The government has reiterated the importance of information sharing among researchers on the best practices required to end HIV by 2030.
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Lackson Kasonka, says ending HIV needs concerted efforts from various stakeholders and the private sectors such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Dr Kasonka was speaking when he officially closed a three-day 15th annual national HIV/TB/COVID-19/VIRAL HEPATITIS technical conference at Mulungushi Conference Centre in Lusaka yesterday.
He said the Ministry of Health commends and supports scientific gatherings aimed at developing evidence-based policies and guidance to respond to health-related issues which affect the people of Zambia.
He added that support from various partners at different levels has mounted an effective response against different epidemics which have been ravaging the country and the world at large.
Dr Kasonka observed that the government needs to strengthen the health system and reposition it to be resilient and responsive to every person’s needs.
He has since called on the participants to put to good use the knowledge they acquired from the conference whose aim is to end HIV in the country by 2030.
And Ministry of Health Director for Infectious Diseases, Lloyd Mulenga described the conference as vital as it brought on board experts to devise technical solutions to fighting HIV and ending it by 2030.
Professor Mulenga noted that Zambia alone cannot manage to fight HIV hence the need to reinforce partnerships in the fight against epidemics in the country.
He said HIV has been a public health threat and that is why the conference dwelled on resolutions to reduce new infections in children, adolescents and the general populace.
Speaking earlier, National AIDS Council Director General, Connie Osborne praised government and its partners for putting up a spirited fight against HIV in the past 40 years.
Dr Osborne said it is good that over 1.2 million people are on treatment in Zambia but noted that more needs to be done to reduce HIV infections in the country.
The three-day annual national HIV/TB/COVID-19/VIRAL HEPATITIS technical conference, whose theme was ‘every person counts -closing the gaps for pandemics, closed yesterday with a call to promote access to treatment.
