The Society for Family Health (SFH), in collaboration with government have launched the HIV self-testing programme in Masuku area, of Choma district.
The programme is aimed at increasing accessibility to HIV testing within the communities.
Speaking during a meeting with village headmen in Masuku area, SFH Regional Manager Choonza Mweemba said the programme will help mitigate the challenges of long distances to access testing centres.
He said the organization has involved traditional leaders in order to affirm and authenticate the commencement of the programme in their communities.
He added that traditional leaders play an important role in sensitizing the community, on the importance of voluntary counselling and testing.
Mr Choonza further urged the headmen to join in the fight against stigma and discrimination, by being supportive to those infected with HIV.
And Naomi Tembo, from the District Medical office, said the programme is mandated to educate and test at least 90 percent of the population on HIV ensuring that those tested positive are initiated on the Anti- Retro Viral treatment (ART).
She added that the self-testing programme will not only ease accessibility to the community but also reduce the work load for members of stuff as people will access the kit at their door steps.
Ms Tembo further disclosed that Southern province has the third highest record of people living with HIV and this programme will help improve people’s lives.
To help spearhead the programme, SFH has dispensed 11 bicycles to Masuku health centre, to be used in the distribution of self-testing kits to distant villages.
Good !
Good!
And then after testing positive, will the ARVs also be taken to their doorsteps? or people will still have to cover the same long distances to go and collect them every now and then. Otherwise the self tester in itself is a good move.
Ichikonko, I like your contribution. Can journalists follow up on the distribution of ARVs to the villages?
I like the idea taken but at the same time I fear for those who can’t handle results coming out Positive when no counselling had not be done.In short we should expect more suicide stories.Thanx though
its better to know your status as early as possible so that you know how to protect yourself and others. one bad thing about hiv is that its very contagious if you are not on any arvs/treatment. we’ve had cases where children also contract the disease from their parents who didnt know they were +ve until late when the whole family was bed ridden. one of the children at 15 was diagnosed +ve and he didnt know where the disease came from. later it was discovered that the parents were also sick. how did he contract the disease? if he was born with it, he would have been dead by age 5 or 6. ARVs didnt work coz the disease had progressed to AIDS. no one wants that to happen and hence the need to test yourself and access whatever is in stock in the hospitals.