A wide spectrum of organizations implementing community level HIV programmes have either halted or reduced their interventions in the face of insecurity posed by countrywide incidences of chemical gassing and the resultant instant mob justice on suspects. 

The development threatens Zambia’s goal of achieving epidemic control of HIV by the end of this year and ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

The National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council (NAC) has thrown a challenge to the media to be agents of change in eradicating barriers to HIV and other health services faced by a group of sub populations collectively known as HIV “key populations”.

NAC Director General designate Dr Connie Osborne said the media occupied a privileged position in society giving it significant influence over its audiences.

The National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council (NAC) and the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) have led the way in the Government’s decentralization process by successfully integrating District AIDS Coordination Advisors (DACAs) into local authorities on a permanent and pensionable basis, doing away with the programme mode of employment under NAC.

The LGSC assisted by NAC has recruited 116 DACAs on behalf of all the existing districts throughout the country to enable local authorities effectively deal with the epidemic as a developmental challenge.

The second in the series of the countrywide media trainings on reporting key populations was held in Livingstone yesterday the 30^th of August 2018 with National AIDS Council Acting Director General Mr. Fortune Chibamba calling upon journalists to help prevent new HIV infections through accurate coverage of the epidemic.

Addressing journalists from all the districts of Southern Province at Cross Roads Lodge, Mr Chibamba said public education and awareness in the media were potential social vaccines against HIV infections.