD to stop Ebola.
Slow down on the many promises you’re making HH, it may come back to haunt you. Be realistic. Don’t end up being like Sata. Be real.
Czar
It’s called under 5 politics. ..
Job on training. …
He thinks Zambians are fools but he will be shocked on January 21
HH over-promising
HH false hope
Don’t vote for HH
2015 vote PF
I thank you
How many promises has he made? He is telling about his STRATEGIES against spread of HIV. He is NOT promising cure! Because of your hatred, you cant even understand simple things.
On the promises, i agree….
Too many promises been delivered, but in my view, HH seems to be the “best” candidate so far,….!
What new strategies? Castration…get ready gentle men…….next it will be rain in may…
The only different strategy is wearing double con-doms at one time
HH is focusing on what affects every Zambian. Those simply just reading headlines might dismiss him prematurely.
But that is only because media have their own twisted agendas.
HH has had the best training of the lot. He has seen how those before him have failed. He has acknowledged the few good things that have been done…
I am half Bemba, half Easterner….and I am proud to give HH, the Tonga warrior, my full support.
I am tired of thieving incompetent Bemba politicians and I challenge my fellow tribesmen to state how they have benefited from monkeys and mice in plot one. Nada.
I urge you all to chose class above trash (sorry Edgar but it’s true), experience over opportunism, Tonga over Bemba/Malawian
Ta.
Ta.
Ba LT
Am also suspicious of these LT reports on upnd and hh,the over use of the words,,hh promise this, that is not in good faith of the man and his message. Ba LT what is your agenda? Even where hh is simply explaining the way things ought to have been done in a better way..ati hh has promised this ..that.
And this are some of the ways to minimise.Encouraging married couples to go for vct,school children and employees will be lectured about risky factors of hiv and sticking to ABC method,care givers will be at liberty to collect ARV’s for patients while patients will be taking there meds on time and always go for cd4check ups whenever due.Medical staffs and paramedics will be increased to attend to those queuing at health centres for attention.while condoms will be free of charge in public drug store and retail shops.Testing Pregnant mothers will be mandatory to control mother to child transmmision..the other ways tba.
Today is World AIDS DAY you f.o.ols.! That is a statement to that effect.
Haleisa haleteka..Zambia United, we will minimise using strategies, supply of ARVs, more people on ART, well equiped clinics and hospitals and well well staffed
more awareness………….more codoms
Chumbu Mulolwa
(Asp LT BB2015)
This Lusaka times I think is really against HH, coz whatever he says they are twisting into promising promising and promising.
Alisondokende
Mau Mau
You sound a bit disappointed with your candidate HH….
Don’t blame LT ….HH is the one promising. ….you guys are already finding people to blame…i don’t know what will happen on the January 21..coz HH with his promises will lose the elections. .
This topic has only 303 views and 35 comments. ..do you know why…?????
2015 vote PF
I thank you
(HH) has promised to put first Zambian on the moon. (HH) promises to expedite Ebola cure research. (HH) promises to release political prisoners Kanene and Masumba.
HH over-promising
This guy is so desperate and power hungry….he is now behaving like he took money from shylock the money lender….walikongola kaloba..
nishani being so desperate.
HH if it was meant to be..it shall be you don’t have promise heaven on earth….just be realistic …Zambians might be suffering but they are not fo!#ls…
just like in business. .people think twice before buying from someone who is so desperate to sell….most of my friends who started liking you are now having some second
thoughts……even the same blessed voter who is reading this comment right now is doubting you…..Mr Haleisa Halepromisa
2015 vote PF
I thank you
@ Katondo Boys
2015 Vote HH
I thank you
@ Katondo Boys
2015 Vote HH
I thank you