Sat, 22 Jul 2017 10:31:30 +0000
By ANNIE ZULU
GOVERNMENT has scaled up efforts to fight HIV/AIDS in Zambia, Ministry of Health spokesperson, Dr Kennedy Malama has said.
Dr Malama said the government through the Ministry of Health has adopted the “Test and Treat strategy” which entails that anyone diagnosed with HIV should be put on treatment immediately.
He told the Daily Nation in an interview that guidelines have been provided to Health personnel throughout the country to implement the directive..
He, however said the key was to ensure that all Zambians know their HIV status, as this would spur the country to eliminating HIV by 2030.
“The United Nations joint programme on HIV/AIDS has provided fast track targets of 90.90.90 implying, 90% of their people living with HIV should know their status, 90% of these should be put on quality and sustainable ART.
“Also 90% of these should reach viral suppression in which HIV cannot be detected in the blood or indeed only few copies are noticeable, such a state reduces the chances of transmitting the virus. HIV treatment is prevention.
“At least 30% of people living with HIV do not know their HIV status in Zambia, this needs to change to 0,” Dr Malama said.
He explained that Test and Treat strategy was advocating to ensure that all Zambians were offered HIV test through an opt out approach and that those found positive were put on treatment immediately.
“Our prayer is that Zambians voluntarily go for HIV testing and also when the test is offered, we opt in,” he said.
