High Number Of New HIV Infections Worry State

By STEVEN MVULA and NEWTON SIBANDA
GOVERNMENT is concerned that the country is still experiencing high levels of new infections of HIV and AIDS almost three decades into the epidemic, Minister of Justice Wynter Kabimba said.
Mr Kabimba, who is also Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general, says the HIV/AIDS pandemic has continued to be an enormous challenge both to urban and rural communities.

“This is a source of worry for Government and that is why we are grateful to our partners who are helping us in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“We are grateful to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and SHAre (Support to the HIV/Aids Response)II project for providing technical support towards the development of the Shakumbila chiefdom development strategic plan,” the minister said.
He was speaking when he launched the Shakumbila chiefdom Development Strategic Plan in Shibuyunji district on Saturday.
Mr Kabimba said poverty is a key driver of the HIV and AIDS epidemic in Zambia and must therefore be curbed.
“Unless we develop Zambia, and through development, fight poverty, our HIV problem will continue to grow,” he said.
Mr Kabimba said by planning for development, communities can improve the health of their people and conquer HIV and AIDS.
The minister said Government is encouraged to see communities take the initiative to develop their own areas instead of waiting for Government to do everything.
“The development of this 2014 to 2018 strategic plan is testimony that the people in Chief Shakumbila’s area want to improve their lives by buying into the Government’s development plans,” Mr Kabimba said, adding that development starts from the smallest unit, which is a village.
“Our men, women and youths in the villages have an important role to play in our country’s development,” he said.
The Shakumbila chiefdom of the Sala speaking people on Saturday launched s strategic plan with the support of USAID.
The strategic plan addresses 10 key sectors of development which include agriculture, livestock, fisheries and food security; developmental infrastructure; mining and mineral wealth; tourism management and conservation of natural resources;, education; health; and HIV/AIDS.
Others are women and youth empowerment; tradition and culture; and governance and coordination of development.
The plan integrates HIV/AIDS, gender and human rights as cross-cutting issues that need to be addressed across the nine other strategic areas.
It is aligned to the Sixth National Development Plan and identifies government as the chiefdom’s key development partner.
Meanwhile, some residents expressed happiness with the launch of the development plan.
Gregory Mizinga, a teacher by profession, said that it is good that the chiefdom now has a plan to guide its development.
Joyce Shamona, a community development officer, quoted the biblical scripture that says ‘people without a plan perish,’ in celebrating the launch of the strategic plan.
The development plan was launched during the Ikubi lya loongo ceremony of the Sala people of Mumbwa.

Posted by Editor on July 28, 2014. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry