The United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) has observed that the increasing of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV access to anti-retroviral drugs and effective behaviour change have effectively helped Zambia in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
UNICEF Deputy Representative Elspeth Erickson said this could be evidenced by the reduction in new HIV infections among Zambian adults.
Ms. Erickson said this in Lusaka at the launch of MTV’s “SHUGA” and its Ignite campaign aimed at educating Zambian audiences on the prevention of HIV/AIDS.
Ms. Erickson said MTV has a huge social marketing expertise in targeting HIV/AIDS prevention and information for people to change their behavior and make right choices.
She cited multiple concurrent partnerships as one of the issues which should be fought because it was negatively affecting the fight against the pandemic.
Ms. Erickson noted that a new government report has revealed that for every 100 new HIV infections, 71 are estimated to arise from sex with a non- regular partner and 21 per cent of new infections are estimated to occur in people with only one partner.
She said this calls increased advocacy efforts to consistence condom use and encouraging faithfulness to only one partner.
ZANIS
That’s a good development.. HIV/AIDS is a deadly issue….
Lets hope UNICEF is not comforting us cos there is moral decay in Zed or is it that there is increased awareness in using protection?
Ni kani ya sex…we have to be open about it and call a spade exactly what it is…