HIV programmes on course – South PS Liomba

SOUTHERN Province Permanent Secretary Mwangala Liombasays government will continue implementing group and individual tailored HIV/AIDS interventions to attain epidemic control and ultimately ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Speaking in Choma when he graced the dissemination of the National HIV/AIDS Communication and Advocacy Strategy yesterday, Mr Liomba said the strategy is intended to help the implementation of partner designed social and behaviour change programs on comprehensive HIV prevention. The Permanent Secretary explained that the strategy makes it easier for program implementers to initiate social and behaviour change communication activities for service demand creation. He said the fight against HIV/AIDS needed a multi-sectoral approach and has since called on stakeholders at all levels to join forces if the pandemic is to be eradicated. Mr Liomba has further thanked the American people through PEPFAR and USAID for technical and financial support towards the development of the National HIV/AIDS Communication and Advocacy Strategy. With an HIV prevalence rate of 12 percent, Zambia receives significant support from USAID under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). These PEPFAR investments focus on scaling up integrated HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs, with the goal of reaching epidemic control by 2020. Through direct service delivery and technical assistance, Supporting an AIDS Free Era (SAFE) partners with the Ministry of Health to reduce HIV mortality, morbidity and transmission, while improving nutrition outcomes and family planning integration. ZANIS The Sun