University of Zambia Medical Library

HIV/AIDS in Zambia: August - September 2000

"Traditional Healers Poised to Tackle AIDS." By Daniel Nyau
Zambia Daily Mail, September 25, 2000

A Survey by the World Health Organisation (WHO) 20 years ago had revealed that 80 per cent of the health delivery systems in Third World countries, including Zambia, constituted traditional medicine. However, in recent times, the social status and educational background have had a great influence on the use and understanding of traditional medicine. Although, current statistical information on the use of traditional medicine could not immediately be made available at the time of going to press, it is believed that a high percentage of the population in developing countries still resort to "ng'angas," especially after conventional medicine has failed. Of late, Western countries have also been reported to have turned to herbs as a faster and cheaper way to ailments like anxiety, memory loss, depression and many others.

Zambia has more than 40,000 traditional healers whereas Western doctors are only estimated at 1,000. Traditional healers comprise among others diviners, herbalists, spiritualists and traditional birth attendants. Some healers are however, believed to have been introduced to traditional medicine by their ancestors while others learnt the trade from the spirits of their dead forefathers. A few traditional health providers have also been introduced to traditional medication by studying various plants. Traditional medicine, according to Traditional Health Practitioners Association of Zambia (THPAZ) definition, is the total of all proved and unproved knowledge and practices handed down from generation to generation, orally or in writing, used in the correction of mental, physical, spiritual and social imbalances.

THPAZ president Dr Rodwell Vongo, said recently that both the Western and traditional health providers had their own weaknesses and strengths, hence the need to collaborate. "Given the present financial constraints, most Third World countries, including Zambia, cannot afford to import all essential drugs and equipment. Hence the need to include traditional medicine in our health planning," Dr Vongo said. Dr Vongo told over 100 traditional healers from all the nine provinces of Zambia, who attended a recent two-day workshop on the theme: "The Role of Traditional Healers in the Management of HIV/AIDS," that research was paramount to validate and substantiate healers' recent claims for the cure of the pandemic. Some traditional healers have recently been quoted as saying they can find the cure for AIDS. Dr Vongo said traditional healers who claim they can cure AIDS and other related diseases should submit their findings to the technical committee and its sub-committees which have already been instituted on Natural Remedies for HIV/AIDS and other related diseases.

The seminar by traditional healers was co-sponsored by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation and the Ministry of Health. Moreover, Health Minister David Mpamba said the THPAZ has the mandate to work in partnership with the government in finding a cure for AIDS. "It comes as a surprise that a country with such a rich background in traditional medicines which have been in use since time immemorial should be the same one to buy Western-manufactured anti-AIDS drugs at great expense. "These drugs are not only expensive and beyond the reach of many people, but also have been reported to have severe side-effects," Mr. Mpamba said in a speech read for him by Central Board of Health management advisor, Dr Ben Chirwa. He said traditional healers are closer to the community and dispense medicines to their clients and other patients at affordable costs.

However, most Zambians, if not African traditional healers, have concentrated much on serving their respective communities with "love, fortune, success and (voodoo) black magic" herbs than possible remedies for HIV/AIDS. Observers, however, contend that there is need for awareness education to identify which diseases should be taken to the clinics and hospitals and which ones need pure traditional healers' attention. Traditionally, Africans believe that bad things are because of enemies who are behind all misfortunes and that a possible solution lies solely in special protection provided by diviners or witch doctors. Moreover, healers are convinced that their medicines can only work with the help and full consent of spirits, according to a witch-finder interviewed at the workshop.

THPAZ is currently running lessons for about 100 traditional healers in Lusaka. The course is among other areas focusing on modern methods of disease diagnosis, reproductive health, human anatomy, medical ethics and hygiene. Mr. Mpamba observed that the course was of paramount importance as it enlightens healers on how to deal with their clientele from a well-versed position. He said healers should be trained on non-utilisation of used razor blades for tattoos, use of surgical gloves by traditional birth attendants, and discourage traditional customs like cleansing because they greatly contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS. "The government will therefore support all efforts that can help the people of Zambia tackle the HIV/AIDS scourge," he said.

President Frederick Chiluba recently donated K50 million towards healers' programmes. One of the workshop participants said the country is endowed with many natural herbs, which can be utilised as a remedy to fight some of the manifestations of HIV/AIDS. Researchers have in recent years repeatedly said that a vaccine was the only way to win the war against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Over two decades after HIV/AIDS was discovered, scientists and traditional healers have not managed to find a conceivable vaccine. The recent international conference on AIDS in Durban, South Africa however heard that in six months' time Africa's most developed country (South Africa) in partnership with the USA will inaugurate human trials on such a vaccine in Africa. There has been little research on the vaccine undertaken in Africa, where more than 60 per cent of the global HIV/AIDS infected population are found. Almost all the recent researches done have so far been carried out in America and the Europe. A joint vaccine research between scientists at Oxford and Nairobi universities have developed a vaccine which has gone on trial in Britain and is expected to be tried in Africa soon. In the meantime, it is not clear yet whether or not the world will have the AIDS vaccine in the near future.

"State Adopts New Approach to Tackle HIV/AIDS." By Felix Nyambe
Times of Zambia, September 19, 2000

Government has said it is committed to the fight against HIV/AIDS and has adopted a multi-sectoral approach to tackle the pandemic effectively. In the launch for the "Night Life Campaign Against HIV/AIDS" at the Brown Frog Pub in Lusaka over the weekend, the government has recognised that HIV/AIDS was a problem that affected all sectors, it could be tackled effectively if all sectors contributed to preventing its further spread and mitigating its impact.

Mr Lupunga said government through his ministry, would continue to contribute to the fight against HIV/AIDS through community development, social welfare and cultural services. "The Public Welfare Assistance scheme, through which basic requirements of food, clothing, medical and school fees are provided to the destitute, has been redesigned with emphasis on community management of the limited welfare resources with assistance from the European Union.

"The Public Welfare Scheme will more effectively channel its assistance to the poor and vulnerable groups who include orphans, widows and widowers and the terminally ill without means to sustain themselves,'' he said. Mr Lupunga also said his ministry had also integrated HIV/AIDS information in its literacy materials which would contribute to the sensitisation of rural communities who did not easily access such information in comparison to their counterparts in urban areas. The minister also noted that such community designed programmes had significantly reduced the rate at which HIV/AIDS spread.

Meanwhile, initiators of the project, the Movement of Community Action for the Prevention and Protection of Young People Against Poverty, Destitution, Diseases and Exploitation (MAPODE), said their organisation was committed to work with government and the communities to help in the fight against the pandemic. MAPODE director Merab Kiremire, said since its inception in 1992, the NGO had been working tirelessly in sensitising young girls on the dangers of the disease and coordinating numerous projects in the fight against the killer disease.

Several Lusaka-based artistes, including Masauko Mwale, Front-line and Rare Roses bands performed at the launch with most of their messages in their songs proclaiming the continued fight against HIV/AIDS.

"Fight AIDS Together, CMAZ Urges Activists, Churches." By Webster Malido
The Post, September 12, 2000

Thereıs need to bridge the gap between activists and the Church in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Churches Medical Association of Zambia (CMAZ) AIDS co-ordinator Karen Sichinga has said. In an interview at an AIDS counselling course in Lusaka yesterday, Sichinga said her organisation had realised the importance of the role the Church can play the fight against the killer disease.

She said CMAZ had introduced courses in counselling for church leaders because of the grave nature of the pandemic. "We are trying to bridge the gap between AIDS activists and the Church. We decided to involve the Church in trying to bridge the gap by introducing counselling skills to them," Sichinga said. She said Church leaders had been targeted for the counselling course because they already had counselling skills in other social issues. Sichinga said they had been involved in the fight against AIDS since 1986 and the effects of their work were evident in the change of sexual behaviour amongst most Zambians.

She said many people in rural areas had abandoned their traditionally held practices such as sexual cleansing and wife inheritance because of the awareness campaigns they had engaged in. "We have influenced certain traditional cultural practices in rural areas such that some practices have been stopped in areas as Chikankata, Katete, Magoye and Mukinge to mention a few," she said.

Sichinga, however, said the process of transformation would be slow because it was difficult to convince everybody against their practices and beliefs. "But the process will be slow because people are used to their beliefs and practices and there may be resistance to change at times," she said. Sichinga said the six day counselling course which started yesterday at Andrews Motel was the first one to be offered to church leaders. The course has been organised by the Ministry of Health, United Nations Aids Programme (UNAIDS) and the Chainama College of Health Sciencesı counselling unit. She said CMAZ would continue caring and supporting people infected and affected with HIV and AIDS through various ways.

"Government Urges Traditional Healers to Intensify Research for AIDS Cure." By Kennedy Bwalya
The Post, September 8, 2000

The government has urged traditional healers to intensify their research on identifying natural remedies to cure the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Zambia. In a speech read on his behalf by Central Board of Health (CBoH) spokesperson Dr. Ben Chirwa, health minister David Mpamba urged participants at the Traditional Healers Practitioners Association of Zambia (THPAZ) seminar under the theme ³ The role of healers in management of HIV/AIDS² to utilise the abundant natural herbs to fight symptomatic manifestations of the HIV/AIDS virus.

Mpamba said healers could use their rich background in herbal medicines to find local and cost effective remedy to fight not only the HIV virus but many other diseases. He observed that Western medicines were not only expensive but also had severe side effects. Mpamba reaffirmed the governmentıs commitment to supporting projects aimed at fighting the HIV/Aids scourge.

"And to quantify my governmentıs commitment to this issue, the formation of the ministerial committee, the secretariat, the council and the technical committee are tangible indicators that we are prepared to work with traditional healers in identifying natural remedies for HIV/AIDS," Mpamba said. "In fact, it is clear that the role of traditional healers in the management of HIV/AIDS will be further enhanced through the technical support of these organs." He expressed gratitude that with the funding from NORAD, more than 100 healers in Lusaka were being trained in modern methods of disease diagnosis, human anatomy, reproductive health, medical ethics, hygiene and other fields meant to keep them informed when dealing with patients.

And THPAZ president Rodwell Vogo called for the need to identify critical areas of collaboration in providing health care between the healers and conversional medical doctors. "Healers should learn to use thermometers, blood transfusion, and be able to quantify their data medically," Vongo said. " Also medical doctors should be taught how to understand black magic, demons, ghosts and love portions since they donıt understand these things." He observed that African governments lacked capacity to sustain their citizensı health on expensive imported drugs, hence the need to use natural herbs. Vongo said with adequate funding his association would engage more pro-active research to quantify their experiments to compliment the 1,000 doctors in hospitals who catered for a population of over 10 million Zambians. He thanked the Norwegian government for supporting healersı projects on the HIV/AIDS cure.

"Court Issues Bench Warrant for HIV Transmitter." By Liseli Kayumba
The Post, September 1, 2000

A Lusaka magistrateıs court yesterday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a 49-year-old man, who is alleged to have infected a woman with the HIV virus but has continued failing to appear for judgment. Seven Mtonga, a driver of Garden compound earlier denied a charge of neglect likely to spread infection. Mtonga is alleged to have in March last year, unlawfully and negligently had sexual intercourse with a woman, when he knew or had reason to believe he was likely to spread a disease dangerous to life, namely HIV.

Judgment has been pending for some time, but Mtonga has not been making court appearances, so a bench warrant was issued to be returned on his arrest. The matter was adjourned to September 14 for a return of bench warrant. And in the same court, a bench warrant was also issued for a bus conductor who is alleged to have abducted a girl under the age of sixteen. Victor Chileshe, 20, is alleged to have unlawfully taken the unmarried girl out of the lawful custody of her mother on August 6, this year. Plea was due to be taken before magistrate Hanson Hampande, but Chileshe was not in court.

"Chintala Supportsı Call for HIV Testing of Politicians." By Kennedy Gondwe
The Post, August 31, 2000

Religious affairs deputy minister Reverend Peter Chintala has supported the call by pastors country wide for all politicians seeking to participate in national elections to under go an HIV/AIDS test. Rev. Chintala, however, differed with the pastors on restricting the tests to politicians only.

³Restricting the tests to politicians only could be discriminatory since they are entitled to privacy despite being public office bearers," Rev. Chintala said. " If the clergy are advocating that, let them undergo the tests since they are leaders in a way also." Rev. Chintala said the tests should further be extended to all parents to reduce on the number of HIV/AIDS cases.

The pastors, in a communiqué signed by the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC), Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) and the Christian Council of Zambia (CCZ)last week, said aspiring candidates for elections should be tested for HIV/AIDS to reduce deaths, unnecessary bye-elections and costs incurred during the polls.

"Over 200 HIV Infections Take Place Daily in Zambia." By Bivan Saluseki and Bwalya Mubanga
The Post, August 23, 2000

Over 200 HIV infections take place every day in Zambia, National AIDS co-ordinator Dr. Moses Sichone has disclosed. Addressing the a conference on the challenge of HIV/AIDS in Lusaka yesterday, Dr. Sichone said an estimated 73 per cent of Zambian families are keeping more than one orphan whose parents have died of AIDS. "Our people live with the reality of poverty on a day to day basis. Clearly poverty makes the effective control of HIV/AIDS difficult, but it too is in part the result of the HIV/AIDS epidemic," he said.

Dr. Sichone said the country faces a severe external debt burden that stifles investment in social sectors such as health, education and the fight against HIV/AIDS. "There exists a preponderance of socio-economic conditions inimical to the effective prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in Zambia; as in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa," he noted. He was however hopeful that despite the gloomy picture, there is renewed political commitment from the political leadership to fight the epidemic as evidenced from the setting up the AIDS council secretariat. "We continue to have hope because there is an encouraging decline of HIV infections among the young people in Zambia that indicates to us that prevention of the spread of HIV is possible," said Dr. Sichone.

And USAID mission director Allan Reed disclosed that over the next decade, AIDS will kill more people in Sub-Saharan Africa than in all the wars of the 20th Century combined. "It is a development crisis and we all must mobilise every part of society to respond, the numbers speak for themselves: 12 million Africans have already died, and another 22 million adults and 1 million children are now living with HIV," Reed said.

He disclosed that half of the youth in Southern Africa who are now 15 years old will likely die of AIDS. "We have seen important progress in Uganda, Senegal, and also here in Zambia. In Lusaka, the HIV prevalence among 15 to 19 year old dropped from 28 per cent in 1993 to 15 per cent in 1998, but in other Zambian age groups, the rate is not changing," Reed said. He said as for the 30,000 children that are born each year to HIV mothers, programmes are needed to reduce vertical transmission. He said the fight against the pandemic calls for a true multi-sectoral approach that involves government, the private sector, NGOs and churches, among others. "There are no easy answers and leaders must be involved in the discussion of these important policy issues," said Reed.

Transport and communications minister Nkandu Luo said condom promotion is an integral component of any HIV prevention for they reduce the risk of transmission of HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases( STDs). Luo said addition of female controlled barrier methods such as the female condom is an added advantage toward empowering women in sexual assertiveness. She however cautioned that condom messages sometimes can be misleading and if not well packaged can create a negative backlash.

"HIV/AIDS in Africa Needs to be Tackled Urgently." By Sheikh Chifuwe
The Post, August 21, 2000

Unless something is done within a short period of time about the spread and effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic the future of Africa is bleak, Kenneth Kaunda Children of Africa Foundation executive director Roy Penny has warned. Addressing the press at Lusaka's Holiday Inn Hotel on Saturday, Penny said the Foundation which has been registered in many African countries, America and Ireland would use former republican president Dr. Kaunda's influence and contacts to help the many African children orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS.

Penny was optimistic that the Foundation would break the silence on the HIV/AIDS pandemic which many African leaders were not ready or reluctant to undertake because of the stigma it carried. Penny said the Foundation was concerned that about 20 million children in the Sub-Saharan region were orphans as a result of their parents dying from AIDS while two million of these children were infected with the virus. He disclosed that many Southern African presidents had pledged support to Dr. Kaunda's initiative at the last Southern African Development Community heads of state meeting in Windhoek.

Penny who has lived in Zambia for 27 years (since 1968) said the principal objectives of the Foundation would be to supply medical, material care to the orphans and form alliances with other existing organisations besides spreading the gospel of the AIDS problem throughout the World. He said the Foundation expected to be launched in a few weeks in Zambia would be run by individuals and professionals mainly volunteers who are concerned with the raising need to give hope and chance of living longer to the affected children.

"Catholics and AIDS (Editorial Comment)." By Bivan Saluseki
The Post, August 17, 2000

We share the concerns of the leadership of the Catholic Church on many issues. We actually believe they are strategic allies of everyone who struggles, speaks and acts in defence of the poor. As we have stated before, this alliance isnıt just a happenstance or a political one. It is, of course, by definition, but the tie that is established here on the ethical or moral plane concerning manıs role in the defence of the poor has the nature of a lasting, permanent and strategic alliance. It is a proposition with a solid moral, political and social basis. The ethical-moral note appears in these lines to bear the human feeling that unites fighters for freedom and in defence of the poor and exploited. But we are not saying the Catholic Church has no problems or shortcomings.

The Catholic Church may today be the oldest institution on this planet - almost 2,000 years old, but it has gone through some very difficult trials - schisms and divisions of all kinds. Other Churhes - the Orthodox Church, for example - were created as a result of schisms. Then came the Reformation, which led to the appearance of many other Churches.

Itıs true that the rock of St. Peter, on which the Catholic Church was built, is solid and lasting. Throughout history, that institution has demonstrated its experience, its wisdom, and its capacity to adapt to reality. It must have had some very difficult trials, from the time Galileo was condemned to the nuclear age and space flights, theories on the origin of the galaxies, the laws of evolution, and the advances made in modern biology.

But the Catholic theologians always came up with explanations, new religious concepts were developed, and steps were taken to adapt the institution to the major political, economic, and social changes, and scientific discoveries that have taken place in the world. Now, too, the Church is going through some very difficult trials and must make some important changes.

We wouldnıt say that we fully agree with the positions that the Catholic Church, as an institution, has taken regarding a series of problems. For example, we could say that it is necessary to go more deeply into the very serious problem of stopping or containing the spread of HIV/AIDS. As we understand it, the Catholic Church is taking more interest in this problem now.

Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) secretary general Fr. Ignatius Mwebe yesterday said Churches should preach morality, and though there could be a bit of a reduction in the figures of HIV/AIDS infection cases, the reduction should be tied to moral changes through abstinence and not the use of condoms. He said the past has shown that a high consumption of condoms does not lead to a reduction in AIDS cases. Fr. Mwebe said condoms have only brought more promiscuity.

Without trying to promote ideas or standards that depart from the principles or the theological ideas of the Catholic Church, we feel it is necessary to approach the important problems of our time realistically, and one of them is how to deal with the spread of HIV/AIDS, which in some of our countries is leading to serious social, economic and indeed political crises.

The number of people who die each year from AIDS related complications should be taken into account. We canıt afford to wait for centuries for people with no access to schools or even a humble teacher to acquire sophisticated moral notions such as sexual abstinence and to follow them with the inflexibility and discipline of a convent. It isnıt realistic. No theology, religion or Church can ignore this tragedy.

If the Church does not have a political theory on how - technically, scientifically and socially - to quickly stop or contain the spread of HIV/AIDS, if it lacks that theory, it should at least have a rational moral theory on how Christian families should handle the problem. But this canıt be the theory of sexual abstinence that for almost 2,000 years has continued to fail even among some in the Catholic Church leadership who have taken vows of celibacy.

We therefore feel it may be necessary for the Catholic Church to allow the use of condoms as they try to promote the sophisticated moral notions of sexual abstinence. There may be some contradictions here, but the use of condoms and sexual abstinence are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

"Pastors Urge Leaders to Declare their HIV Status." By Bivan Saluseki
The Post, August 16, 2000

The Post Leaders in what ever category should declare their HIV/AIDS status, Zambian pastors have demanded. In a report read out by World Vision Zambia's Charles Kachikoti, at the national pastors' conference organised by the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, Zambia Episcopal Conference and the Christian Council of Zambia yesterday they were of the view that this would help in the fight against the disease as they would act as a light to those who are being led.

They also noted that former Zambian president Dr Kenneth Kaunda is doing a commendable job in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The pastors observed that Dr. Kaunda's role could be seen from his embracing of orphans whose parents have been victims of the pandemic. They urged the government and other organisations to consider giving them funds to make them participate fully in the HIV/AIDS prevention. The clergy bemoaned the un- affordability of anti-viral drugs which only the rich are able to afford. They called on the government to set up a research centre for AIDS. And addressing the pastors' conference, Reverend Boniface Shonga of Kabwe Chapel observed that most Zambians are confused today because the majority of the country's leaders in whatever position lack integrity.

Rev. Shonga said most leaders were double minded, giving an impression that they do not know where they are going. "People will follow a leader on the basis of integrity, one who is single minded and not double minded," he said. "A leader of integrity will have nothing to hide." Quoting from Job Chapter 31 verse 6, Rev. Shonga said Zambian churches and other leaders in different organisations should not hide their misdeeds. "Beneath the ministerial colour and the high title a lot is hidden," Rev. Shonga said.

He said leaders should do what they say and say what they do. "They are not lightweight when they are put on a balance, they have a depth," Rev Shonga said. He said people should be cautious and judge their leaders on their integrity. "The wicked runneth, when no one persueth," he said, "They lack integrity, that's why they run. They are afraid because they think someone may catch them. They do their things in the dark." Rev. Shonga cautioned that leaders should be able to listen to the people and not be manipulated by outsiders. He said good leaders must have followers, gain peopleıs confidence and trust.

Religious affairs deputy minister Rev. Peter Chintala admitted that leaders of integrity are needed, especially in Zambia which is a Christian nation. He called on the church to work together with government in face of the crisis that the country is facing. ³The church has been seeking the face of Christ when things have not been as they are supposed to be,³ said Rev. Chintala.

"No One is Too Young or Old for AIDS, Warns KK." By Reuben Phiri
The Post, August 9, 2000

No one is too young and no one is too old for HIV/AIDS, Dr Kenneth Kaunda has warned. Addressing heads of state at the two-day Southern African Development Community (SADC) conference in Windhoek, Namibia yesterday, Dr Kaunda said he had personal experience with HIV/AIDS after he lost his son from the disease in 1988. Dr Kaunda told SADC leaders that at the time of his son's death, he was privileged to be the leader of the country and was touched by the number of people who assisted in terms of medical, spiritual and material help. "But even with so much, it was very difficult for me since very little was known about HIV/AIDS," Dr Kaunda said. "One lesson has stayed with me all these years, and that is that HIV/AIDS is a community fight." He urged SADC leaders to join hands and fight the HIV/AIDS problem. "Let us save the children. Let us save SADC. Let us save Africa," Dr Kaunda said. "I look forward to your guidance." He told the conference which ended yesterday that the Kenneth Kaunda Children of Africa Foundation is committed to studying and acting on the impact of HIV/AIDS in children. President Frederick Chiluba yesterday said he and other heads of state were happy to listen to Dr. Kaunda's address on AIDS.

[Table of Contents] [AIDS/Zambia Index] [Alphabetical Index] [Zamnet] [UNZA] [UNZA Library]

Last updated September 29, 2000

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 İ 1996-2001, The University of Zambia Medical Library and Stan Chewe
Guide to Medical Resources WWW site: http://www.medguide.org.zm/