Friday, March 29, 2024

Zambian HIV rate prevalence rate reduces- Dr Chilufya

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Health  Minister Chitalu Chilufya says Zambia has recorded progress in
the reduction of HIV prevalence rate to 11.6 percent among people
between the ages of 15 and 49.
Dr Chilufya said Government was committed to reducing HIV prevalence
further through strengthened health systems and expanding access to
primary health care services.
Speaking in Washington DC ahead of the 2017 annual President’s
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) management meeting, the
minister said that the country had seen a significant reduction of HIV
prevalence because of the interventions including test and treat
program and the elimination of mother to child transmission.
He said that some of the objectives of the annual meeting were to
review the country strategy and agree on priorities for the 2017
Country work plan.
PEPFAR was the largest donor aid to the HIV/ AIDS programme in Zambia.

Dr Chilufya said that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government has been
committed to reducing HIV hence the increase in budget allocation for
ARVS from US$4 million in 2011 to US$44 million last year.
He said his ministry was determined to upscale its commitment to
fighting HIV through increased resources and strengthened surveillance
systems in communities.
Dr Chilufya said that with the onsite test and treat would see the
number of people on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ARVs) increase from
900,000 to more than a million.
According the statement issued yesterday by First Secretary for Press
and Public Relations at Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in
Washington DC  Patricia Littiya, the Health Minister was accompanied
to the meeting by Ministry of Health Clinical Care Specialist and HIV
Program Manager Dr Chrispin Moyo.
Dr Chilufya was met on arrival by Zambian Embassy Charge’ D’affaires
James Chisenga on arrival at Washington Dulles Airport.

17 COMMENTS

    • What has PF to do with HIV prevalence rates? Are they killing those with HIV or where have they gone to. It can either reduce if only there are no more new cases and those who have it die!

    • HIV prevalence has reduced but nepotism and tribalism in the Ministry of Health has never reached such alarming levels where even cleaners have to be imported from the home of the minister by the minister himself.

  1. Ba Dr Chilufya you have embarrassed us. You should have talked about the incidence and then intelligently talk about the prevalence. A drop in prevalence means that people are dying and so your ART Program is performing poorly. If your program is doing well, the prevalence should remain static because people are living long and few are getting infected. Consult experts you can’t know it all. Poorly delivered message!

  2. Dr. Chilufya your technocrats did not put the message across for you in correct and succinct way. You should have talked about the incidence and then intelligently talk about the prevalence. A drop in prevalence means that people are dying and so your ART Program is performing poorly. If your program is doing well, the prevalence should remain static because people are living long and few are getting infected. Consult experts you can’t know it all. Poorly delivered message

  3. Dr. Chilufya your technocrats did not put the message across for you in correct and succinct way. You should have talked about the incidence and then intelligently talk about the prevalence. A drop in prevalence means that people are dying and so your ART Program is performing poorly. If your program is doing well, the prevalence should remain static because people are living long and few are getting infected. Consult experts you can’t know it all. Poorly delivered message

    • Agreed. No apologies, he is doctor who should have elementary knowledge of epidemiology. Half baked doctor at MOH, scary stuff! He has no figures of new cases.

  4. Suffice to remember that PEPFAR fund is stopping under president trump. Look for plan b or else people will resort to herbs and roots

  5. The research was rigorously done and the results are sound. Unfortunately the honorable minister is working with people who have little understanding of what drives incidence and prevalence. Hence drafting a very important message in a shallow way. The minister is equally dump because based on his background he is supposed to have some basic understanding of epidemiology.

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