Government warns bar owners in Mansa

Government has warned that it will revoke operating licenses for bar owners who are in the habit of allowing under age children in their premises.

Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Boniface Chimbwali says it is saddening to learn that some bars have continued to allow under age children access despite the many campaigns against the vice.

ZANIS reports that the Permanent Secretary said this yesterday when he officiated at the commemoration of this year’s National Voluntary Counselling and Testing Day held at UB Market in Mansa District.

Mr Chimbwali has appealed to civic leaders in the district to take action and ensure that erring bar owners are charged.

He wondered how the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic could be worn if under aged children are allowed to patronize high risk areas like bars.

He underscored the role that Voluntary Counselling and Testing plays in the fight against HIV/AIDS and wondered why people shun VCT services saying it is saddening that between 2013 and 2014 the rate of people accessing the services in the province only increased by one percent .

And Luapula Provincial Medical Officer Mathews Ngambi said statistics show a big gap in the population of people who are accessing Anti-retroviral Treatment as about 65 percent who should access it are not.

He said the department of Health in the province is working hard in collaboration with various stakeholders in implementing stronger interventions to improve the situation.

Dr Ngambi said the department of health in the province has a mandate to ensure that it provides quality services to people.

Mansa District joined the rest of the country in commemorating National Voluntary Counselling and Testing Day under the Theme: “universal access to annual counselling and testing”.