LUSAKA HAS 320, 000 HIV POSITIVE PEOPLE

LUSAKA has more than 320, 000 people who are living with the HIV/AIDS virus and we are committed as a government to ensure that people get tested so that all of those who test positive for the virus are put on medication, Lusaka District Commissioner Colonel Davis Mulenga.

Speaking when he launched the first street walk on HIV testing, Col Mulenga said out of 326, 535 people who were living with the virus, only 231, 849 knew their status and 204, 019 were accessing antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.

He said that more women had gone for testing than men for a number of several reasons.

“Numerous reasons have been given as to why women have a larger number of those who had gone for testing, one of them is however that the facilities where HIV/AIDS testing is accessed from are overwhelmed with women and children who seek numerous services from the hospitals thereby disadvantaging the men to access HIV testing services,” Col Mulenga said.

He said that the street walk would target men in the formal and informal sector to have access to HIV/AIDS testing.

Col Mulenga said those who had not been reached through the normal channels would be reached through the street walk.

He said Government was committed to fighting HIV/ AIDS and was working towards eliminating the pandemic by 2030.

Col Mulenga said the district decided to reach those who could not be reached because government was concerned over the low numbers of people who went for testing.