Thursday, March 28, 2024

People living with HIV condemn discussion of President Lungu’s HIV status

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President Edgar Lungu
President Edgar Lungu

The Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign has strongly condemned the malicious publication of confidential medical records of any person living with an infectious communicable disease.
TALC Country Director Felix Mwanza said whether the records published by some electronic media house on the health status of President Lungu are genuine or indeed false is immaterial.

Mr Mwanza said the paramount issue is that such publications violate the right to privacy and confidentiality which are protected by the Zambian Constitution.

‘These rights are also protected under medical ethical rule on confidentiality. Therefore any person’s HIV status may only be disclosed to a person or group if that patient consents to it being made known to that person,’ he said.

He said the published prescriptions make sad reading as testing and treatment of communicable diseases including HIV, STD’s and TB are necessary components of disease prevention and control which if coupled with stigma and discrimination of infected individuals easily become barriers to care and has been widely recognized to affect testing, access to care, and treatment.

The Zambianwatchdog recently published a copy of a prescription dated 2nd June 2014 for Edgar Lungu.The prescription contained the following drugs Zytiga, Abiraterone Acetate, Atripla 600mg, (Efravirenz 600) Calcitriol and Alpha D3 (0.5mg) for ESRD(End stage renal disease).Atripla is an antiviral medication that prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from reproducing in your body.

TALC Country Director Felix Mwanza said stigma and discrimination can be strong disincentives for people to learn their health status, access medical care, and disclose their status to sex partners, family, friends, and medical providers. Additionally, such discrimination can lead to loss of employment and housing, estrangement from family and society, and increased risk of violence.

He said TALC calls on all Zambians to condemn stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV in order to promote and increase screening, testing, treatment, and prevention efforts.
‘Ending the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with communicable diseases is an important step to improving individual health and protecting the public’s health and begins by taking positive action to condemn malicious publication of people’s medical records without consent,’ Mr Mwanza said.

Approximately 1.1 million people are living with HIV infection with a national prevalence rate of HIV at 13.3%.

114 COMMENTS

  1. Don’t say people it’s akainde who speaks through his sponsored zwd media. This is the start of his campaigning program.

    • It could be in everyone’s interest if the president just came out and said the truth about his health status. Besides, it’s not a crime to have an illness but it’s in the best interest of the country. Keeping mute is not helping at all.

    • And that is the reason I never read that salacious, scandalous, written by a grade nine drop-out ZWD. Their intent is always malicious, period. That said, those prescriptions are a farce. Am in the medical field and any doctor who prescribes those medications for a patient to take at any one time is a bush doctor. You are literally killing your patient and need your license revoked. I am appalled at the responses of most people here in support of this atrocious act by ZWD. This is beyond politics. Wrong is wrong.

    • Under unwavering tempo of public suspicion and distrust culminating from unparalleled desperation, HH has totally closed the door to prospects of winning the confidence and respect of Zambians. This whole smear program is not just flying with respect of Zambians who understand that a bitter and hateful sadists is not what deserves to entrust with instruments of power. What got these stunts of fake prescriptions, HIV, cancer and mama Ester’s command of the Queen’s language got to do with winning people’s vote? Mama Ester speaks very good English with excellent accent than most UPND members. These fake prescriptions are cookies of Dr. Banda and Larry Mwitwa cam Wanzelu based in the UK. Time is running out for UPND. This whole xenophobia has just crash landed UPND instead.

    • Just so Shocked!!

      HH knows about privacy laws in our constitution and he also knows about the medical ethics policy and rules. The prescriptions whether false or true, for a man of integrity should have been very quickly condemned by himself knowing that it was wrong to publicise or print that. Zambia as a nation we want to be developed which means copy these first world countries. If HH was in one and he didn’t he would have been sacked by the masses. Its Zambia. Hungry no Morals just living by stupor.
      HH was said to have spent a night with Maureen and only came out after whole day. Did he have endless supply of condoms that lasted for ever. What if Ba Maureen was sick??
      So Lets ignore Immature posts with Zambian watchdog but concentrate on real issues. Fore nonsense and laughs…

    • The right to privacy caused the death of 149 innocent people plus the stupid pilot in the Germanwings plane crash. If the co-pilots employers knew he was sick and unfit, as indicated by his doctor, to fly on that day, all the people he killed would be alive today. We need to know Lungu’s status so that we’re prepared for the inevitable.

    • Bloggers from Time,

      As you have know over countless years I have supported HH. Not that he has posted this prescription but as a leader to be with moral he should have come out and mean fully condemned the publication.
      If the incumbent had lied as a person looking to assume power he should have used channels availed to him. He so disappointing and there just more and more people without his initial vision following just insulters. I hope says something about this to bring these UPND moron supporters in line to know we have never stood for this. An shame them. If he doesn’t them its a sad story.

    • Its the hiding of the Aids virus that has led to over one million people getting infected. Surely, if one does know the status of another, especially those who cheat on their loved ones, are the sole causers of spreading the AIDS epidemic.

      1 million Zambians are infected with the deadly disease is not a joke but a serious issue that needs attention & education is part of the key in this matter.

      Everything its Donchi Kubeba sickness. Lets face reality, some people who know that they are carrying the deadly virus are the ones at the peril of infecting others deliberately.

      I realized that, most Zambian parents ignore the fact & topic of sex in their homes. Its a responsibility of every parent to teach their children the facts of unprotected sex or sleeping around.

      Skeleton Key…

    • MUSHOTA AS MUCH I HAVE ESCAPED THIS SCURGE I HAVE FAMILY WITH IT.

      YOUR’RE A PAINFUL CLITORAL CANCER THAT PAINS YOUR MOTHER EVER TIME SHE USES THE TOILET. MAY THE WHOR.E DIED WITH IT

      THANKS

    • HIV is now a manageable disease. Zambians move with the times.

      Zambian Watchdog, judging by their name are a pack of starved wild dogs looking for a morsel here and there.

    • @ Cat Power, why should HH comment on what the DOGS write, if he did that , he would spend all his time doing just that instead of campaign and selling himself. One thing I know for sure, ZWD was right about Sata , and even then they Watchdog was wholesomely condemned, but as they say, the rest is history.

    • WE ARE TOO CIVILIZED TO BE MAKING PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV A ISSUE FOR POLITICAL GAIN. SEEMS SOME OPPOSITION HAVE RUN OUT OF WHAT TO CAMPAIGN ABOUT, NOW IT’S ALL SICK THIS SICK THAT. NEXT TIME THEY WILL SAY “BECAUSE LUNGU GET BITTEN BY MOSQUITO OR COZ HE EATS CHICKEN SO HE IS NOT FIT”. TWANAKA NAFYO IFYABUPUBA MWEBAKULU BONSE, LANDENIKO FIMBI OR JUST SHUT UP AND LET THE PRESIDO DO HIS WORK IN SILENCE

    • The hardest thing to do for most people is to accept personal responsibility. We live in a “victim” culture. The nerve and ignorance of some muthaf#$@ here is contemptuous and overwhelming. A good number of bloggers here are no different from the very people they are attacking – HH or ECL.

    • Sata poupularized there phrase, “Red lips.”
      What goes around, comes around, people.
      Be careful whose principles you espouse.
      If you hangout with dogs you catch fleas.

      EL is guilty by association. He inherited Sata’s sins and now he is paying for his inheritance.

      You can’t eat your cake and have it.

    • @Ichalo Lifupa, this is for you…you are saying ECL has to come open as keeping mute does not help…

      1. How else do you want him to be open when he has been talking about his illness (s) in the media and people don’t want to believe him

      2. Can you only believe him when he informs the world about his HIV status?

      3. Is being HIV positive the only illness that can make someone go six feet under?

      All I can say is that, “Uwaisa kuya aya”..we are all destined to die whether we like it or not. Death comes with so many faces. Get a life people and learn to respect other’s PRIVACY.
      God bless!

    • Honorable Cat Power, Blogger MP.

      Yes, leaders should come out in the public to condemned this act. But why have you singled out HH and not the other leaders. PF supporters you must learn to separate personal matters and public issues. If you want leaders to condemn such a barbaric act, please demand the same for all and not just isolating HH. It is on record that a leader of the opposition party a few years ago did laugh at other who were sick and this is on Utube in case you need some links to remind you. Non of you did condemn that leader, how come you want HH to be brought into picture when he has not come out to wish anyone for that matter ill health. PF supporters look into your archives and be fear.

  2. Shutup, just shut up! Where is the condemnation for Lungu who has so outrageously lied to the nation? You want one rule for politicians and different rules for everyone else? Well sorry but that sort of society is not possible, it will never happen, if politicians are leading the way in violating the laws of the land, you expect a common man to obey them, you must be out of your mind!

    • As a matter of fact no, I am not. All these issues are related, if you want respect for one another, respect for the rules, laws and common decency then you have to expect this standard of behaviour to be demonstrated by leading figures, politicians. The do as I say not as I do has never been known to work anywhere in the world.

    • Well said @Mobile Phone Gondwe. Lungu’s treatment is paid for by the Zambian people. It is only fair for the Zambians to know exactly what they are paying for! We are glad that the public now knows that HIV is one of the illnesses that they are paying for the president’s treatments home and abroad.

    • Mobile Phone Gondwe, you sound very very bitter and if you are not careful my brother/sister, whatever you are, that bitterness will take you to your grave faster than the people you are bitter about.
      Be kind to yourself and to your family that depend on you for financial support, if at all.

      Muzafapo chabe baba???? na ukali., kikikiki

    • You are the one who needs to SHUT UP, MPG. Go get yourself a glass of water and calm yourself down????

    • u are not the same. u may not like it but that is the reality.politcians will always above common man. it has been in the past, now and in the future, just continue crying

  3. What’s so special about Elo Lwanya even before Watchdog published the same document we all knew that fyalilungula mu body.
    Don’t c y hes jittery its there has to live with it.
    He should just look after himself .Nway 2016 is being chucked out with RB

  4. The ones stigmazing us people with aids/hiv are people with this disease who were eating too much but want to hide from their over eating. You are trying to hide when your lips are as red as mine. takwaba. Naine baniseka but I don’t mind………

  5. Ok,seriously,this country really needs level headed and serious people,So it has to come to this to be a president,who gives a rats a…. if someone is HIV or not,we will all soon or later be in the ground…do we really have to sink this low,i know some peeps are happy that ZWD has done this,but,those who think this is morally right should take some time out,alone in a quiet place and reflect…some people argue for the sake of doing so,but try to find peace with yourself….

  6. I curse HH that he should never be voted in public office. Lets show him that his arrogance and self importance will not help but it is leading him to self-destruction.

    • HH will die earlier than most HIV infected people, from denkete. Who says if you are HIV positive you cannot lead or work? Scambugs ba UPND

    • What I am missing from this story is where some people find the connection between this and HH. Where does HH come in in all this????

    • @Dead, you are wasting your time cursing HH. Infact you are blessing him. A hundred well meaning Zambians will raise up and support this man of the soil to serve our great nation from these vultures. Viva, HH! Aleisa, aleisa, aleisaaaaa… Nangu tamulefwaya!

    • Why curse someone you ‘dead’ thing? I have my vote and certainly I wont heed your curse in 300 years……woooooooooo!!!!!

  7. Who ever is behind that publication is discriminating those with HIV which is not fair,and only a stupid fool will support that publication.

    • @chisenga male. Whoever is hiding his/her life style and eating with manja abili at the same time should be blamed. Ufisanji mambala Iwe! After all we are all sick both physically and mentally at times and that is why we fall sometimes

  8. Although some the media are operating under whatever rights, its important to note that overstepping means denying other people their rights too.

    To me this is enough cause to close the Zambian Watchdog and have the proprietors arrested. Enough of the Watchdog.

    If HH is sponsoring the Watchdog, then he is widening the gap between him and Presidency.

    Its clear now that HH is farther from Presidency than he was 3 months ago.

    • True he is farther away from presidency! I realised that a long time ago when I heard and read that he was the man behind the sponsorship of the useless ZWD. I have no problem with a person living with HIV as long as the viral load is not incapacitating that person’s capabilities…please stop the stigma morons!

  9. Yes Edgar Lungu has the right to privacy just like any ordinary citizen which is enshrined in the Zambian Constitution under the Bill Rights and is also compatible to the the provisions of the the U N Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which came into force in 1966.

    However the president of Zambia who happens to be Edgar Lungu has very limited protection to violation of his right to privacy of person. This is simply because he is not a private citizen, he is a politician, a republican president who who occupying the highest public office in the land. Denying the citizens of Zambia the right to know the health stats of their president is a violation of their right to freedom of access to information about their government which they elected.

    EL has offered his life to public…

    • We pay for his treatments home and abroad, so shouldn’t we know about the illnesses that we are paying for? I like to know what I am paying for, don’t you?

  10. End of HH.
    Major blunder
    Truth even if it is true EL is HIV, he will win 2016 elections
    Are you implying that HIV persons cannot deliver.
    Elyo lwanya. Koma iyi ni desperation

  11. @sponge bod and @death, I knew that thick skulked people like you would always blame HH for anything even when you are dying of poverty, why do you find it fit to blame others for all your misfortunes. HH is not the one who said that you guys should become ass lickers of those in power like Edgar Lungu.
    HIV is a disease like any other, such as malaria, cancer etc. they are all killer diseases if one does not look after themselves and take medication. People are leaving normal lives why should anyone then start blaming others?

  12. Tax payers finance Lungu’s medication, they have the right know the nature and extent of his illness so that they can decide whether to continue spending on a non-performing president on account of ill health or to hire another one for the job. The hide and seek habits of Chmaiko Sata is very embarrassing, Hey Zambians wake. Protection of One person’s right to privacy should not be at the expense of denying the rest of the citizens right to frreddom of access to information.
    Let Lungu sue his former hospital for leaking the information to the media, otherwise the watchdog is simply performing its duty -informing the public about their president otherwise their existence would be irrelevant. The watchdog has been reporting on sex scandals of pastors who , a matter of privacy ,

    • This to me is really low and beyond hatred. It’s a shame to even think that people can support the leaking of a medical report whether someone is HIV positive or not. Just revealing any medical details to me is being the lowest of low. Anyway,when one looks at the Zambian Watchdog and how they have gone from being advocates to being petty. It is understandable to those of us with a media background that they have become a propanganda tool for UPND. Never have they written anything negative about HH or any UPND MP and members. They are holier than thou. It is a shame and sad that the media has gone to the lowest level of hate. It will be amazing how they think they are doing a favour to HH when in fact they are decampaigning him. Let HH tame his camp

  13. Its very saddening indeed (be it sb is a president or not) to discuss his or her health to THIS EXTENT in public. How some people fail to apply the golden rule on such matters to themselves.

    Who says, because I am a president, even my HIV/AIDS status, let alone any of my health status should be discussed this way in public?

    Are there no any written ‘rules’ of how and what shall be done to a president if he is not fit?

    Do not leave in a glass house.

  14. whether HIV or not its LUUUUUUNGU all the way. The more you publish evil against Lungu the more we sympathize with him. Fact , Zambians have a deaf ear , in 2016, zambians will already have forgotten about this ill publication by watch dog and it will be kolopa dot com , and it will be very painful this time

  15. very painful ,knowing that a drunkard and an HIV patient and a new comer in the game will beat the old timer and the so called elite, i tell you 2016 will be more painful for hh. wina azalila nafuti, its like some people are used to crying .

  16. Its wrong to publicize someone else’s health status without their consent, full stop.
    But just imagine if a high profile personality voluntarily ‘outed’ themselves. How that would help in the fight against stigma. Maybe KK can advise. Just thinking.

  17. Me, you should make informed reference to your argument if you claim to understand Human Rights Law better than me , the issue here is conflicts of rights, no right is above the other, but the right to freedom of expression which also encompasses the right to public awareness has very limited restrictions in a modern democratic society which must done in proportionally- the health status of a public figure such as the president of a country is certainly not one of those proportions which warrant derogation from guaranteeing citizens the right to freedom of expression .

    • @Chipwatanga.

      You are right, I might not understand Human Rights Law than you. I like the part you, yourself admit that, ‘…right to public awareness has very limited restrictions…’ To me and others, this ‘limited’ counts and its worth noting.

      I will not give a lecture on subjective issue, because obviously, we might not agree. My point and emphasis is, EL is there lawfully. Therefore to discuss his health status (true or not) in public is not wise.

      Would be honestly happy to discuss you in public and online media?? Inside your hearts of hearts, tell me?

  18. @Mushota: Serious thinkers are few, the world is ruled by crude ideas. I would rather die a meaningful death than live a meaningless life. Style up!

  19. Ninshi aba mu Up n Down party tamwaba abakwete HIV?or baletina ukukomenta pali stigma..balabatanfya kuli U5…

  20. You know that people have run out of ideas when from claims of saying Edgar Lungu has no vision, they now start lies of his terminal illness and then say he’s HIV positive.

    If ZWD are to be believed, Edgar would have been dead by now. According to them, he was too sick to campaign, too sick to be inaugurated, etc.

  21. one thing is true for sure here, with or without HIV, Lungu has gone down in history lane as having ruled Zambia, it just shows how
    shallow minded you are. what is your gain in publishing that? It
    really shows that Lungu is a factor, no wonder they cant leave him alone. Get it into your heads ba Watch dog and the cartel group whose members are all infected, Lungu is the 6th Zambian President, and it will never be taken away from him, love or hate it, that is just the way it is Lungu is the President and he is ruling. so go and hang if you cant stand him kwena.

  22. Iam personally very disappointed with ZWD and its sponsors for having no morality. They have completely thrown the journalism ethics to the wind. You cant go to such an existent just to discredit somebody simply because you wanted to be president but the majority rejected you.

    It is not EL who rejected you as president but the people of Zambia.

    Please give us a break. Many are sick and tired with your nonsense.

    • I keep advising on this platform, just don’t visit that site and you will live a peaceful life. I am just learning of this on LT! But kwena nangu mwalimupata umuntu not ifi! There are so many sick chaps in the other parties but no one is talking about them. Please it’s us the voters who rejected that Under 5 and NOT ECL, come 2016 this time wina azanya matuvi!..kolopa dot com!…mwanya! Oh by the way Mushota uli kapuba fye!

  23. Publishing anyone’s medical documents should be condemned. It’s one of the reasons I have lost interest in reading ZWD.

  24. Inviting Sangomas to stay at state house will not change the truth that Lungu has HIV, neither will denying it or blaming witchcraft will help. Our lives are all in God’s hand. Lungu will stand alone before the judgement seat of God.
    Sata thought that practicing witchcraft by keeping long hair would help him live long but he died. His inyangas told him not to cut his hair, that is why he alway faught people without hair. Now Lungu has been told not to look people in their eyes, that he should always look down. The only true healer is Jesus and Lungu should look to him instead of witch doctors. We are all responsible for our own sins.

  25. Is it HH who published that prescription! Definitely not! Why not condemn the ZWD? The whole thing was never going to be published if Edgar and PF in general didn’t deny the fact that Edgar is terminally ill.

  26. As Zambians we are becoming very immoral, while we continue stating facts. This is because those who know they are not well tend to hide, which is a bad thing. Even our statistics are faulty, because there much more sufferers from AIDs than what is indicated usually. A country full of uneducated masses is always very easy to dribble as Chiluba stated. So what if EL is sick in those lines? does it affect his reasoning powers, after all he will use the same drugs that the most of us use, and this makes him not expensive to maintain. Zambia, move own, let the politicians injure one another as it is their game. But finally, come 2016, it is always a change required, since we are used to such.

  27. i hate and this ZAMBIAN WATCH DOG, do reporters from the DOGS ever have a moral concience??? indeed the love of money is the root of all evill, for sake of money some reporters have gone over baord to discredit others simply because they have a power to write ,???? no wonder some people die a very painful death. which ever reporter published this ill story on Lungu’s health , will face the consequeces. treat others the way you would want to be treated

  28. How can anyone vote for a party whose leader wants to use an article about the perceived ill health of an opponent for political purposes? What a sick despicable person HH is. He is such a pathetic weasel. All he and ZWD do is lie, smear and scaremonger.

  29. Zambians should learn to disagree without losing respect for each other. UPND, PF and MMD should condemn that publication. But the onus is more on UPND and HH. Lets respect the president for his efforts and every other individual’s privacy.

  30. My advice for HH is to focus on what is actually affecting the Zambia people otherwise such scathing attacks without merit will only draw people close to Lungu.

  31. @Mushota. Not true. people can live for more than 5 years. In 1991, Los Angeles Lakers Earvin “Magic” Johnson announced that he had contracted HIV, the virus that causes AIDS and most people thought that he had just pronounced his own death sentence. Yet, 24 years later, he is going as strong as ever. He does not buy expensive drugs because he is rich but takes the same kinds of drugs available to other HIV patients. However these drugs were initially expensive because of the drug cartel in the West until India started producing cheaper drugs, which has saved millions in the developing world. For more information please watch the documentary on Aljezeera, “Fire in the Blood.”

  32. I will campaign sweat and blood to ensure that this id10t called HH does not get anywhere to the corridors of power. This man is actually a witch going about like a headless chicken to hate innocent people.

    The man MUST know from today that he has actually insulted close to 9 million people in Zambia, the very ones he is trying seek votes from. This thing called HIV was invited by his colonial masters and all of us are either infected or affected. During the January elections, he together with failed Canicoius Banda lied about H.E. ECL medical records and he is at it again.

    This man has a plan to appoint only Tongas in each and every institution, Government agencies and if you are not Tonga, you will never see business in your life! Lets REJECT HH once and for all come 2016!!!

  33. We all know that the UPND veep is on record as having said that they had a medical report of EL illness during the campaigns for january bye-elections. Well it looks like all this time they have been cooking up this fake medical report. Who says HH has no hand in it? You have to think again because this came from his vice president!

  34. U guys, what has that issue to do with HH.

    It’s like u r saying Zambian is in a mess because Indians r controlling our economy and other foreigners…………when in fact it is u who is the problem.

    Am not happy about the report in ZWD, but am equally shocked that u can link the issue to HH.

    Zambians wake up, wake up, you r losing your country

  35. Seems to me that the purveyors of hatred have not heard of “Cognitive Dissonance”! Watch this space, ye who have eyes! 2016 is just around the corner, mind you! Zambians used to be compassionate and caring people! Not anymore, eh? How sad! I wonder how many of the prospective presidential aspirants would “qualify” to stand if their HIV status was one of the determining factors! Just a thought! I mean, take the Rainbow party, for instance? Even the MMD? And what about the Poor People’s Party, or Forum for Democratic Alternatives with their anti-retroviral formula? Who has been consuming their own medicine, I wonder! Ah, ni pa Zed!

  36. If HH CAME TO POWER, HOW SAFE ARE THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV? IF HE CAN TREAT A SITTING PRESIDENT LIKE THIS. THROWING HIS MEDICAL RECORDS ALL OVER THE MEDIA. WHAT ABOUT A POOR HIV PATIENT IN SHANGOMBO? AND AS A NATION WE ARE TRYING TO FIGHT STIGMA AGAINST HIV.

  37. TALC have over-powdered this issue by trying to raise an awareness campaign out of this issue.

    Zambians, the intelligent ones with proper morals and dignity based on our cultural beliefs will know that HH is not Leadership material. His personality and conduct have exposed him as being a vicious, unscrupulous individual. Such ruthless behaviour in obtaining, what is a ‘favour,’ from the electorate; proves conclusively that he is not suitable for Presidential Office.

    A Man’s friends tell you more about him. Mwanawasa ‘misappropriation of AIDS funding fron NGO pockets proves that the people of UPND are a great shame Zambians must not back.

    As for Nalumango, a while ago she condemned female politicians pulling each other down and the failure to support one another. She has…

    • Nalumango has been silent on these ever increasing hysterical antics by HH. She knows better and should be repeating her call for politicians to respect one another.

      All in all, this UPND, has proven to be a pit of snakes. Zambians rise to the call to uphold your democratically elected government on a pedestal. If citizens cannot respect the Office of The President they cannot get the Leadership they scream for. We ALL have a duty to support His Excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu, our wonderful fairy tale President who rose above a sea of confusion to give Zambia a spearheaded direction.

      Genuine, respectable Zambians have collectively raised their hands to their shoulders and metaphorically ‘dusted off,’ HH, ZWD and all their nosiness, from their concious.

      Vote PF again…

  38. Its only God will punish the wicked, God is not a full, but the day will come for the rich fool to cry and gnash his teeth. We are not for rich leaders , but for peace in our country.

  39. Every Zambian has a close relative with HIV and the thought of their relatives being stigmatised just because HH wants to be president is really a call too far. This could definitely be the end of HH. UPND should start looking for an inclusive and positive leader. We need UPND as they give strongest opposition and numbers but their leader is just too bitter, negative and self centred without a country appeal.

  40. We just wait for HH prescription to be offloaded on the Watch Mbwa, but it can never happen since HH is the owner of the Watch Mbwa.

  41. The Nigerian prophet said it last month, how the man is bitter, we cant be ruled by a lion, peace is wat we are looking for not fights. God is really at work. praise him.

  42. Zambians, lets learn to be principled. Just the other day I blogged condemning the act of doctors disclosing the EXACT illness EL was suffering when he flew to S.Africa. I mentioned that it is medically unethical and I was met with unpalatable insults. Now you are blaming ZWD for their disclosure of Lungu’s illness. Lets not be so easily swayed and have principles.

  43. Y is HH mentioned in most of the comments? Even things witout evidence that he is the one doing pipo are still pointing at him. May our God lord give HH a peaceful life and hav mercy on those accussing and insulting him for no reason.

  44. I condemn the publication of the said prescription for the reasons stated in the article. But where does HH come into this?
    That is why Zambia is where it is and heading for further economic crisis. Zambians don’t like to analyze or be objective.
    That is because it is more hard work than to merely speculate and pout insults.

  45. Your Excellency , we have temporary Choppy Waters ahead. Please do not doubt our support. Continue in your direction. In these short months you have done undeniably great feats for Zambia. We have potential investments coming in from your visit to China. You have overseen even the signing off of agreements personally. You are shaking corruption cartels. You have provided us with humble, listening Leadership. You have treated all your enemies with dignified personal silence, which has convicted them of their wickedness.

    We are sad about our economy, but people of faith ‘get doing’ when the road is rough. We stand by you in support. The carpers have no answers but ‘sophisticated’ retorts on the cause of the Kwacha’s performance, this and that, but they are not in Parliament

    • They are not in Parliament shouting out alternative solutions. We are not hearing their panacea for these ills.

      Your path is surely paved with God’s Favour, walk it assuredly, in Christ’s Name. Amen

      God Bless Your Excellency
      God Bless Zambia

  46. It’s wrong and callous to try and demonize ka Lungu in any way if he has HIV. He is however a public figure and his health should be the people’s business. These guys should understand that if they have anything to hide, they should not run for public office. Just look at me, my closet if full of skeletons to the hilt and that is exactly why I’m in the private sector.
    ha ha

  47. It’s wrong and callous to try and demonize ka Lungu in any way if he has HIV. He is however a public figure and his health should be the people’s business. These guys should understand that if they have anything to hide, they should not run for public office. Just look at me, my closet is full of skeletons to the hilt and that is exactly why I’m in the private sector.
    ha ha

  48. While publication of anyone’s medical records is violation of someone’s privacy, and in “normal” countries a violation of the law, it very important to address this issue of HIV status in Zambia and beyond. HIV is a disease of choice, lifestyle driven disease, and for any leader trying to address the problem, it’s important to be open on this issue. If your president is HIV+, he better take leadership role and encourage people to live positively and not pretend. This disease will not stop in places of Zambia if folks behave as if a miracle drug/cure is there when taking life prolonging medications. CHANGE Folks, and Mr president, get out and be a leader!!!!

    • @JO; I beg to differ on your statement regarding HIV as a disease of choice. True, in the USA, HIV is mostly prevalent in the gay and black community(in the black community mostly because of gay black men on the down low and passing it on to black women). However in Zambia, the disease is now mostly prevalent in people ages 25 and below who where born to parents with HIV. We can not blame these people for the sins of their mothers and or fathers. Not to mention a lot of people contracted HIV from contaminated blood transfusions and unsterilized medical equipment.

  49. ba Jo,
    I’m no expert myself but I think to characterize it as a disease of choice is not the most accurate way. I know of plenty people who have contracted it through no fault of theirs and definitely not by choice. Health worker for example via accidental infection. People who have gotten it via blood transfusion because the blood was not properly screened. Babies who got it through the mother. And of course wives or even husbands who got it via their own philandering and adulterous spouse.

    • Agreed on the points raised above, I do know and understand there is a growing number of youths that got the diseases at birth. And of course, there are possibilities of iatrogenic infection but these are very very low. The subject of this conversation is an adult and the point of the positive life change following HIV infection is not limited to how one got the infection! You all know that folks in Zambia behave as if cured when on the anti-retroviral drugs. And instead of educating the youths who unfortunately find themselves with the disease predicament, there is this attitude of “all is OK” and is business as usual. If there was serious commitment if fighting the disease, the incidence and consequently prevalence would certainly be going down. Let’s not do a wait is a wait & see…

  50. Since ZWD is synonymous with UPND and HH, suffices to say that the later is the one who will lose out because of that publication whether it’s a true or fake one. Many of us will still sympathize with ECL and vote for him unlike HH because we are also either infected(living positively with HIV) or affected (have beloved ones, relatives and friends who are on those same drugs one !d!ot went on to publicize). We shall see where this f00lish HH will be come 2016 general elections. He is very childish together with the so called Dr. C. Banda and other accomplices. Why sink so low, honestly.

  51. I do not ascribe to publications disclosing people’s illnesses to the world. However, I think roping in HH is rather unfortunate and a sign of hysteria. Most bloggers castigating HH do not like him anyway. If ZWD has written something injurious, take them to task, dont start witch hunting. The only proof that people are clutching on to is the fact that ZWD does not criticize HH or UPND. Has someone thought that this publication could be sympathetic to the UPND cause? The Post had a soft spot for Sata and never criticized him. Did Michael own the post or even tell them what to write? Many of us support football teams and some even kill each other over them. Do those people even know us? Food for thought.

    • @Saimbwende. Be serious. Which party claimed to have ECL’s medical records? Have you heard ADD, MMD or even FDD claim that they have details of ECL’s medical details? We all know that UPND’s only strategy is mudslinging.

      Get your head out your behind and see what HH is all about!

  52. So hh will still go back to the people living wit hiv to ask them for their votes?ECL has already got more tha 1million votes from people living wit hiv.terrible own goal ba hh

  53. Mr Mwanza (TALC) is spot on: this is not about our president’s HIV status. To have his prescription (if indeed it IS a genuine prescription) bandied around the internet is an out and out violation of his privacy. If I were President Lungu I would sue them. And please get your facts right about the life expectancy of people living with HIV: the majority who religiously taking their medication can expect to live a lot longer than 5 years. Just a simple google search will provide you with this information, eg:
    *************
    Stigma and ignorance remain among the greatest barriers to tackling the AIDS pandemic. At least President Lungu knows his status, do…

  54. All the HIV positive people, you have heard it for yourself. Dont vote for HH and UPND in 2016, They will not respect you and your right to privacy.

  55. The problem is not with the people who exposed Lungu’s status but Lungu himself. If Lungu knew he was HIV positive, he should not have put himself up for Leadership. Zed will not go anywhere with high cases of HIV. HIV is costly to manage especially for an impoverished nation like zed. Why do you think developed nations dont want to accept people living with HIV? People in Zed dont care and pass on HIV knowingly to their partiners without disclosure because there are no consequenses. You expect gvt to pick the tabs & develop the nation? Everyone is singing the immoral and unethical chorus when they are the culprits, Whats immoral and unethical is the collapse of morals and deliberate acts of spreading the HIV. Criminalise deliberate spread of HIV and the treand will change.

  56. If EL is HIV positive, he is not dying any soon for your own information you who think , he is dying. In fact the sooner you start frastrating the virus as EL did the better. It (virus) may just dissappear from his blood stream. HIV, DIABATES, ASMA are one and the same diseases that can be managed and people tend to live longer life with freer mind. It only becomes an issue when one lives in denael of them. As long as one accepts in good time and treatments starts with adherence, it is all smooth ride. If I were you, I would not even make a very big issue out of it.

    • President Lungu is a human being and as such his body is subject to illnesses that affect human beings, HIV being one of them. A lot of cancer drugs are far more expensive than HIV drugs. Would it be ok if he was HIV negative but had lung cancer instead? Plus, lung cancer has a life expectancy of 5 years whereas HIV has been re-classified as a chronic disease with a near-normal life expectancy (again: Google) just like other chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. People collapse everyday from heart attacks and strokes often because their conditions have not been diagnosed. Nobody mentions the “public purse” when it comes to heart medication, why target ARVs?? Mwandini ba Lungu, better to be diagnosed and be in receipt of appropriate medication than to die of ignorance!

  57. Where Lungu is HIV Positive or not, we will vote for him. We have known people living with this virus for 15-25 year.. still living and look healthier than those who claim to HIV negative… Go and have a test dear, you will be surprised with your viral load…!!!kikiki….
    PF with others and Chagwa, chapwa!!!

  58. Whether Lungu is HIV Positive or not, we will vote for him. We have known people living with this virus for 15-25 year.. still living and look healthier than those who claim to HIV negative… Go and have a test dear, you will be surprised with your viral load…!!!kikiki….

    PF with others and Chagwa, chapwa!!!

  59. Whether Lungu is HIV Positive or not, we will vote for him. We have known people living with this virus for 15-25 years.. still living and look healthier than those who claim to be HIV negative… Go and have a test dear, you will be surprised with your viral load…!!!kikiki….
    PF with others and Chagwa, chapwa!!!

  60. Privacy?, Yess!! Public interest? Yess too! EVERY RULE HAS EXEPTIONS want it or not. the presidency is a amongest the most important jobs,. we need perfectionists as much as we need geniuses.
    Any dent will cost our country, the world is moving so fast

  61. It’s too late now. The cat is out of the cage! President Lungu’s HIV status is no longer a private affair. It’s public knowledge. What is there to hide? Many public figures like Magic Johnson are not ashamed to proclaim publicly that they are HIV positive. Let president Lungu just come in the open and declare his HIV status. That is the best he can do for himself at this stage.

    • # 63 So that what after that?
      In Zambia, like many other African nations, most people have one way or another been affected by this scourge by losing a friend, brother, sister, mother, father, cousins, some have been left orphaned,
      Yet, here we are, making fun and laughing at ourselves. It true
      “bakolwe baiseka ifipato” “Monkeys make fun of other monkeys butts”

  62. This is horrible people need to respect privacy. They are the cause of stigma. Even though they have the virus they condemn other people who have it. This is despicable and a real invasion of privacy which is a threat to a nation. The reason he never disclosed is because of discrimination and prejudice. I am not defending him hiding his status because the nation could have had a healthy candidate and to be in politics nothing is private. But people need to respect certain issues than allow people to die to avoid ridicule which is such a shame. We are almost 100% sure the previous president died of the same illness, again his condition was hidden from the public. We should use this time to educate people causing more pain and harm. The reason everyone needs to be tested. Sorry Mr. Lungu.

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