MINSIETR of Health Dr Chitalu Chilufya has today the 22nd of July 2020 announced an eleven member new National AIDS council Board under the Chairmanship of veteran Public health expert Professor Victor Mukonka with a call to the team to sustain the gains made in the HIV response.
Speaking at the unveiling and inauguration ceremony at Radisson Blu Hotel, Dr Chilufya said unless practical steps are taken by the new Board, there is a risk of attention shifting to other public health threats including COVID-19 pandemic, yet HIV still remains one of the public health emergencies.
“With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the whole globe, there is a real danger that HIV might be relegated and overshadowed by this pandemic yet HIV is still a public health emergency,” Dr Chilufya said.
Dr Chilufya noted that Government has deliberately elevated health from the social service sector to an economic status worth investing in to raise the health of the citizenry as a precursor to the attainment of Vision 2030 Middle High Income Country.
The Minister advised the Board to maintain the multi-sectoral approach of the HIV response and pursue more community engagements for sustainable delivery of services. The Board was asked to strengthen resource mobilization strategies both for the organisation and the national HIV response.
The other tasks given to the new Board are to transform NAC into a relevant body capable of addressing today’s challenges as well as to develop a robust National HIV Policy to guide the national response.
The Minister paid tribute to cooperating partners particularly the United States Government through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) as well as the United Nations family through the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS).
PEPFAR is investing US $ 389 million into the HIV response with effect from October this year to September 2021 primarily covering HIV treatment, diagnostic and other laboratory equipment as well as disease surveillance.
In her welcome remarks, Director General, Dr Connie Osborne expressed her gratitude to government for appointing the Board, an activity that had been long awaited. “We note with pleasure the gender balance, inclusion of young people and the diversity of the members backgrounds” She said. And moving a vote of thanks, UNAIDS Country Director Dr Tarcisse Barihuta reiterated the Minister’s concerns on protecting the gains of the HIV response saying if Zambia experiences an interruption of HIV services for six months, the status of the HIV response would be taken 12 years back with proportional high number of HIV infections and deaths.
In his acceptance speech of his role as Chairperson of NAC, Professor Mukonka said he was humbled along with his team to be honoured with the appointment and pledged to support the Secretariat to enable it discharge its functions.
The rest of the NAC Board members include Dr Kennedy Malama, who is Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Mr Joe Kapembwa, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development, Ms Pamela Kabamba, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.
Others are Dr Aaron Banda, Mr Zoonadi Ngwenya, Ms Karen Sichinga, Ms Hellen Mwale, Ms Catherine Kamushila, Ms Lwishia Chibowa and Mr Simataa Simataa.
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