University of Zambia Medical Library

HIV/AIDS in Zambia: July -- September 1997

"Female Condom On the Market Next Month" by Alinedi Ngoma
The Daily Mail: September 29, 1997

Society for Family Health will launch the new female condom called "Care" ext month as part of the fight against the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. Speaking during a cocktail party at Lusaka's Hotel Intercontinental, SFH executive director Bradford Lucas said his organisation would continue to support and complement the Ministry of Health's effort in fighting diseases. He added that the key ingredient of social marketing was the implementation of information, education and communication.

"SFH is seeking to expand its services into other essential health trusts. Social marketing creates both awareness and demand for health products," he said. SFH marketing manager for condoms Chris Mukkuli said his organisation decided to introduce the new female condom because they realised that women were also in need of self protection.

Mr Mukkuli explained that it was unfair for women to have unwanted pregnancies because of men being unfaithful to them while using the condom. When asked if introducing "Care" could encourage prostitution and spread more diseases, he said even before the condoms were introduced, the sex rate was high because people could not be stopped from having sex. "In fact, it might be another way of reducing diseases because no one knows the truth about the other in the aspect of diseases, sometimes not even yourself might know your condition," Mr Mukkuli said. SFH promotions and education coordinator Mpundu Mwanza encouraged women not to be shy when using "Care" because it would protect their lives ends.

"Youth warned about dangers of AIDS" by Mizinga Mulomba
The Daily Mail: September 29, 1997

Being a member of an Anti-AIDS Club does not keep one safe from the scourge, Family Health Trust executive director Elizabeth Mataka warned in Lusaka. Mrs Mataka was speaking when she officially opened a Lusaka province joint Anti-AIDS clubs meeting that was attended by 23 schools. She told the youths that they must not just perform powerful drama, sing beautiful songs and recite moving poems, then go and have sex without a condom because they would be "infected with HIV, and in time die of AIDS."

Mrs Mataka, however, commended the youth clubs for their part in the education against HIV/AIDS infection. She said peer education was seen as one of the best ways of preventing AIDS, especially among the youths. Currently, more than 800,000 people have been recorded infected with HIV and 150,000 have AIDS. Among the national population of 15 to 19 year olds, five percent are HIV positive in urban areas while 10 percent and 11 percent are infected in rural and peri-urban areas respectively. Mrs Mataka prodded the youths that the scourge could be defeated if they waited until marriage for sex, and then remain faithful to their partners.

"That is the best way to defeat AIDS, by staying away from sex," she emphasised. "You are being unwise if you do have sex at your age. But if you do, please do not let sex kill you. If you really cannot stay away from sex, use condoms, correctly every time. Stay faithful to one partner and make sure your partner is also being faithful," Mrs Mataka said. She also disclosed the Anti-AIDS clubs activities had the support of government through the new national policy on education. The policy, Mrs Mataka said, stressed the importance of life skills "for the promotion of the health and well-being of the pupil."

The Anti-AIDS movement started in 1987 with David Kaunda Secondary School as a pioneer club. This was the first of its kind in Africa and currently, there are 550 registered active clubs throughout the country. And such clubs have spread to Malawi, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Kenya.

"Zambia Ranks 4TH in HIV/AIDS on the Continent, says Miyanda" by Reuben Phiri
The Post: September 24, 1997

Zambia is the fourth highest and hardest hit with HIV/AIDS infection in Africa, disclosed Vice-President Godfrey Miyanda yesterday. Vice-President Miyanda, officially opening the 7th National AIDS Conference at Lusaka's Mulungushi International Conference Centre, said one in every four adults in the productive group in Zambia is infected with the disease.

"Zambia is at the butt of Africa's AIDS bed which stretches from Kenya through Uganda down to South Africa," Vice-President Miyanda said. The Vice-President told the conference whose theme is Collaboration in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS that infection was prevalent between the ages of 20-30 in females and 30-40 in males. He said the number of orphaned children as a result of the HIV/AIDS pandemic has increased and is now between 300,000 - 500,000. "It is this impact which requires people from all walks of life to come up with a multi-sectoral approach to solving this AIDS problem," Vice-President Miyanda said.

United Nations on Aids (UNAIDS) country programme director for Zambia, Bernadette Owolowo-Freers, told the same conference that HIV/AIDS pandemic had thrown an open challenge throughout the world to fight as one in "unity and togetherness". "Being head of the great family of nations - the UN- on receiving information on AIDS rose to the occasion and joined the fight," Owolowo-Freers said.

Vice-President Miyanda, reacting to remarks by chairperson of the Zambia National Aids Network (ZNAN), Elizabeth Mataka, who noted that there were growing incidence of child abuse in Zambia, assured conference that government will study legislation on child abuse with a view to strengthening laws. He agreed that "some aspects of the law needed to be reviewed" due to the high incidence of child abuse. "We will study aspects of legislation and see if it is not enough. I urge you to suggest certain specifics and submit them to my office. We will definitely look positively at any suggestion to improve on the existing legislation," Vice-President Miyanda assured. Mataka told the conference that the incidence of child abuse is on the increase in a world of AIDS. "We would like to recognise both the government and private sector effort in trying to fight HIV/AIDS. But we wish to refer to areas of concern which need to be tackled with a sense of urgency," Mataka said. "We appeal for urgency in reviewing legislation in relation to child abuse." Mataka also urged the government to consider giving rebates to businesses which make donations to organisations dealing with orphans and AIDS related programmes.

The 3-day conference attracted participants from the government, Non-Governmental Organisations, the private sector, primary and secondary schools and people living with HIV/AIDS. South Africa and Zimbabwe also sent participants to the conference. The event has been organised by ZNAN and funded by UNAIDS and it's co-sponsoring agencies the UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, UNESCO and the World Bank.

"Empower AIDS Patients, Urges BOZ Official"
Times of Zambia: September 22, 1997

A top Bank of Zambia (BOZ) official has called for the economic empowerment for people living with HIV/AIDS to, among other things, enable them to contribute to the cost of their own care. BOZ deputy governor Situmbeko Musokotwane made the call in Kabwe at the weekend in a paper he presented to the conference on economic empowerment for people living with HIV/AIDS organised by the network of Zambian people living with HIV/AIDS.

Dr Musokotwane said such empowerment should include information availability, provision of medical care and professional counselling and assistance to orphans. Empowerment should also include preferential tax treatment for the sufferers and preferential consideration for children when awarding scholarships and school places. When allocating trading premises, councils should give preferential treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS who should establish conspicuous shops where they could attract sympathetic customers. He said the HIV/AIDS epidemic should not be viewed as a solely health issue but as an economic and social challenge which threatens the national development process. Dr Musokotwane said apart from threatening to disrupt the population distribution of the country, the HIV/AIDS epidemic could lead to a reduced population growth rates leading to a drop in the supply of labour and low productivity eventually.

"Consequently, it is envisaged that there will be adverse shifts in the size, quality and skills obtaining in the labour force," he said. At the same workshop Deputy Health Minister Nkandu Luo called for openness and the removal of confidentiality in the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients. She said secrecy was an impediment to successful treatment of any disease and the development process in the nation.

Meanwhile, Copperbelt Minister, Charles Museba has praised the Rotary Club of Mufulira for successfully completing a K25m clinic at Murundu farming block on the Mufulira-Mokambo road. Mr Museba has also appealed to members of the business community to come forward and assist charitable organisations in the fore-front of supplementing Government's efforts in providing social services to the people. Nangoma Mission Hospital in Central Province is doomed to closure unless the Ministry of Health quickly releases funds to enable it to continue operating, Minister of Information and Broadcasting David Mpamba said yesterday. Mr Mpamba who is a board member of the hospital said in a statement released to Zana in Lusaka that the institution was facing serious financial constraints. He said the closure of the hospital was imminent unless the Ministry of Health released funds for the running costs. Nangoma Mission Hospital, located 107 km from Lusaka on Lusaka/Mumbwa road, catered for more than 70,000 people in Mumbwa, Mwembeshi, Namwala and Chibombo.

"Special HIV Patients' Hospital Open" by Amos Chanda
The Daily Mail: September 20, 1997

A Netherlands based humanitarian has opened a multi-million Kwacha first ever exclusive HIV/AIDS patients' hospital in Lusaka's Chilanga area for the vunerable people who have no medical care during their illness. Pola Van Der Donck said in Lusaka yesterday when she commssioned the hospital that her love for people had forced her to give heart to the HIV/AIDS patients who she said needed a lot of care during their remaining days on earth. Mrs Donck said the construction of the hospital gobbled a total of US $200,000 and would be followed by another project which she would put up at another site within Lusaka.

"The idea to have this hospital started in my mind following the death of my brother, Martin Scheeper, who died of the killer AIDS disease in 1985. "This hospital which will ceremoniously open in a few days, is in memory of my late brother," she said. The hospital which will be run by Sister Leonia Kornis of the Catholic Archidiocise of Lusaka, will be handling about 20 patients at a time while it would be providing other medical services to several vunerable people who may not be adimmtted at the hospital.

Mrs Donck said she would be monitoring the project for two years and thereafter hand it over to the Catholic sisters to continue running it. She noted that the AIDS scourge was not an issue that should bring shame on victims but was now a matter of public concern that should be discussed openly so as to learn of its effects on humanity. She said her next project is the construction of an orphanage for children who she said were victims of collapsing families due to deaths of parents from either AIDS or other tragedies of life. She explained that her hospital was funded through fund-raising ventures by universities, colleges and schools in Netherlands in addition to the money from that country's Ministry of Health.

"I love Zambia and indeed the rest of Africa but I thought of this country to be a focal point. I want Zambia to be an example to the rest of the continent. I have been around here and a short while ago I opened the new wing at Kasisi Orphanage in Lusaka," she said. The construction work was done by Praii Electrical and Construction Company of Lusaka. The structure is located on the main Kafue Road near Chilanga Cement. Mrs Donck said she was impressed with the work done by the company and noted that the completion of the hospital marked a milestone in the provision of health care for AIDS patients in Zambia. She also runs a Women's Care project in Lusaka and at Charles Lwanga in Livingstone. She intends to open up an orphage at an approaved site in Lusaka soon.

"Hope Zambia, Healers Agree On Research"
Times of Zambia: September 19, 1997

Hope Zambia has entered into an agreement with the Copperbelt Traditional Healers and Practitioners Association (CTHPAZ) to work together in a research programme to find ways of helping people with HIV related diseases lead longer and better lives.

The latest bulletin from Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) says the objectives of the programme is to find out the most common HIV/AIDS related diseases attended to by traditional healers and the most successful herbal treatments for the symptoms. The programme which will run for a period of three months initially has four traditional healers, one nurse and a nutritionist. DAPP recently opened Hope Humana House in Ndola to help people with HIV where they are carrying out HIV tests and counselling. Research nurse at Hope House Ms Rose Nkandu said the project had been extended to Twapia and Chipulukusu townships to identify traditional healers.

Reports of their findings and research are being forwarded to Tropical Diseases Research Centre (TDRC) for further studies. Meanwhile, our correspondent Frank Mukupo reports that the THPAZ has signed a five year contract with an American company to assist with research in traditional medicine and herbs. The contract was signed under the auspices of the USAID. THPAZ director of research "Dr" D. Mwamba said in Mansa that the Danish embassy would also second a pathologist from Denmark to help with research. "Dr" Mwamba said following the signing agreement, THPAZ had sent 76 samples to the US for certification. Twelve American companies had shown interest in the herbs. He said THPAZ had set up research centres in each province which will have a laboratory to test new herbs. THPAZ was working closely with TDRC and the UTH to enhance research efforts.

"Step Up Aids Campaign, ZCTU Urges Affiliates"
Times of Zambia: September 15, 1997

The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has urged all its affiliates to step up AIDS awareness programmes in workplaces to fight the spread of the killer disease. ZCTU general secretary Alec Chirwa said at the weekend that the mother body was ready to assist in AIDS education programmes to sensitise workers. Expressing worry that AIDS was claiming people in the prime of their working lives Mr Chirwa said: "Zambia's level of HIV infection among adults of working age poses a threat not only to the health of the nation, but also to the productivity of industry. He said AIDS was also a threat to the country's financial, social, and administrative infrastructure. "AIDS is therefore a threat to the livelihood of millions of people and welfare of their families regardless whether they are HIV positive or not," he said at the ZCTU AIDS trade union awareness workshop.

Mr Chirwa said the indirect effects of AIDS were being felt as growing numbers of employees take days off to attend funerals or take time to nurse the sick. Mr Chirwa said according to World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, AIDS would claim more highly trained and productive professionals in the second half of 1990s. Computer based projections for HIV/AIDS prevalence in Zambia show that the rates of infection will peak at about 27 per cent of the adult population by 1998 and decline gradually to 14 per cent by the year 2010, reports Zana. According to the GRZ/UN report on prospects for sustainable human development in Zambia, the rate of HIV/AIDS infection in the country has not yet peaked. It says the infection rates would continue to rise rapidly towards the end of this decade and possibly into the next. The report says at its peak, the rate of infection would be double that which was estimated in 1995.

During 1995 alone, between 600,000 to 700,000 people were estimated to be HIV/AIDS positive and between 40,000 to 50,000 people were said to have died from the disease. The computer projections imply that the burdens of aids and difficulties that it brings to all aspects of life are likely to become substantially greater in the years ahead.

The report says projections for future population growth rates indicate that the current 3.2 per cent rate would decline to about 2.3 per cent by the year 2000 but recover to the former by 2025. The report says with these statistics, the population of Zambia would be approximately 25m people by the year 2025 as compared to 34m if there was no HIV/AIDS. Zana.

"AIDS Cure in Kapiri?" M. Mbewe & S. Sitwala
The Daily Mail September 4, 1997

Hundreds of Kapiri Mposhi residents are receiving injections, in some cases 24 per day with dosages of concoctions from a female traditional healer who claims to have been sent by President Chiluba to set up a clinic in Musangu Village. The 49 year-old `doctor', a Dr Chisha who hails from Lusaka, has told Kapiri residents that she can cure AIDS among other ailments and that her mission has the blessing of the President, who has allegedly instructed her to go and set up a clinic in his home village.

However, State House spokesman, Richard Sakala, denied that President Chiluba had sent or authorised anyone to establish a clinic in Musangu or indeed cure AIDS patients. He said authority for medical practice could only be given by the Medical Council of Zambia. The traditional healer, who was at the weekend introduced to a Catholic congregation in Kapiri Mposhi has booked a room at the town's major motel, the Unity Motel.

A Mail team that rushed to the area found scores of patients and their relatives waiting outside the motel to see the `doctor'. One patient told the Mail that she had been diagnosed HIV positive and a total of 120 injections were prescribed to cure her affliction. She received 56 of the injections in the first two days. The patient, who preferred anonymity, said she was injected all over the body including the ears, backside, eyes and nose. A few minutes after the injections, the patient claims to have felt numb but better for the whole day. Another patient revealed that she was given 18 injections for a minor ailment. However, some medical authorities in the area believed that the healer was using some strong pain killer used during operations and prescribed to accident victims.

Dr Chisha has been in Kapiri Mposhi since August 20 and some clients, hoping to receive cure for the incurable AIDS, are reported to be paying as much as K700,000 for treatment and K5000 for consultation. The doctor who claims to be a holder of four degrees in science, medicine, Pharmacology and medical virology which she "hid" from the Daily Mail team which was in the Central Province town on Sunday to find out from her if she had a permit to practice and whether her license authorised her to conduct such operations from a hotel. She told the Mail through a go-between that she was too tired to accord them an audience and asked them to make an appointment but later changed her mind , saying, she did not need any interview.

Efforts to get the provincial cultural officer in Kabwe and the traditional health practitioners association of Zambia (THPAZ) in Lusaka to shed some light failed. However Dr Chisha is carrying a letter dated September 9, 1994 in which President Chiluba is alleged to have answered a letter from the former Local Government and Housing deputy minister Bunda Chisenga, over the registration of the medicine woman. "Thank you for reminding me once again to help obtain registration for Dr Chisha whose claims of helping AIDS and other AIDS related diseases are attested to by her patients like the newspaper cuttings attached show. "I am instructing my assistant for political and legal affairs to pursue the matter further and will advise her accordingly," the President is alleged to have said in a letter which was shown to the Mail. She however failed to produce documents to show whether her efforts to seek registration bore any fruit.

The alleged President's letter was stapled together with a certificate from St Stelia Maria Roman Catholic Archdiocese in New Jersey, USA, on which a father Julius Thomas is authenticating her qualification and endorsed by Mr B. Wood of Fifth Avenue, Olympic Tower, New York City. In another letter she is calling on Kapiri Mposhi residents to call on her before she leaves again for Europe but a perusal through her passport which was obtained in 1995 did not give information regarding her travels outside.

"AIDS Test Unreliable"
Times of Zambia: August 25, 1997

A senior Japanese medical expert at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) has said the anti-body-based methods of testing for HIV infection are unreliable and likely to give misleading results. Chief advisor at the virology laboratory of the hospital Numazaki Yoshio said in Lusaka during a Press tour of Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) projects that anti-body testing slip-ups may lead to the spread of HIV among unsuspecting people.

Professor Yoshio explained that HIV anti-bodies appear four weeks after infection, leaving loopholes in tests conducted on victims with four-week-old infections. "I would like to take this opportunity to discourage the anti-body method of HIV testing. Results of this method are not reliable because the anti-bodies which indicate the presence of the virus show no less than four weeks after infection," said Prof Yoshio. Anti-bodies are blood proteins produced to fight specific foreign matters including viruses referred to as anti-gens. The presence of specific anti-bodies in the blood indicates the presence of a related anti-gen.

Prof Yoshio said HIV can be demonstrated using more reliable methods including the molecular virology techniques like Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) being established at the UTH under a JICA grant. Unlike the anti-body tests, PCR involves the scanning of the blood for actual virus molecules.

"Prolact Launched"(Press Release)
Health-L: August 26, 1997

In an effort to increase the use of modern contraceptives in Zambia, the Society for Family Health (SFH) in partnership with the Ministry of Health has launched a vaginal foaming tablet branded "Prolact." Prolact is being officially launched by the Hon. Deputy Minister of Health Professor Nkandu Luo on August 26th, 1997 in Lusaka. The event will take place between 09.00-10.30 at the Inter-Continental Hotel.

SFH currently socially markets MAXIMUM condoms and SafePlan family planning pills in association with the Ministry of Health. According to Mr Sanjay Chaganti SFH Director-Contraceptive Social Marketing, Prolact family planning foaming tablets has been introduced to cater to the needs of breast-feeding mothers for the first six months after the birth of the baby. "Contraceptive methods for women at this time of their lives are infrequently available and poorly distributed across the country" he said.

The range of SFH's product cater to men and women at different times of their lives. Condoms are the most suitable method of protection in Zambia since condoms protect against both STDs and unwanted pregnancies. However, it is unfortunately true that it is very difficult to convince married men to use condoms with their wives. Prolact has been introduced to cater to the short-term contraceptive needs of breast-feeding mothers who are unable or unwilling to use condoms. The SafePlan family planning pill has been targeted to couples as a safe way to space their children.

By using social marketing techniques, SFH aims to cater to the contraceptive needs of women at this stage of their lives by making its vaginal foaming tablet widely available, accessible and affordable throughout the country. Prolact will be available in Public and Private Clinics, Pharmacies, and Drug Stores. It will also be available to Community Based Distributors (CBDs) and NGOs who have been trained in family planning and service delivery.

Commenting on the move to launch Prolact, the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia (PSZ) Mr David Phiri said he was looking forward to the occasion because this meant that the distribution and awareness of this product will improve as illustrated by the experience with other products such as MAXIMUM and SafePlan. Supporting the statement, the Chairperson of the Faculty of General Practitioners of Zambia Dr Hildah said SFH has done well in the marketing other products through social marketing and hopes that the Prolact effort will be a success.

She emphasized the need for a serious information, education and communication (IEC) campaign to educate and promote the product because it is not widely known to mothers. "We need to educate family planning providers and mothers on this product to get new users. We have Neo-Sampoon (another VFT) in clinics and chemists but because of lack of information by users and the provider people do not make informed choices." she said. Prolact will be distributed across the country at a subsidised price of K200 for four tablets.

"New AIDS Body Formed."
The Daily Mail: August 9, 1997

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has embarked on training youths in Zambia on the prevention of the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus. The NGO, called Community Youth Concern (CYC) will train about 25 youths in the urban areas but the number would increase depending on the response from the community.

CYC executive director Monica Shikanga disclosed this in an interview in Lusaka yesterday and said the organisation was trying to help out in the fight against AIDS and child abuse by using youths to educate others. She said the main target would be the girl-child and other adolescents. She said whilst people knew that AIDS was a well known issue, people still practised risk behaviour.

CYC is working in conjunction with school heads where they are forming clubs through which youths would be trained to train others as well on the consequences of the deadly disease. The organisation sells AIDS T-shirts, magazines and other educational materials to raise funds for operational costs. CYC also hopes to receive funds from the UNESCO. They have also introduced secretarial courses after receiving funds from Project Concern International (PCI). She said the programme was doing quite well despite the constraints such as infrastructure and lack of transport.

"Zambia - HIV/AIDS Among Children."
PANA Wire Service: August 6, 1997

HIV infection and AIDS among children in Zambia could possibly be undermining the success of other child health programs in the country, say Zambian health officials. A new report, titled "The National Program Of Action for Children in Zambia," claims that AIDS causes significant morbidity among certain groups of children in Zambia and threatens to undermine the success of such low-cost child survival strategies as breast-feeding, oral rehydration therapy, and immunization. Infants and children who are malnourished or who have sickle-cell anemia are among the groups with the highest levels of AIDS-related mortality in children in Zambia.

"Zambian Women Turn to Contraceptives." Amos Chanda
The Daily Mail: August 2, 1997

The use of contraceptives by Zambian women has doubled in the last five years, according to the Central Statistical Office survey under the Zambia Demographic and Health Survey of 1996/97. The report says data collection was carried out over a five-month period from July 18, 1996 to January 7,1997. The survey was based on an analysis of interviews with about 8,000 women from nine provinces from both rural and urban areas.

"Contraceptive use by Zambian women has increased significantly in the last five years. About 26 percent of married women are currently using a method of contraception, or birth control. In 1992 only 15 percent of women were using a method of contraception," the report says. It says while nearly 60 percent of married women in the country used contraception, 26 percent were currently using a method. It says 14 percent are using modern methods such as condoms, pills, implants, and injectables while 12 percent are using traditional methods such as withdrawal. The report points out that urban women are three times more likely to use modern methods than those in rural areas. It also says the use of contraceptives increases steadily with increasing levels of education.

Funding for the survey was done by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Nations International Children's Educational Fund,(UNICEF), and the United Nations Fund for Population (UNFPA) while the technical assistance came from Macro International.

Meanwhile, an expert at USAID, Ms Ann Matthews, who is promoting media relations between population agencies and the Press, said the usage of contraceptives in the country had more than doubled as people appreciated family planning and disease prevention. Ms Matthews also commended the Planned Parenthood Association (PPAZ), Family Health Trust and related organisations for a leading role they were playing in population education in Zambia. She said family planning was crucial in meeting the target goals of the National Population policy adopted in 1989 which seeks to reduce Zambia's rate of population growth and total fertility rate. Ms Matthews said population and birth control organisations were doing a good job and stressed that the media was a key factor in the success of population control.

"AIDS NGOs Come Together"
Times of Zambia: July 24, 1997

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in HIV-AIDS related projects in Lusaka have come together to form the district chapter of the Zambia National AIDS Network (ZNAN). ZNAN Lusaka district chapter came about recently after the district healthmanagement team (DHMT) felt there was need for the many HIV/AIDS NGOs to network and exchange information and ideas to avoid duplication of efforts.

A three-day workshop was held at Pamodzi Hotel after which a draft constitution, mission statement and election of an interim executive committee was done. Interim ZNAN Lusaka district chapter president, Sonya Weinreich, said in an interview yesterday that the task before her committee was to finalise the draft constitution, draw a Lusaka district health plan of action and facilitate its implementation. Other objectives are to set up an information network between AIDS NGOs within Lusaka and finally ensure success of elections to usher into office people who would steer the work of the chapter for a term of two years after January 1998. Dr Weinreich,, a German volunteer working with Kara Counselling and Training Trust, said the interim committee had their first meeting last week Tuesday and would meet again tomorrow (Friday). The NGOs that came together included those working with the youths and women, home based care organisations, people living with HIV/AIDS, counselling and testing services organisations. Others were information, education and communication organisations, media health promotion agency, orphan/children in need organisations, the defence forces and Government departments.

Other chapter interim executive committee members are: Mr Webby Mwape, vice chairman; Mr Holo Hachonda, secretary, Mr Peter Mumba vice secretary, Major Annie Akapelwa, treasurer, Mrs James Mubonde, vice treasurer. There are eight committee members and six ex-officio members two of whom would be chosen by Cabinet Office. Dr. Weinreich said it was good that the many NGOs dealing with HIV/AIDS matters in Lusaka had seen the need to work together as this would enable each organisation to know what others were doing and learn from each other to avoid mistakes. She said everybody in her committee was enthusiastic about their work although it was purely voluntary and unpaid.

"Sugar Daddy Syndrome Blamed for AIDS Infection in Girls"
Times of Zambia: July 14, 1997

OLDER men in Zambia are singling out young girls who are believed to be "AIDS free" for sexual favour thereby worsening the HIV/AIDS infection among girls of 15-19 years old in Zambia. According to the GRZ/UNICEF phase II report proposal for the "girl-child education" for the years 1995-1998, this practice, commonly known as the "sugar daddy syndrome", is responsible for the increased rate of infection among girls of this age group. The report says as a result of this, the rate of HIV/AIDS infection among girls is six times higher than that of boys of the same age group. The HIV/AIDS prevalence in the adult population in Zambia is currently estimated at over 30.

The report says issues concerning sexuality and sex education are largely absent from the Zambian school curricula and classroom discussions thereby worsening the situation. It says although the Ministry of Education accepted a policy in 1992 to incorporate life skills and HIV/AIDS education into the school curriculum, the actual translation of this policy into practice has been slow. The report says the HIV/AIDS problem is growing rapidly with between 400-500 people being infected everyday in Zambia. Some 50,000 children are understood to be HIV positive and that parental transmission is understood to account for 75 per cent of all pedriatic AIDS. In 1993 alone, between 40-50,000 people died of AIDS.

"Let Us Use Drama to fight AIDS"
Times of Zambia: July 10, 1997

Societies with low literacy levels should devise acceptable and entertaining communicative strategies in the fight against AIDS/HIV, said the Family Health Trust (FHT) executive director Elizabeth Mataka. At the official opening of "Youth, Reproductive Health, AIDS/HIV and STDs" drama competition programme at Nakatindi Hall in Lusaka yesterday, Mrs Mataka said society needs to address the youth sexual health since 50 per cent of the population of Zambia is below 24 years.

"I want to underscore the importance of drama in communicating to societies such as we have in Zambia and the rest of the developing world, where literacy levels are very low. So it is critical that we develop communication strategies that are acceptable, effective as well as entertaining using expressions that are acceptable to the younger groups," she said. "We acknowledge the contribution of community based drama groups. They have had a significant contribution to stabilisation of new infections with 25-32 per cent in urban areas and 13 per cent in rural areas." she said,

The drama competition co-sponsored by John Hopkins University from Maryland US and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) was attended by 10 community based drama groups. The prize presentation will be tomorrow as part of the celebrations for the World Population Day. Other prizes to be drawn will include, the best journalistic feature article on population, environment and health, and winners of a radio quiz.

"Zambia's Medical Council in Tiff Over AIDS Cure Claims"
Africa News Service: July 7, 1997

An African Medical Council is alleging that Professor Mulenga Lukwesa, inventor of a drug that supposedly reverses the symptoms of HIV and AIDS, has a dubious medical background. Lukwesa, however, says the Medical Council is leading a smear campaign against him and has demanded that the issue be kept from public debate until tests on his new medication, Tisaniferon Herbiron, can be completed by the University of Zambia School of Medicine. The drug is said by Lukwesa to boost the immune system.

"Zambian First Lady Urges Against Spread of AIDS"
Xinhua News Agency (July 1, 1997)

Zambian First Lady Vera Chiluba has made a plea to her people to uphold their cultural values in order to help halt the spread of HIV. Chiluba commented that the decay of traditional values such as sexual abstinence among youths is leading to moral decay and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV.

"Diarrhoea in Patients with Symptomatic HIV Infection"
ProCAARE: July 1, 1997

We have been using different kind of therapies to control (chronic) diarrhoea in patients with symptomatic HIV infection in our home care programmes. These home care programmes are in shanty townships in Zambia. Basic laboratory facilities are not available. The treatment as recommended by WHO (co-trimoxazole, metronidazole or in combination) or mebendazole and albendazole have not been very successful. Constipating drugs, like lopremide and codeine phosphate give better results, but are expensive and have sometimes serious side effects.

We are currently using "charcoal" tablets (carbo activatus) and with this we can control the diarrhoea in the vast majority of our patients. We are a bit concerned that the charcoal tablets absorbs other drugs, in particular anti-tuberculosis drugs and other antibiotics, but we cannot find any relevant documentation on this. Does anybody know of such documentation and has anybody been using charcoal tablets for the control of chronic diarrhoea in AIDS patients? (Activated charcoal is often used in cases of drug overdose to adsorb the offending agent. It would not be a great leap of faith to postulate that AIDS-related medications would do the same. Is anyone familiar with any data? - Mod.)

Piet Reijer; healdept@zamnet.zm; sent by: Health Department, Catholic Diocese of Ndola, Box 70244, Ndola, Zambia; phone: (02) 613146 [international +260-2-613146]; fax: office hours only (02) 615884 [international +260-2-615884]

Last updated November 19, 1997

UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA Med Guide      Index    Zamnet    UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA    UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA Library 

CONTACTING SCHOOL OF MEDICINE     OTHER INSTITUTIONS   BACK TO SOM HOME PAGE     DEPARTMENTS    Central Board of Health 

Send comments and/or suggestions to: Stan chewe 
Copyright © 1996-2001, The University of Zambia Medical Library and Stan Chewe
Guide to Medical Resources WWW site: http://www.medguide.org.zm/