Govt calls for concerted efforts in fighting HIV

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——Government has called for integrated moves and concerted efforts in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic if the fight against the scourge were to be won.

Limulunga District Commissioner (DC), Litambo Ndombo, said HIV/AIDS remained a challenge to the nation as it has caused devastating effects on the country’s economic progress by robbing the country’s productive human resource.

Mr Ndombo said this during the World AIDS day commemorations which was held at Limulunga Clinic in a speech read for him by Limulunga District Administrative Officer, Mubiana Ngenda.

He lamented that it was a well-known fact that the pandemic affected all sectors of the economy hence the need for everyone to come on board in curbing the further spread of the virus.

Mr Ndombo called on every citizen not to stigmatize those infected as this created a challenge in the prevention, treatment, care and support in the fight against the pandemic.

He commended government for coming up with deliberate HIV/AIDS work place policies, outreach and behaviour change activities including services to the vulnerable through child protection as well as school feeding programs among others.

And speaking earlier, Limulunga District Aids Task Force (DATF) Chairperson, Obby Choonga Shibwanga, bemoaned the high levels of AIDS-related illnesses in the district.

Mr Shibwanga said despite numerous strategies put in place by government and its cooperating partners in trying to curb the disease, the virus was still prominent in the district hence the need for everyone infected or affected to work together and take up the challenge seriously if they were to record zero new infections.

He appealed to everyone to also take condom use seriously, adding that this has served so many lives and urged the people to go for Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT).

The DATF Chairperson thanked the District Administration for the support it rendered towards the success of the event being the first time the commemorations were held in the newly created district.

This year’s theme was: “Zambia @ 50 Towards Zero Stigma”.

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