By NAKUBIANA SHABONGO –
THE United States Government has launched a US$25million project towards HIV/AIDS prevention in Zambia.
The project aims at maintaining the existing HIV/AIDS services and scale-up of treatment as prevention, strengthening the health system and supporting Government priorities.
Speaking during the launch of the Zambia Prevention, Care and Treatment Partnership (ZPCT II) project at Government Complex,
Community Development Mother and Child Health permanent secretary Elywn Chomba said HIV/AIDS remained a public concern in Zambia with a prevalence rate of 14.3per cent.
Ms Chomba said Government was committed to providing universal access to comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support.
The country had scored a number of successes in combating HIV/AIDS that needed to be sustained and accelerated.
She called for elimination of mother to child transmission, HIV/AIDS testing, counselling and condom distribution programme to ensure universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention services.
“The collaboration has resulted into improved communities as it has contributed to the expansion and scalling up of HIV services
supporting Government’s goal to reduce new infections,” she said.
USAID Zambia Deputy Mission Director, Patrick Diskin said the country had made remarkable progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Mr Diskin said according to statistics the country recorded a drop in HIV/AIDS prevalence and a reduction in new HIV/AIDS infections among others.
Health Permanent Secretary David Chikamata said the newly launched project was an asset to Government towards combating HIV/AIDS and related diseases.