By STEVEN ZANDE –
HEALTH Minister Chitalu Chilufya has refuted social media claims alleging that the Government has backtracked on the pronouncement by President Edgar Lungu that HIV-testing is mandatory.
The Health ministry also urged Zambians to desist from trivializing the matter on social media, as doing so only increased levels of stigma among other negative effects.
Dr Chilufya said the Government remained consistent in its quest to provide universal routine HIV counseling, testing and treatment to help raise the number of patients on Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART), which is vital to maintaining a healthy and productive population.
“Allegations about syndicates with some pharmaceutical companies are nonsensical and not any different from hallucinations. Let’s be responsible, if people have concrete issues, let them bring them
forward,” the minister said.
He said this at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday.
Universal routine HIV counseling, testing and treatment meant that people who visited health facilities for conditions like a swollen leg, a toothache, among others would be required to undergo an HIV test.
Dr Chilufya said people should not be alarmed as this was aimed at ensuring that as many people as possible knew their HIV status so that persons who tested positive were put on treatment to control their viral load, while those who were tested negative protected themselves.
He said to appreciate the measure, critics should first consider the damage HIV/AIDS caused to families and how some HIV positive people unwittingly infected their partners, especially the many innocent young girls whose future was destroyed as a result.
Dr Chilufya said while being HIV positive did not denote promiscuity, people should embrace moral values by avoiding multiple sexual partners for Zambia to successfully contain the disease.
Health Permanent Secretary Malama appealed to Zambians to desist from trivialising the matter on social media or on any other platforms as doing so would increase stigma and jeopardise the fight the HIV.
Dr Malama, however, said constructive debate should be encouraged as this would allow for more knowledge to be disseminated to the public.
Meanwhile, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) has urged the ministry of Health to consider working with church leaders in disseminating correct information that would help dispel fears
concerning compulsory HIV testing in public and private health facilities.
EFZ executive director Pukuta Mwanza said there was need to attach qualified medical practitioners to church leaders so that pastors could transmit quality information to their congregants to avoid
distorting facts about the measure, as falsehoods risked increasing suspicion and stigma.
“We support the measure because compulsory HIV testing will assure access to immediate treatment and confidentiality for people who test positive,” Rev Mwanza said.
By STEVEN ZANDE
HEALTH Minister Chitalu Chilufya has refuted social media claims alleging that the Government has backtracked on the pronouncement by President Edgar Lungu that HIV-testing is mandatory.
The Health ministry also urged Zambians to desist from trivializing the matter on social media, as doing so only increased levels of stigma among other negative effects.
Dr Chilufya said the Government remained consistent in its quest to provide universal routine HIV counseling, testing and treatment to help raise the number of patients on Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART), which is vital to maintaining a healthy and productive population.
“Allegations about syndicates with some pharmaceutical companies are nonsensical and not any different from hallucinations. Let’s be responsible, if people have concrete issues, let them bring them
forward,” the minister said.
He said this at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday.
Universal routine HIV counseling, testing and treatment meant that people who visited health facilities for conditions like a swollen leg, a toothache, among others would be required to undergo an HIV test.
Dr Chilufya said people should not be alarmed as this was aimed at ensuring that as many people as possible knew their HIV status so that persons who tested positive were put on treatment to control their viral load, while those who were tested negative protected themselves.
He said to appreciate the measure, critics should first consider the damage HIV/AIDS caused to families and how some HIV positive people unwittingly infected their partners, especially the many innocent young girls whose future was destroyed as a result.
Dr Chilufya said while being HIV positive did not denote promiscuity, people should embrace moral values by avoiding multiple sexual partners for Zambia to successfully contain the disease.
Health Permanent Secretary Malama appealed to Zambians to desist from trivialising the matter on social media or on any other platforms as doing so would increase stigma and jeopardise the fight the HIV.
Dr Malama, however, said constructive debate should be encouraged as this would allow for more knowledge to be disseminated to the public.
Meanwhile, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) has urged the ministry of Health to consider working with church leaders in disseminating correct information that would help dispel fears
concerning compulsory HIV testing in public and private health facilities.
EFZ executive director Pukuta Mwanza said there was need to attach qualified medical practitioners to church leaders so that pastors could transmit quality information to their congregants to avoid
distorting facts about the measure, as falsehoods risked increasing suspicion and stigma.
“We support the measure because compulsory HIV testing will assure access to immediate treatment and confidentiality for people who test positive,” Rev Mwanza said.