By PRISCILA SIMUKOKO –
The fight to stop HIV and end AIDS by 2030 remains critical to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Yet the last 36 years of the HIV and AIDS disease in Zambia have been perilous to, not only communities, but Government leaders also.
The devastating effects of the disease will continue echoing in the minds of people for generations to come.
During these dark years, sub-Sahara African countries almost lost developmental gains attained after independence due to the disease burden and the effects that have come along.
Thankfully, respective leaders in the region have remained committed to the fight against the disease.
The leaders have taken it upon themselves to provide judicious leadership necessary for hastening interventions.
New findings, according to the UNAIDS 2017 report, indicate that five African countries are approaching HIV epidemic control level.
The five are Malawi, Swaziland, Lesotho, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
This is encouraging especially that none of these achievements would have been possible without the political will and leadership’s concentration of resources towards the disease for maximum impact.
Zambia’s commitment in tackling AIDS has been durable and consistent.
Through the 90-90-90 universal targets among the age group 15-59 years set to end the disease as a public health issue by 2020, the country has recorded a decline of 19 per cent in HIV prevalence between 2003 and 2015.
The 90-90-90 universal targets are ambitious bench marks set by countries to reach 90 per cent of people living with HIV knowing their HIV status, 90 per cent of people diagnosed with HIV infection receiving sustainable antiretroviral therapy (ART), 90 per cent of the people receiving ART should have viral suppression.
All these targets are attainable as proven by the failing prevalence of HIV in these countries.
During the 72nd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the UNAIDS converged at a high level side meeting in New York where countries shared progress on quickening the pace of action to end AIDS.
The UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe paid tribute to heads of states and government for their leadership role and commitment to achieving the universal targets.
“Without your leadership and pledges to fast track actions to end AIDS by 2020, we could have not achieved this progress,” Mr Sidibe pointed out.
He said countries should not be complacent in their efforts because the progress made was a clear choice to end AIDS and to attain sustainable health and development.
Zambia’s record on attaining the universal targets is very much on track particularly with the recent declaration by President Lungu of universal routine testing of HIV in the country.
The routine testing is a measure aimed at making people know their HIV status and enable those with the virus be put on antiretroviral treatment which ultimately should result in viral suppression.
“Zambia’s commitment in tackling the AIDS epidemic has been durable and consistent. The efforts at country level have remained steadfast and HIV remains our priority area,” President Lungu said.
This determination elated Mr Sidibe and other leaders who applauded President Edgar Lungu’s political leadership and commitment to ending AIDS in the country.
The political declaration of ending HIV and AIDS and the fast track targets have been mainstreamed in the Seventh National Development Plan 2017-2021 which is inclusive and leaves no one behind,” President Lungu stated.
He explained that currently, 67 per cent of the estimated 1.2 million people living with HIV know their status.
This is the reason Government launched the routine HIV testing, counselling and treatment programme in August this year.
The programme will ensure that everyone is reached and those testing positive are offered treatment immediately in order to achieve the universal treatment while strengthening HIV prevention among adolescents and other vulnerable groups, including the menfolk who have generally shown more reluctance to accessing the services.
“70  per cent of the  people living with HIV are on antiretroviral therapy in the country, though the pronouncement did not go down well politically, human rights activists were talking about infringing on rights of the people but I said no one has a right to take neither your life nor the life of others,” President Lungu emphasised.
Consequently, Government has decided to increase the number of skilled healthcare workers by 7,000 and is intending to improve worker productivity and performance in the health sector.
This initiative is one of the factors to fast track the attaining of the universal targets.
“Further, my Government is also working on establishing social health insurance to increase domestic resources allocation to HIV and AIDS responses,” President Lungu further said.
Botswana is among the few countries on the continent that have reached the 90-90-90 fast track targets.
This means 90 per cent of the people with HIV have been tested in Botswana, while 90 per cent of those tested are receiving treatment and 90 per cent of those receiving treatment have achieved a suppressed viral load.
That country’s Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi said Bostwana embarked on a robust programme to fast track HIV targets and ensuring everybody is tested and given access to HIV services.
“All strategies towards achieving the epidemic control and reduce the HIV and AIDS related mobility, especially cancers and TB, were launched by the president. These strategies galvanized the action towards our attaining the 90-90-90 targets,” Mr Masisi said.
King Mswati III of Swaziland said the kingdom is also making progress to end AIDS.
He implored leaders to unite to fight the HIV and AIDS war because it is possible to win the battle.
King Mswati said his government will endeavour to look for innovative ways to increase domestic funding to the response as a way of sustaining the gains achieved so far.
“In my kingdom, we are appealing to cooperating partners to sustain the funding towards the fight against AIDS responses. My government is looking forward to working with partners to ensure that the resources we have are effectively directed to proven interventions,” King Mwasti III said.
Seychelles President Dann Faura urged leaders to continue approaching HIV and AIDS responses as a global retort in order to end the disease.
President Faura said Seychelles has continued to record high prevalence of HIV and AIDS due to increased use of intravenous drugs among the productive age group which he said was affecting efforts to end AIDS.
“Though it has been on top of our agenda, it has also risen on top of our concerns. We are experiencing low productivity because youths cannot perform or maintain jobs.
“This is a public health issue with multiple effects. For us there is no time to be complacent,” President Faura told the meeting.
The US government, through the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has been the largest sponsor of HIV and AIDS interventions in Africa.
US Ambassador to the UN on AIDS Derby Becks said her government has invested US$6 billion for HIV and AIDS every year to support responses on the African continent.
Ms Becks said the US’s support is a demonstration of global solidarity towards ending AIDS and it will remain steadfast with its commitment.
Zambia’s strides, coupled with the political will to ending AIDS by 2030, will fast track the attainment of the universal targets.
Its change in treatment policy has led to an increase in adults on ART achieving viral suppression.
What with 66 per cent of the people knowing their HIV status, 89 per cent receiving treatment and 89 per cent having recorded a viral suppression?
Reaching the 90-90-90 universal targets is indeed possible for Zambia.-ZANIS.