Mon, 21 Aug 2017 14:28:54 +0000
By Chikumbi Katebe
MANDATORY HIV Test and Treat must be introduced in schools to help capture young people in meeting the 90/90/90 threshold in the 2030 agenda, Chilenje Ward 8 councilor Patrick Mwape has said.
Mr Mwape said it was no secret that young people were sexually active with the high number of pregnancies and abortions recorded in schools, making it an area of focus in the fight against AIDS.
He was speaking on the sidelines of the launch of a community HCTT satellite programme at Divine Mercy Home for the aged and vulnerable in Chilenje which opened its doors for public testing.
The civic leader said the world has lived with HIV/AIDS for close to half a century and there must be no mystery or myths in the testing or treatments of the deadly pandemic.
“As a people, we have lived with HIV for a long time, and there should be nothing special or scary in the compulsory test and treat programme declared by the Government.
“We will encourage a programme to be devised for schools especially secondary schools because with the rate of pregnancies and STIs, we are sure of their activities which put their lives at risk of transmission of HIV,” he said.
He said the move was aimed at assisting the government in implementing its pronouncements in its efforts in meeting the agenda 2030.
He explained that such satellite programmes must be supported in giving as many people as possible an opportunity to get tested and subsequently receive treatment in dealing with the effects of HIV on a nation and country’s economy.
Mr Mwape has since called for a positive approach in dealing with the programme to enable the country achieve its intended objectives of eliminating new transmissions and eliminating HIV/AIDS by the year 2030.
Mr Mwape, who read the speech on behalf of are member of Parliament Given Lubinda, said the Divine Mercy programme was targeting up to 1, 000 people for the inaugural test and treat exercise, but that it was an on-going programme to give the people an opportunity to be tested outside the health facilities as mandated by the government.
