We use cookies on this website. By continuing to use this site without changing your cookie settings, you agree that you are happy to accept our privacy policy and for us to access our cookies on your device.
Zambia Fights Against HIV/AIDS with Community-Centered Approach
December 4, 2024
CategoryAfrica Central
Content TypeProgram
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/Script((INTRO))
[[In Zambia, an education and prevention program known as the Total Control of the Epidemic project is focused on ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Kathy Short reports from (Pe-taa-uu-ke) Petauke, Zambia.]]
((VIDEO: Variety of shots of Louzi, VOA))
((NARRATOR))
Louzi Zulu has been living with HIV/AIDS for five years, one of an estimated 1.3 million Zambians living with the disease. (3)
But she is getting help from the global NGO Humana People to People program, a project that is working with communities here to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
Zulu got pregnant after testing positive for HIV, but her son is HIV-negative. She credits medical interventions that help mothers access life-saving antiretroviral drugs, or ARVs, to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission.
((Louzi Zulu, HIV-Positive)) ((Female, in Nsenga))
“I have been living like this for three years, almost four years. So, we go together with my husband to collect our medication. We take PrEP and ARVs together. So, I am very happy that we are still together.”
((VIDEO: Various shots of Joseph Banda with wife, Joseph.))
((NARRATOR))
Zulu’s husband Joseph Banda is HIV-negative. He takes pre-exposure prophylaxis - PrEP, a medication that reduces infection from HIV, the virus causing AIDS. (2)
Zulu and Banda are what is known as a “discordant couple,” where one partner is HIV-negative while the other is HIV-positive.
(( For radio: Banda understands the drugs are a necessity. ))
((Joseph Banda, HIV-Negative)) ((Male, in Nsenga))
“My wife takes antiretrovirals drugs to protect her from transmitting the HIV virus, she has to continue taking this medicine.”
((VIDEO: Various shots of field officer on bike, at a client’s home.))
((NARRATOR))
Margaret Zulu is a field officer at Development Aid from People to People in Zambia, or DAPP, helping clients around the community to ensure that they are consistent in taking their medicines.
She says field officers and community health workers visit people living with HIV who fell out of treatment, to re-engage them, and help them form small HIV treatment adherence support groups, known as ‘Trios.’
((Margaret Zulu, Development Aid from People to People in Zambia)) ((Female, in English))
“This program ... has helped people to have knowledge about HIV, about prevention measures, what to do if they have tested negative, what step they can take, or how they can live positive lives when we find discordant couple.”
((VIDEO: Various shots of Chanda, VOA))
((NARRATOR))
Mwamba Chunda works as an HIV focal point person with the Ministry of Health at Petauke district hospital, helping HIV-positive people adhere to their treatment.
((Mwamba Chunda, Petauke District Hospital)) ((Male, in English))
“We used to lose a lot of clients on treatment. When you schedule someone on treatment within a shortest period of time, they are lost ... But we are engaging the community.”
((VIDEO: Various shots of Mwanza hosting meetings with community, talking to men, speaking at various community meetings, VOA))
((NARRATOR))
The project involves traditional leaders like village headman Yoram Mwanza to raise awareness communities about HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs run by DAPP.
((Yoram Mwanza, Headman, Mumbi Village)) ((Male, in Nsenga))
“We started going door to door, telling those who didn’t attend the meetings, that DAPP has got this very good program, and we should benefit from it because what we are learning is prolonging our lives, a good life.”
((VIDEO: Various shots of DAPP offices, Elise walking, VOA))
((NARRATOR))
DAPP Zambia is implementing the Total Control of the Epidemic project, an education and prevention program. Elise (Ee-lee-see) Soerensen is its managing director.
((Elise Soerensen, Development Aid from People to People in Zambia Managing Director)) ((Female, in English))
“We are still saying putting people first, and the slogan in the TCE program is that only the people themselves can eliminate themselves from the TB and HIV epidemics.”
((VIDEO: Various shots of Petauke communities, Petauke hospital, Mumbi village, VOA))
((NARRATOR))
The U.N.’s bottom-up approach combined with high quality health services aims to make Zambia reach the ambitious goal, set by the U.N., of no new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths, and zero stigma and discrimination by 2030.
((Kathy Short, VOA News, (Pe-taa-uu-ke ) Petauke, Zambia.))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
