The Zambia National Women’s Lobby (ZNWL) is of the view that the policy on mandatory testing for HIV can positively impact on the fight against HIV whose prevalence still remains quite high. According to UNAIDS, an estimated 1.2 million people are living with HIV in Zambia.
The policy if properly implemented can contribute to significantly reducing new infections, HIV related illnesses and deaths as it focuses on establishing the presence of the virus during a health care intervention which is critical in preventing replication of the virus and subsequent progression of the condition.
We therefore implore the Ministry of Health (MoH) to quickly provide guidelines on how the policy will be implemented to curtail the misinformation that is circulating on social media and allay any fears that may have arisen as a result of the announcement of the policy.
We further call for robust sensitization to help people appreciate the importance of knowing their status. Mandatory HIV testing has been successful in the prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child during pregnancy.
Testing must also go hand in hand with adequate counselling, correct information regarding treatment options and the progress made in medical science in the management of HIV.
Beauty Katebe
ZAMBIA NATIONAL WOMEN’S LOBBY BOARD CHAIRPERSON.
You have even delayed please go for it, pressure your government to consider your proposition afterall, you’re the ones who suffer most when it comes to HIV pandemic.
I do agree with this good initiative from women and the ministry why is there so much hot air coming from a few people especially men who think they are boses to just infect people with hiv and carry on with their cares lives .
Women have suffered a lot because they are always victims of these crooked men who at Will can do what they like .
which women have suffered a lot? they are the ones that infect us arising out of their secret affairs.
HIV/Aids is disease that reveals immorality. Unfortunately there are innocent victims as part of great price society pays for this immorality. Children suffer, # of street increases, spouses suffer, nation loses after investing so much in individual all due to carelessness of usually male individuals. Just imagine how many times this repeats itself with current estimated 1.2m already infected. We need to be serious as country to fight this pandemic differently. The nation can’t be put at ransom just because few individuals don’t want to be embarrassed. Decision by the state to step in & protect & care for all citizens is long overdue. This is no longer personal but national issue. God Bless Zambia!
Mandatory testing magnifies stigma and takes away the power to choose which is a basic right. For example, some employers may now disqualify some candidates on account of being HIV positive. How then do we reconcile mandatory testing and non discrimination?
It sounds good in theory but needs to be well thought out in practice. The word which should have been used is ‘routine’ rather than ‘compulsory’. And make damn sure you’ve got support services to properly care for all positive results.
If you go into the compounds and test children for malnutrition , well…there’s tons of it, but then question is what can you do about it? If you’re not ready for that don’t waste effort in wasteful exercises.
Forcing a person to take in hiv drugs while she or he has never had proper nutrition intake. That’s is indirect killing.
Routine check ups with proper conselling sounds good.
You can be HIV positive for many years without exhibiting symptoms and spread it without ever visiting a clinic or hospital. That’s how its spread in majority of cases, how is testing only people presenting to hospitals going to fix that? You wanna abuse peoples rights at least do it properly and test everyone in offices an schools etc, also in parliament and government ministries. Total nonsense.
Right, Prenvetion is better than cure. But if you push the community to mandatory test that does not promote behavior change.
For example, Hiv positive man or woman agrees to go for test and follows up the treatment well. Are you able to recruit the police to make sure that he is not having un protected sex or abusing others?
What is this nonsense that men infect women with the virus? IS that a proven factual statement or assertion? Sex, lovemaking, kissing etc are a coupling event.Protection and healthy , safe sexual practices are key to prevention and spread. Furthermore, testing should be vigourously encouraged, not mandated. There is the issue of Doctor/ Patient confidentiality at play, even in Zambia! So beautiful Ms Beauty Kasuba you really wouldnt like us to know that you went to the Doctor for some viginal work because the encounter you had with your neighbours husband, would you?
People are really all missing all points about HIV prevention. She speaks as if once people are tested by force, their results will be publicised and others will be able to make a choice of not having unprotected sex with infected partners. Unless that’s the idea? To publicise results??? Otherwise, in my view the key issue about the spread of HIV is individual behaviour. That’s what we should see to address. Such as the behaviour of a known politician that was boasting about his sexual prowess……….
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