Friday, March 29, 2024

Workers trained on HIV/AIDs prevention as they begin work on the 40 kilometer Chaola-Mberenje Road Construction

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Chisomo, a local non-government organisation based in Chipata has recruited and trained over 50 peer educators to sensitise community members and construction workers on HIV and AIDS as road construction works commence on Chaola-Mberenje road in Chipangali District.

The 50 peer educators have been deployed along the 40 kilometer Chaola-Mberenje Road which has been contracted for upgrading to Tervium Constractors Company.

This came to light yesterday when Chipangali Town Council Chairperson Million Tembo launched the Chisomo HIV and AIDS sensitisation programme at Munduwi Primary School in Chipangali District.

Launching the programme Mr Tembo commended Chisomo for partnering with Government to mitigate the spread of HIV and AIDS in the community where the road construction works will be taking place.

The Council Chairperson said Government is keen to partner with various actors in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

“Government has been working effectively with various partners to ensure that HIV and AIDS infections in the country are reduced. People that are infected are getting all the needed medical attention from the Ministry of Health and cooperating partners,” he said.

The Council Chairperson is happy that Chisomo is is working to ensure that people of Munduwi area get all the necessary information to be used in preventing the spread of HIV as the road construction gets underway.

As the area will receive construction workers who would engage in social activities including sexual relationships, Mr Tembo urged people of Munduwi area to protect themselves from HIV and AIDS which he said was still a health problem of concern to society.

And Chisomo Community program manager Ann Chiseni announced that the main objective of deploying over 50 peer educators was to provide sensitisation on HIV and AIDS in the villages along the 40 kilometer stretch of the road under construction.

Ms Chiseni noted that the workers hired by Tervium Constractors come from different areas to work in Munduwi area and need to be adequately sensitised on protecting themselves from HIV and AIDS.

“These people come to work here without knowing their health status as well as that of the people in the area. We are here to promote sensitisation on HIV and AIDS so that the spread of the disease is reduced,” she said.

Ms Chiseni added that her organisation was also going to sensitise the communities on sexual reproductive health as well as sexually transmitted diseases.

She commended the National AIDS Council (NAC) for the support to her organisation in providing for the materials to be used in the launch.

Meanwhile, Munduwi Primary School Head teacher John Phiri commended Chisomo and Chipangali Town Council for the gesture targeted at sensitising the community on the dangers of HIV and AIDS.

Mr Phiri also emphasised the need for people in the area to protect themselves against HIV and AIDS because the disease was real.

9 COMMENTS

  1. Ba Tukafi….sorry your name is too long…the Construction of this road begun sometime in 2019 . This is just resumption after some stoppage. I hope the bridge (chingoma) before Chaola village will be raised up cause it’s usually submerged when it rains.

  2. RDA a should include this in their contracts for companies to adhere to employe services of an NGO to educate labourers and site staff. I also would like to know the value of this selfsame 40 km road contract and who is behind this company Tervium Contractors? I have checked online and this company has no track record on such big projects…is this one of Vincent Mwale’s companies because he has cornered all contracts in that part of the country.

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