By CHILA NAMAIKO? –

A TEAM of volunteers from the United Kingdom (UK) has arrived in Choma on a three-month working visit to support Government’s delivery of quality reproductive health services to the locals.
The 12 UK volunteers join 12 other Choma-based youth volunteers under the Youth Development Organisation (YDO) to implement various reproductive health and community service programmes.
The volunteers with reproductive health skills such as nursing and counselling, would be deployed at centres such as Choma, Shampande Clinic, Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) and the Railway Clinic.
Speaking at a welcoming reception in Choma on Tuesday, YDO executive director Partner Siabutuba said the organisation was happy that the volunteers would closely work with their Zambian counterparts to enhance reproductive health services.
Mr Siabutuba bemoaned the rising HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Choma and called for concerted efforts among stakeholders in finding more stringent measures to curb the pandemic.
“As a host organisation of these volunteers, we are happy that they have come with multiple skills in areas of reproductive health to work with the community,” he said.
The volunteers would support Government in promoting quality health reproductive services citing the need to reduce the HIV/AIDS prevalence rates particularly among youths.
Youth and Sport Ministry representative Hezron Mukonka said Government was grateful to stakeholders supplementing efforts in improving the living standards of Zambians.
Mr Mukonka said the exchange programmes were essential in enhancing quality health services.?Government would continue to create a conducive environment that would entice more stakeholders to come to Zambia and offer developmental skills with communities.