Government has called for regional studies on the causes of the high HIV infection rates in the country.
Northern Province Permanent Secretary Joel Ngo said this when he officiated at a
Consultative Meeting on the Drivers of the HIV/AIDS pandemic held at Ludo Lodge in
Kasama over the weekend.
In a speech read for him by Kasama District Administrative Officer Edwin Katongo, Mr. Ngo said commissioning a research would establish the forces behind the increasing HIV infections among the productive age group in the nation.
He noted that such research findings would help government and other stakeholders involved in the multi sectoral response to HIV/AIDS to come up with assertive action
against the pandemic.
Mr. Ngo also observed that the findings would assist in localizing HIV/AIDS issues, thereby enabling various stakeholders to take appropriate measures of combating the
further spread of HIV in communities.
The Permanent Secretary, however, explained that new HIV infections were being
recorded on a daily basis, thereby affecting the intervention measures being put in
place by the government.
Mr. Ngo attributed the new HIVÂ infections to rampant child abuse, gender based
violence, poverty, HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination as well as lack of timely action by those either affected or infected by the pandemic.
He has since called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to combat new infections to avoid back-tracking on the positive achievements made in fighting HIV/AIDS in country.
†Cure for AIDS found?
An American HIV/AIDS activist who claims to have found the cure for AIDS will be arriving in Zambia next week.
Dr. Dave Graves who was HIV/AIDS positive but has since been tested negative is reported to have the formula for the pandemic which has claimed hundreds of lives in Zambia and the rest of the world.
Weekly Angel newspaper executive director, Edgar Ngoma has confirmed Dr. Graves visit to Zambia.
Dr. Ngoma said Dr. Graves has evidence to the effect that the HIV virus was manufactured in a laboratory in a named country.
He insisted that the visiting doctor will also explain the origins of the virus and how it has reached unprecedented levelsâ€
This is an extract from ZNBC. The reason it makes interesting reading is becoz of 2 things: 1) The sensational claim of a cure, 2) The evidence of Lab manufacture BY A NAMED COUNTRY! How very interesting!
I’ll try to speculate on the latter, leaving the former to when we get more info.
It is true HTLV viruses, later renamed HIV viruses, were 1st isolated from specimen collected in central africa in the early 70’s, notably however,there were no reports of an endemic disease ravaging any part of Africa with the likeness of HIV/AIDS. Coincidentally, that was also the height of the cold war. Nuclear weapons were breaming on both sides – this meant mutual annihilation. Efforts were then turned to fighting conventional wars and trying to win these, but thsi called for a different type of weaponary – enter BIOLOGICAL & CHEMICAL warfare! Again both sides embarked in this race, experimented with both bacteria and viruses. The problem with biological weapons is that they don’t produce an instant kill & non-selective. Chemical weapons do provide an instant kill but again non-selective.
Now how does HIV come into the picture? Well the next step in trying to develop these armaments was to develop MORE VIRULENT organisms(i.e. more vicious) effective killers ..cont
This meant a disease that was INCURABLE! Theory is HTLV viruses were engineered to their deadly form. Next stage in development is testing them, best way is to test them on the target they are designed for. In medical history a number of infamous experiments have been carried on human beings, notably by Hitler & co, but also by others, such as the Tuskegee experiment or study(Google it). Pres Clinton offered an apology in 1997. Thus with this background, & some things I’ve read in the past, I apply conjecture from here on up till when HIV was 1st reported in San Francisco.
Thru reading, way back in 80’s, came across some article which said prisoners on Death Row were sometimes experimented on, not sure whether with their knowledge or not. Some of them went on to die before their execution dates, the rest were eventually executed. However, prisons are known for the type of sexual conduct that carries on. The possibility that D/Row & non D/Row mixed is very real..cont
Thus if when the non D/Row prisoners contracted HIV & subsequently released into the community, the long incubation allowed for the disease to propagate itself in the gay community – in whom it was exclusive in the early 80’s when 1st recognised. It continued in this population for a while, b4 reports started appearing on the East coast of Africa, then central Africa. What is notable in E. africa was the prevalence of western tourists, some with biexual interests. When you then follow the progress of the disease, initially limited to lines of transportation, & certain occupations, such as prostitutes, Long distance drivers, Soldiers etc b4 spreading to the rest of the population enmass. In the west heterosexual spread has been slow , but hastened in IV drug user population. In africa, sexual practices such as dry-sex, and the high prevalence of the older STD’s disadvantaged our predominantly heterosexual population.
Well, we just have to wait for our visitor this week.
“Mr. Ngo attributed the new HIV infections to rampant child abuse, gender based
violence, poverty, HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination as well as lack of timely action by those either affected or infected by the pandemic.”
Most of factors mentioned above are quite true, but I have to disagree with RAMPANT CHILD ABUSE – reason being, most CHILDREN acquire HIV via VERTICAL TRANSMISSION, i.e. at the time they are being born, as they traverse the birth canal. Thus the numbers of children born, I suspect is in a very large proportion compared to Children being abused in zambia. Taking his statement on face value would mean the rate of child abuse is possibly higher than the birthrate – which is quite a statement!!!
AS for studies, well, it is good to work with some solid info, but more like re-inventing the wheel – studies world over show that populations with poor education, in poverty, lack of resources, will turn to other vices to survive, e.g. prostitution, etc, ..cont
The most effective tool we have is INFORMATION & EDUCATION. The western societies have show that a concerted campaign on the causes of HIV/AIDS, modes of TRANSMISSION, advice on how to AVOID CONTRACTION of HIV does work, BECOZ HIV rates in the GAY community are low, in the HETEROSEXUAL population, numbers are going up, BUT in IV DRUG USERS, the current teenagers & those in their early 20’s who were too young to remember the concerted campaign that was carried out some years back, hence for calls now to repeat that campaign.
What is missing in the messages in Zambia is advice such as: A)DISCOURAGING the DRY-SEX PRACTICE, where drying herbal agents are used, RESULTING IN ALOT of FRICTION – TRAUMA & BRUISES(Broken skin)
B)PROPER INFO on CIRCUMISION – provides very limited protection after development of thicker skin, which would also lead to effects as in A). Studies on the subject in E.Africa were UNETHICAL in thatthe participants weren’t surely informed about …cont
their chances of contracting HIV, becoz no participant will for sure agree to being exposed to something that is incurable, i.e. basically agreeing to sign their own death warrants!
C)EDUCATE those with other STD’s that broken skin predisposes them to higher risks of being infected.
D)EDUCATE those already infected that by not taking precautions, PREDISPOSE THEMSELVES TO PICKING UP FURTHER VIRAL LOADS which will hasten their demise, so protective measures are both for the NON-INFECTED AS WELL AS THE INFECTED!! CONDOMS are the next best thing TO ALMOST PERFECT PROTECTION,(i.e. when CELIBACY FAILS) BUT, ONLY IF USED PROPERLY!!
E)PEOPLE should take the test becoz it puts them in a beter position to making important decisions such as CONSIDERING HAVING CHILDREN – A DEFINITE CERTAINTY OF HIV+ CONDEMNING THEIR OWN CHILDREN TO THIS DISEASE!! Which am sure they don’t intend to.
So a concerted effort to empower people with such information will go a long way in this fight.
#2-7 bauze; Very educative, an intellectual contribution. I hope Zambians can be reading like u and understand whats going on in our country.
cXhPUk comment1 ,
Perfect work!
How do you look at the aggresiveness of Treatment Advocacy Literacy Campaign on the tetrasil cure by Dr Ngoma and their immediate promotion of ARVs