Nkhrumah students counselled on HIV/AIDS prevention measures

THE newly introduced Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a powerful tool to end new HIV infections and AIDS by 2030, Central Province Permanent Secretary, Bernard Chomba says.

In a speech read by assistant secretary Mwape Kasanda, Mr Chomba assured the youth of the effectiveness of PrEP in HIV prevention if taken accordingly.

He was speaking during the Ending AIDS activation launch at NKwame Nkhrumah University in Kabwe.

Mr Chomba said youths should take advantage of PrEP, an everyday HIV prevention pill which was fully supported by the Ministry of Health.

"As youths take advantage of all the HIV prevention measures that government and its partners are putting in place to end AIDS because you are the future leaders," said Mr Chomba.

And provincial medical health director, Dr Charles Msiska said Government, was talking about the transformation agenda in ending HIV/ AIDS by making available prevention measures right at people’s door step.

Dr Msiska said no one should die of AIDS with HIV prevention measures such as the Pre-exposure prophylaxis among others.

He urged Zambians to take advantage of the HIV prevention measures government through the Ministry of Health and its partners were bringing to their door steps.

USAID representative, Musonda Musonda, said Zambia had made great strides towards ending the HIV epidemic in Zambia.

Ms Musonda said USAID and Zambia are on track to reach the epidemic control by 2030.

“This means that the total number of new HIV infections will fall below the total number of deaths among people living with HIV," said Ms Musonda.

She urged young people to increase knowledge and awareness of HIV and AIDS and improve health seeking behaviours to win the fight.

Speaking earlier, NKwame Nkhrumah Vice Chancellor Professor Hellicy Ng'ambi commended USAID Discover-Health for partnering with the institution to end HIV infections.

Prof. Ng'ambi said the university being in the central business district (CBD) of Kabwe which is a trans-city town was More vulnerable to HIV hence the need for such interventions. She added that the institution was vulnerable because most of its students are among the vulnerable group.