Your choice in the fight against HIV/AIDS

For more than a quarter century, HIV/AIDS has devastated families, communities, and nations. It has reduced life expectancy by more than a decade in Zambia. It has killed many of Zambia’s most productive citizens in the prime of their lives and left nearly a million children orphaned. And yet HIV is totally preventable.

If you were diagnosed with HIV just a few years ago in Zambia, there was little hope that you would be able to access life-extending antiretroviral treatment. Five years ago, only 3,000 Zambians had access to antiretroviral treatment. Now, over 200,000 have access to HIV treatment. The American people, through the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), have supported Zambia in this effort through financial investment, technical support, and partnership with the government of the Republic of Zambia, civil society, and the medical community.

Together, we have made great strides in addressing HIV/AIDS. Since 2004, the United States has invested over 1.2 billion US dollars – approximately 4.6 trillion kwacha – to help Zambians deal with HIV/AIDS. In the last year alone, almost 400,000 pregnant women received counselling and testing for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and nearly 60,000 received drugs to prevent the spread of HIV to their infants, over 228,700 Zambians are receiving life-extending treatment in over 290 sites around the country and over 400,000 AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children received support. The results of this unprecedented programme – the largest commitment in history to combat a single disease – are astounding and reflect America’s commitment to helping the Zambian people.

Today, we recognise both the progress that has been made to tackle this disease and the work that remains. The time has come to focus on preventing new infections in the first place. While Zambia’s approach to HIV/AIDS in the coming years will continue to be multifaceted, success in eliminating HIV/AIDS as a public health threat will require two elements in particular: prevention and personal responsibility.

Preventing HIV/AIDS is critical. Simply put, Zambia cannot treat its way out of this epidemic. HIV is entirely preventable. The primary mode of transmission in Zambia is via consensual unprotected sex; the prevalence of HIV in Zambia makes this a high-risk behaviour.

Preventing HIV/AIDS is every Zambian’s responsibility. Opportunities abound to take action to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS on Zambian society. You can encourage your partner to get tested. How can Zambians stop HIV when 85 per cent of Zambians do not know their HIV status? You can talk to your friends and families about HIV, about your concern for their health and well-being, and ways to remain free from HIV. If you are pregnant, you can get tested and seek antenatal care early so that if you’re positive you can receive treatment so that your baby has the best chance of being born HIV free. Everyone has the option to take personal responsibility to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. Each individual action that prevents a new HIV infection helps secure a better future for Zambia.

Can you imagine how different life in Zambia will be if Zambians stop becoming infected with HIV? Let’s assume for a moment that 100,000 people will pass away in the next few years as a result of their HIV/AIDS infection. The loss of these mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, and friends would be devastating – not only personally devastating but financially costly. If the cost of an average funeral is approximately 4.5 million kwacha, that means Zambians would spend 4.5 trillion kwacha over the next few years on funerals rather than their children’s education, nutritious food for their family, better housing and healthcare. Wouldn’t it be better for you and your family to prevent infection in the first place?

Money spent on HIV/AIDS is money not spent on other vital things. When you think about your behaviours that put you at risk for HIV infection, think about your loved ones, those who depend on you, and think about how your HIV/AIDS infection would impact them.

The American people are working together with the Zambian people to end this epidemic. The United States is committed to helping build a health system that can deal with HIV/AIDS and other deadly diseases in Zambia. The US Embassy will continue to support Zambian strategies and programmes to stop HIV/AIDS. But we know that HIV/AIDS programmes alone will not defeat this disease. As part of the United States’ Global Health Initiative outlined by President Barack Obama, we will support Zambia’s work to further integrate and expand access to other health care services, such as those that address tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and family planning services. We will help build a health system that can meet Zambians’ needs.

The time for renewed commitment to tackle HIV/AIDS could not be more opportune; Zambia is embarking upon three key 5-year strategic planning processes – the National AIDS Strategic Framework, the National Health Strategic Plan, and the Sixth National Development Plan. These strategic planning processes should embrace creative thinking to ensure even fewer Zambians become HIV positive.

Last month’s Prevention Convention was an excellent forum to discuss and understand the key drivers of Zambia’s HIV/AIDS epidemic. The government of the Republic of Zambia showed its commitment with President Banda, Vice- President George Kunda and members of Cabinet in attendance. Leadership on behalf of the government, as was seen at the Prevention Convention, can make a tremendous difference in influencing societal attitudes and norms.

We have seen that exemplary leadership has made a remarkable difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS in many countries. We trust that Zambia’s role models will continue to be instruments promoting the behaviour change needed to stop HIV/AIDS in Zambia. The United States has been unwavering in its support to Zambia’s fight against HIV/AIDS but only Zambians can stop new infections. We will continue to support people who act to stop AIDS. The choice is yours.

World AIDS Day is an appropriate time to stop and reflect on what choice Zambians will make. (The author is - US Ambassador to Zambia)



Source : www.zambiapost.com