MORE ACCESS TREATMENT AFTER NEW HIV/AIDS POLICY
THE Ministry of Health has admitted over 23,700 patients who tested HIV positive and as so far admitted about 17,800 people for routine treatment.
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Kennedy Malama said this followed President Edgar Lungu’s announcement of Zambia’s new HIV policy that shifts focus from Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) to routine HIV Testing, Counselling and Treatment under the Universal Routine HIV Testing Counselling and Treatment.
Until now HIV testing was not a routine test in both public and private health care facilities, and has so far recorded a 74 percent treatment realisation since the announcement.
“The figures for August, 2017, show that a total of 474, 609 people were tested out of which 23, 769 tested positive (positivity of 5.01 percent). Out of 23, 769, (17820) 74.97% were immediately put on treatment.
“This means that we have now managed up to August 2017 to put on treatment 74 percent of those that are estimated to be HIV positive. Before the declaration, this was at approximately 70 percent. This means that there has been an increase of 4 percentage points,” Dr Malama said.
He explained that HIV testing and counselling was an essential component of Zambia’s comprehensive HIV and AIDS programme, as it was an opportunity for prevention, education and behavior change counselling, as well as a key entry point to care, treatment and support services.
He said there was little attention given to care and support services to individuals diagnosed positive as more emphasis was placed on testing for HIV.
Meanwhile, Dr Malama says Government has engaged private health facilities to find ways of providing free test and treat services in all health institutions in the country.