Kalabo District Health Director Dr. Jacob Sakala says HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death in the area.
Dr. Sakala said malaria was initially the leading cause of death in the district from 2001 to 2005, adding that from 2006 to the first quarter of 2007, HIV/AIDS is the number one cause of deaths in the district.
He disclosed that currently 1,185 people in the district are on Anti Retro Viral (ARV)drugs  treatment out of which 423 are male, 38 are children while 724 are female, representing 60 per cent of people on treatment.
Dr. Sakala told ZANIS in Kalabo that there is limited access of Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) services by the people in the district.
The District Direcor of Health saying only two hospitals and two health centres in the district are offering VCT services. VCT services are provided at Yuka Mission Hospital, Kalabo Distrit Hospital, Sihole and Lukona Rural Health Centres.
He however said his department will soon extend the services to Sikongo Rural Health Centre in two weeks time, adding that members of staff have already been trained.
Dr. Sakala attributed the poor health services provided to the shortage of health staff in the district, adding that the situation also limits the scaling up VCT services to other rural health centres in the area.
