University of Zambia Medical Library

"HIV/AIDS Discrimination Features in Presidential Race."
UN Integrated Regional Information Networks, December 24, 2001

As Zambia heads towards general elections on Thursday, a controversy over the banning of HIV-positive presidential candidates has shown how much further the country needs to go in tackling stigma and ignorance, AIDS activists told IRIN.

The call for testing and banning was first made by the former party chief of the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), Michael Sata. It was seen as an attempt to "out" key opponents among the 11 presidential candidates, seven of whom were former MMD ministers.

Surprisingly, several non-governmental organisations echoed the call. The Zambia Independent Monitoring Team led by Alfred Zulu said that although there was no law compelling anyone to be tested, HIV-positive presidential candidates should withdraw in the "national interest" to "save" state resources.

Mike Zulu (no relation) of the National Organisation for Civic Education also said it was not right for someone "not well" to stand. "Just like we would not like to have someone with cancer or any other kind of debilitating illness to be in state house. It would be a costly exercise to pay huge medical bills and eventually hold another election," he observed. With an adult infection rate of 19 percent, HIV/AIDS should be on the political agenda of Zambia's 27 December general elections. But the testing controversy was not the way activists imagined the issue would be raised.

According to human rights lawyer Judy Mbewe, the furore, however, was a red herring. She pointed out there was no need to have an HIV test if the only reason was to determine someone's mental capacity and physical well being. "Everything is covered in the statutes. The requirements of a presidential candidate or political office holder are clear and include being mentally and physically fit so where does the testing for HIV come in? This is purely a political gambit and should be treated with the contempt it deserves," she told PlusNews.

However, three aspirants - businessman Anderson Mazoka, pentecostal minister Nevers Mumba, and born-again Christian Godfrey Miyanda - said they would volunteer for testing. The others (and apparently the main targets of the ruling party) confined themselves to personal declarations of being "fit", while claiming to suffer "minor ailments" such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Nevers Mumba, televangelist and president of the National Citizens Coalition (NCC) said it was important to show himself willing to be tested to prove his "moral uprightness" and his lack of fear of testing positive. He urged the others to do the same.

But Winston Zulu, who has been living with AIDS (PWA) for over 10 years, said the arguments for testing in the context of the political campaign did not make sense. He cited himself as an example. He has lived symptom-free for over a decade which means he could have run for presidency in the last two elections, and even sought a third term.

Zulu told PlusNews that it was discrimination that was infectious. "If you start discriminating [against] PWAs at the presidency, it will go down to the lowest level and soon even an office orderly will be required to undergo a test before being employed." He added that if PWA's were going to stopped from contesting the presidency, then they would also be stopped from doing many other things. "The next thing you know there will be ethnic cleansing". The proposed banning of HIV-positive candidates was "backward thinking". "After all, we have talked about HIV and positive living it is amazing that seemingly enlightened people whom we allow to lead us can come up with such a frightening display of ignorance," he noted.

Gertrude Shamapande, a human rights activist running a voluntary testing and counselling centre said if it were any other social group, she would have been pleased with the call for testing, but not in this instance. She said it smacked of blackmail. What she would have preferred is greater political will to curb the spread of AIDS by politicians. "The problem is not whether our president is HIV-positive, it is how to prevent it spreading. Politicians who are supposed to enlighten and lead by example have continued their knee jerk response to the pandemic," Shamapande said.

"Fight Against HIV/AIDS Requires 'War'- Former President."
The Post, December 10, 2001

The fight against AIDS requires nothing short of a "war", former Zambian president Dr. Kenneth Kaunda has observed. In an article to an AIDS channel, Dr. Kaunda said Africa would now face the full calamity and repercussions of the scourge.

He said the AIDS scourge has created a huge chasm between the West and the rest of the world with the pandemic being greatest in Africa which lacks medical facilities, education and knowledge. Dr. Kaunda said AIDS was on the rise even in other places but that African leaders are turning to conflict and violence. He advised Africa to brace itself for a population of 40 million AIDS orphans by the year 2010.

And a clergyman, Reverend Samson Phiri of Pentecostal Holiness Church, has asked Christians not to abandon the spirit of looking after the extended family. Reverend Phiri said taking care of the extended family would reduce the number of street children and that his church discourages the practice of orphanages.

"Women Must Contribute to Fight Against HIV/AIDS." By Speedwell Mupuchi
The Post, December 7, 2001

Women must get organised and contribute to the fight against HIV/AIDS, said Indian High Commissioner to Zambia Ashok Attri's wife Usha Attri yesterday.

In an interview at the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) national council where she was guest of honour, Usha Attri said women had a big role to play in the fight against HIV/AIDS. She said women should take a leading role in teaching young girls societal values and skills that will help in the fight. Attri said she did not believe some factors could force young girls into prostitution saying it was a matter of upbringing. She narrated how she met two young girls on the road who asked her for a lift to Kitwe to go and play and then come back because they did not have anything to do.

"I asked them about their parents and they said they would not know," she said. Attri said women should not let their children indulge in sex. She also said women should teach their male children too.

"AIDS Kills 2.3 Million Africans in 2001 ." By Bivan Saluseki
The Post, December 3, 2001

HIV/AIDS has killed 2.3 million people in Africa in 2001, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) global summary report has disclosed.

The report released by the UNAIDS Zambia office in commemoration of the World AIDS day which fell on Saturday, stated that the estimated 3.4 million new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa in the past year means that 28.1 million Africans now live with the virus. "Without adequate treatment and care, most of them will not survive the next decade," the report noted.

According to the UNAIDS report, the epidemic is claiming huge numbers of teachers, doctors and other human resources and in some countries, health care systems are loosing a quarter of their personnel. "In Malawi and Zambia, for example, five to six fold increases in health worker illness and death rates have reduced personnel, increasing stress levels and workload for the remaining employees," the report read in part.

"In Zambia, teachers' deaths caused by AIDS are equivalent to about half the total number of new teachers the country manages to train annually." The UNAIDS noted that replacing skilled professionals was top priority especially in low income countries where government depend heavily on a small number of policy makers and managers for public management and core services The UNAIDS advises that a successful response to AIDS requires that essential public services be maintained.

"Each sector has to take account of HIV/AIDS in its own development plans and introduce measurers to sustain public sector function. Such actions might include fast track training as well as the recruitment of key civil servants and the reallocation of budgets towards the most essential services," the UNAIDS report read in part.

The UNAIDS also disclosed that the number of African children who had lost their mothers or both parents to the epidemic by the end of 2000 were 12.1 million and was expected to more than double over the next decade. The UNAIDS reports that sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most severely affected by HIV/AIDS.

"Approximately 3.4 million new infections occurred in 2001, bringing to 28.1 million the total number of people living with HIV/AIDS in this region," the report said. The report stated that notwithstanding though, in some of the most heavily affected countries there is growing evidence that prevention efforts are bearing fruit.

"One new study in Zambia show urban men and women reporting less sexual activity, fewer multiple partners and more consistent use of condom. This is in line with earlier indications that HIV prevalence is declining among urban residents in Zambia, especially among young women aged 15-24," observed UNAIDS.

"FDD to Place HIV/AIDS Council Under President's Office." By Reuben Phiri
The Post, November 19, 2001

FDD will place the National AIDS Council in the Office of the President for it to operate effectively, the party's Chinsali parliamentary candidate Professor Nkandu Luo has said. Luo who was speaking during a political parties debate on HIV/AIDS organised by Panos Southern Africa on Friday, said FDD recognised the 1999 declaration of HIV/AIDS as a national disaster.

"We intend to increase political commitment and raise profile of the institutional arrangement by allocating the office of the National AIDS Council in the highest office in the land," she said. Prof. Luo, a former health and transport minister in the MMD government, said the pandemic poses a serious challenge to the government and there has not been enough resources allocated towards HIV/AIDS. She said FDD would work towards mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS in all areas of the government and encourage members of parliament to freely talk about the scourge at every fora. Prof. Luo said community participation was cardinal in the fight against AIDS.

She said the FDD government would work closely with traditional healers and towards vaccine development in conjunction with the countries that were already doing it. UPND member Kazhila Chinsembu said AIDS is an emergency that will draw strong attention from his government. Chinsembu, who is also a lecturer in micro-biology at the University of Zambia, said resource allocation to the health sector in the last 10 years had been disappointing. "According to the budget, the government spends US$3 per person per year.

This is an indication that the government is not concerned about HIV/AIDS," he said. In apparent reference to Prof. Luo, Chinsembu said poor conditions of service had driven doctors into a strike and hundreds of doctors were dismissed "while some of our colleagues in government watched". He said the UPND government would avoid rhetoric in pursuing policies on HIV/AIDS and concentrate on action and would focus on care, support and treatment of the pandemic. Chinsembu said UPND will negotiate with Pharmaceutical companies to produce AIDS drugs locally and also put up a national HIV/AIDS research centre. Social Democratic Party(SDP) president Gwendoline Konie said time had come to incorporate all sectors in the fight against AIDS.

She said SDP would adopt an integrated approach in the fight and seriously examine on-going initiatives with a view to enhance them. Konie said SDP will review the law so that there is deterrent sentence for people who deliberately infect others and a reduction on tax on all goods and items related to the fight against AIDS would be considered.

Agenda for Zambia's Sisii Lisulo said the party would apart from combating AIDS also equally address the issue of opportunistic infections like malaria and tuberculosis which are also claiming a lot of life especially among the infected persons. He said Agenda for Zambia would also subsidise the price of AIDS drugs which were currently beyond the reach of many Zambians. Lisulo said the prevalence of AIDS in Zambia was due to high levels of poverty which has driven many, especially the girl child on the streets as sex workers.

The debate was organised to enhance commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS by political parties.

"WHO Spends $45,000 On AIDS Counselling ."
The Times of Zambia, November 14, 2001

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it has spent a total of US$45,000 on the promotion of AIDS counselling in Zambia. WHO regional HIV advisor Ms Rusethomas-Thoms-Mapleh said in Livingstone yesterday that the money has been used through the Zambia counselling council (ZCC) which has been offering pysco-social support to people who have been affected by HIV/AIDS. She expressed disappointment that many countries were lagging behind in counsel training and urged them to come on board and share with Zambia's experiences.

Ms Thomas-Mapleh said WHO stood ready to support both the Eastern and Southern region in pyscho-social support. And speaking at the same function, acting provincial medical director Jelita Chinyonga said AIDS was a real problem which could not be tackled single handedly. She said this in a speech she read on behalf of the provincial health director, Dr Victor Mukonka at the official opening of the first regional training of trainers workshop.

Seven countries from Botswana, Swaziland, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Zambia are currently attending the workshop.

"HIV/AIDS Has Made Managing the Education System Difficult." By Ruth Banda
The Post, November 15, 2001

' The HIV/AIDS pandemic which has ravaged the entire sub-Saharan region has made managing the education system very difficult, education minister Reuben Musakabantu has said.

Addressing delegates from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states at the Education Capacity Building Forum held at Fairmount Hotel in Livingstone yesterday, Musakabantu said the traditional approach to planning and managing education is now inadequate and cannot cope with the current emerging challenges such as HIV/AIDS. "The high poverty levels in the sub region have also affected the education system," he said.

Musakabantu said the poorer the people were the less the chances they were likely to get educated yet it was a verifiable fact that education improves people's incomes, health, and generally the standard of living. He told delegates that education also brings about positive change in political, economical and the sociological setting of the country which contributed to democratic values and good governance.

Musakabantu said the SADC region faces a lot of obstacles in its development in general and education in particular following changes taking place in the education system today. He said there was need to develop appropriate technologies in the SADC member countries to enable government deliver quality education at all levels and in every corner of a country.

Musakabantu urged delegates who comprised education policy and decision makers, planners and managers from all SADC member countries to discuss different information communication technologies and develop conducive strategies for implementation by member states.

"Kaunda is Patron Business Coalition Against AIDS."
The Post, November 9, 2001

Former Zambian president Dr. Kenneth Kaunda has accepted to be patron for the Zambia Business Coalition for HIV/AIDS.

Coalition chairperson Masautso Nyathando yesterday said Dr. Kaunda was considered because of his contribution towards the fight against the pandemic. He said Dr. Kaunda has contributed to the fight through his Kenneth Kaunda Children of Africa Foundation. Nyathando said membership to the coalition was open to all companies operating in Zambia.

"Take AIDS Test, Unip Urges Chiluba." By Bivan Saluseki, Sheikh Chifuwe And Brighton Phiri
The Post, Novmeber 2, 2001

President Chiluba should start the test himself, said UNIP national youth secretary Frank Musonda yesterday. And those who will be found guilty of infecting their partners with the HIV virus will be sent to prison, warned Vice-President Enoch Kavindele in parliament yesterday.

Commenting on the expected Bill to be presented in Parliament that will compel Republican presidential candidates to undergo an HIV/AIDS test, Musonda said it was wrong to subject people to a test saying even President Chiluba refused a DNA test. "Chiluba should go for an HIV test," said Musonda.

Vice-President Kavindele told Parliament that the MMD government will introduce an HIV/AIDS Act which will prohibit free infection of the deadly disease. He said the planned AIDS Act would introduce penalties for anyone found guilt of infecting his or her partner with HIV virus. "Those who will be found guilt of infecting their partners with the HIV virus, will be sent to prison," he said. Vice-President Kavindele advised Zambians to start knowing their HIV status before the Act is introduced. "It is important for anyone to know his or her HIV status in order to avoid the unlawful transmission of the virus," he said.

Vice-President Kavindele said the planned Act would address the HIV/AIDS problem in the local communities. He disclosed that the World Bank had expressed its readiness to assist Zambia with US$ 42 million towards the fight against AIDS. However, Vice-President Kavindele denied that the MMD government had plans to introduce a bill that would compel presidential aspirants to undergo HIV test before filing their nomination papers. "It is not the wish of government to introduce this bill," said Vice-President Kavindele.

UNIP chairperson for legal affairs Mwangala Zaloumis advised against personalising laws to suit individuals. Zaloumis said Parliament should not bring legislation that bars people because the same laws could be used against them in future just like the parentage clause on presidency. "We cannot personalise laws. We are in a problem today because of what happened in Parliament. Tembo was in Parliament and Edith Nawakwi was even dancing and Malambo was supporting it. Now it has far telling effects," Zaloumis said. "Now the same trend is continuing."

The same is happening today in Parliament by bringing legislation that will bar people." Zaloumis said the clause on AIDS would be highly discriminatory and AIDS patients were people too. "They are human beings and they should be treated like anybody else. Why bring an Act that will remind somebody perpetually and think I will be discriminated against. Our candidate is OK but we are talking about people that will be affected," she said. Zaloumis said legislators should think about their brothers and sisters. "Even them, they could be suffering from AIDS," said Zaloumis.

Zambia Reconstruction Organisation (ZAMRO) executive director Edward Nsama said the Bill was discriminatory and an infringement of an individual's human rights. Nsama said it would be difficult for Zambia to demystify the many stigmas that already surround the epidemic if government was in the forefront enacting such laws. "Much as we appreciate the need for a healthy presidential candidate, it is a violation of one's right to privacy to be forced into taking an HIV/AIDS test against their will," she said.

Nsama said it was expected that after a long adjournment, Parliament would start debating serious issues like the forthcoming elections instead of the AIDS Bill. Nsama also expressed concern that President Chiluba had not announced the elections date considering that the rains had started in some parts of the country. "The Zambian rural terrain becomes practically impassable during the rainy season making it difficult for political parties, monitors and indeed the Electoral Commission to access the most remote polling stations," he said.

Nsama said if the elections are not called as soon as possible there was likely to be apathy many organisations were trying to eradicate. Nsama said President Chiluba should not take advantage or abuse his powers by late announcement of the elections. "He should not take advantage of these powers but should in the spirit of transparency immediately announce the date for elections to enable all stakeholders ample time to prepare," said Nsama.

"Women Must Contribute to the Fight Against HIV/AIDS." By Speedwell Mupuchi
The Post, November 2, 2001

Women must get organised and contribute to the fight against HIV/AIDS, said Indian High Commissioner to Zambia Ashok Attri's wife Usha Attri yesterday.

In an interview at the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) national council where she was guest of honour, Usha Attri said women had a big role to play in the fight against HIV/AIDS. She said women should take a leading role in teaching young girls societal values and skills that will help in the fight.

Attri said she did not believe some factors could force young girls into prostitution saying it was a matter of upbringing. She narrated how she met two young girls on the road who asked her for a lift to Kitwe to go and play and then come back because they did not have anything to do. "I asked them about their parents and they said they would not know," she said.

Attri said women should not let their children indulge in sex. She also said women should teach their male children to respect women. Attri said it was important to cultivate respect for women in young boys so that they treat them with the dignity they deserve when they grow up.

She said women had themselves to blame for the violence they experienced at the hands of men because they do not train young boys to respect women. Attri said women had a lot of potential to contribute to economic development of the country if they explored the markets. She said women are the backbone of every society and thus had a greater challenge in holding nations together. "If women are not respected, society disintegrates," said Attri.

And YWCA national president Bertha Phiri said the greatest challenge for her association was the elimination of violence against women through increased awareness of their rights which was key to empowering them. She said cases of wife battering and child defilement were on the increase and it was a mammoth task that no one organisation could tackle.

"As an organisation, we continue to address the elimination of violence against women through implementing projects under our women human rights programmes," said Phiri.

"Gov't Seeks HIV Test for Presidential Candidates." By Sheikh Chifuwe
The Post, November 1, 2001

The government is this week expected to present a Bill compelling Republican presidential candidates to undergo an HIV/AIDS test. Sources in government said the Bill will come for first reading this afternoon. "It is true the Bill is among those coming for reading before the adjournment on Friday," a source said.

"Members of parliament are expected to expediently pass it." Opposition Heritage Party presidential candidate Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda said passing such a Bill was discriminatory and an infringement of human rights. "As much as it is proper to ensure that all presidential candidates are in a healthy state, the timing of this Bill is rather suspicious," Brig. Gen. Miyanda said. "Their choice of HIV/AIDS for legislation is discriminatory because there are other equally serious diseases such as prostrate cancer and obesity which may lead to sudden heart attack."

Brig. Gen. Miyanda said such type of legislation would defeat the fight against stigmatisation of HIV/AIDS. He said the members of parliament should have directed themselves to the issue of the petition to impeach President Frederick Chiluba which was more important instead of the HIV/AIDS Bill.

"It's Impossible for Gov't to Provide Free HIV/AIDS Drugs, Says Dr. Bola." By Bivan Saluseki
The Post, October 30, 2001

It's impossible for government to provide free HIV/AIDS drugs, National AIDS Council director general Dr. Golden Bola (in picture) has said. Speaking during an HIV/AIDS workshop at Fairview Hotel yesterday, Dr. Bola said provision of free drugs just as free health services and education cannot work out now. "The government of course cannot buy cheap drugs for each one of us," Dr. Bola said.

"It cannot work. We cannot go back with that kind of arrangement." Dr. Bola said the Zambian government was exploring ways of how it could come up with cheaper HIV/AIDS drugs from manufacturers. However, Dr. Bola said the Zambian government had not acquired any HIV/AIDS drugs. He explained that the government and the council had been talking to different companies manufacturing the drugs to see if they could reduce the prices. "We have reached a very high stage where we are now," he said.

Dr. Bola said the council had completed the HIV/AIDS policy. He said human rights, especially at places of work, have been included as a component of the policy . Dr. Bola said discrimination of AIDS people was more out of ignorance. "It is more out of ignorance than anything else," Dr. Bola said. "It's a disease you can live with and survive like anybody else."

"Livingstone Tops HIV/AIDS Records." By Ruth Banda
The Post, October 19, 2001

Livingstone has the highest HIV/AIDS incidence in Southern Province, deputy health minister Rosemary Yikona has said. Yikona said with 31 per cent of the Livingstone population infected, the town was also topping the list in the country.

"There is need for the community to come together and fight the disease instead of leaving it to government when the disease is wiping out people from the community," said Yikona. The business community in Livingstone has contributed close to a K1 million to the Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) to hire the African Queen Boat for a fund-raising cruise towards an HIV/AIDS project.

PPAZ branch chairperson Regina Mwanza said her organisation was responding to the minister's call for the community to find means and ways of helping reduce or eradicate the scourge in the city whose proximity to the border and status as a tourist destination has somehow contributed to high rate of prostitution.

Southern Province deputy permanent secretary Darius Hakayobe said preaching abstinence to people who have travelled far away from home and are interacting with prostitutes at night clubs was practically impossible and that more organisations should join hands with PPAZ.

"You can tell people to abstain yet when they get to guest houses or some hospitality houses they are met by sex workers at the entrance who even guide them," he said. Hakayobe urged people in the hospitality industry to reduce HIV/AIDS infection by stocking condoms and sponsoring education programmes through TVs in their rooms.

"National Income Fails to Rise in 30 Years." By Chama Nsabika
The Post, October 17, 2001

Zambia's income base has dramatically failed to rise in 30 years, poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) co-ordinator Situmbeko Musokotwane has said.

Musokotwane, in his PRSP overview presentation at the national summit yesterday, said one of the identified causes of poverty was low income, lack of economic growth and high unemployment. He said the dependence ratio is also high in a country where 45 per cent of the population is aged between 1 and 12 years, putting increased pressure on the people in the productive stage, most of whom are employed in the formal sector.

Musokotwane noted that incomes in formal employment are extremely low and not sustainable. He said while poverty was higher in rural areas, urban poverty has risen and that in actual number terms, population density of the poor is much higher in urban areas. Musokotwane further explained that rural poverty is still higher when non-income issues are counted.

He outlined the identified interventions in the draft PRSP which are macro-economic issues, economic growth, cross-cutting issues which include gender and HIV/AIDS including social investment. He said all interventions must fit into the resource envelope so as not to prompt printing of money which would in turn fuel inflation.

Musokotwane explained that the economy has to grow by between five and eight per cent per annum to be effective in reducing poverty. Poor governance was also identified as having contributed to increasing poverty. According to the first draft, resources are not used judiciously for poverty reduction while there has been inadequate genuine citizens' participation in the choice of leadership, programmes and utilisation of resources in accordance with their poverty reduction needs.

The draft stated that rights enjoyed by citizens are minimal and barely protected due to weaknesses present at all levels of governance. The draft paper also states that development of a medium term expenditure programme framework was cardinal as matching expenditures, as outlined in the PRSP with the resource envelope, enhances chances of activities being realised. Expenditure decisions need to have a longer term perspective than the yearly budget-to-budget decisions.

"Sex is Being Abused, Says Mubanga." By Bivan Saluseki
The Post, October 16, 2001

Sex is being abused in Zambia, Anti-AIDS activist Charlie Mubanga has observed. Giving a synopsis of his forthcoming book entitled: What About Sex, which is to be launched this month end, Mubanga yesterday said the abuse and misuse of sex had caused a rise in HIV/AIDS cases.

"It's because sex has been abused and now the gift from God has turned against us," Mubanga said. "That's why now we have AIDS." Mubanga said if all people believed in the Bible and were truthful to their spouses, AIDS would be reduced.

"If we all were not fornicating, there will be no AIDS. The Bible or the 10 commandments tells you no fornication and no adultery and if we all follow this, and if your wives stop having extra marital relationships and if your husband did not have sex outside marriage, the AIDS scourge would be reduced," he said. Mubanga cited intellectuals as being among the most vulnerable because of "irresponsible and illicit sex".

"Intellectuals are the worst culprits," Mubanga said. "They don't use condoms." He said it was no wonder even medical doctors, despite attending to AIDS patients, would go ahead and have unprotected sex. Mubanga said he has tried, in his book, to kill the myth and taboos of sex by talking about it openly. "You cannot get rid of AIDS if you cannot talk about it.

We have to start talking about sex," he said. Mubanga urged the Church, parents and everyone to open up about sex, failure to which the youths would continue to be misunderstood with most of them being infected with HIV/AIDS. He urged the next government to prioritise the issue of sex education and HIV/AIDS in its efforts to arrest the scourge.

"Badat Seeks HIV/Aids Guidance for Pupils." By Chama Nsabika
The Post, October 15, 2001

We need to give school-going girls and boys guidance in realities of life including HIV/AIDS and the need to be focused and productive, commerce, trade and industry minister Dr. Yusuf Badat has said.

Launching Naboye School Leavers' Association (NASLA) at the weekend, Dr. Badat said young people were learning in an environment of great demand on moral uprightness. Dr. Badat, who is Kafue member of parliament, said school children need the motivation to stay on track in their academic pursuit and reach their aspired goal of success in life. He urged members of NASLA to lead by example.

Dr. Badat said government tries its best to ensure adequate funding in schools but its efforts needed to be complemented by former pupils exercising their social responsibility by contributing some basic requirements. He said the challenge to former pupils was not only directed at those from Naboye but at all persons who have gone through secondary school and have capacity to contribute productively, effectively and sustainably to the development of schools in the country.

"Zambia has so many people in positions of responsibility but most seem to have forgotten about supplementing government efforts in improving institutions that helped them get to the status they enjoy in society," he said.

Dr. Badat said the association would for the time being concentrate on computerising the school's information and to ensure pupils are computer literate. Other projects include completion of the school library and helping to maintain basic school infrastructure.

"Barclays Launches Health Care Initiative."
The Post, October 11, 2001

Barclays Africa has launched a Pan-African health care initiative with a focus on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment that will cover provisional medical aid for the bank employees and up to three dependants.

According to a statement from the Barclays Group, the programme was launched in Botswana. Barclays managing director Dominic Bruynseels said based on the Botswana experience the intention was to expand similar assistance programme in other African countries.

He said the programme that has won support from the Botswana trade unions will involve confidential testing where employees will only be asked their age and their gender with the results reported as a per cent HIV positive or negative.

"However special arrangements can be made for those who wish to know their HIV status," he said. Bruynseels said this information would be vital to enable the bank make maximum use of resources in the fight against the disease. "In our commitment to the health and welfare of our employees and their families, we are particularly concerned about the impact of HIV/AIDS," he said.

Bruynseels said the bank was totally committed to the fight against HIV/AIDS with GB£1 million this year allocated to selected charities addressing the disease in Africa.

"Lusaka Gets New AIDS Drugs."
UN Integrated Regional Information Network, October 11, 2001

A new range of antiretroviral drugs were launched in Zambia on Monday, the 'Post' newspaper reported. The drugs - manufactured by Indian pharmaceutical company Ranbaxy and to be distributed by Melcome Pharmaceuticals Limited - were officially launched in Lusaka by Health Minister Levison Mumba.

Melcome managing director Samar Kumar Mukherjee was reported as saying that the drugs were the cheapest on the market and were going for between US $40 and US $45 per month. He said this meant infected people would spend between US $1.80 to US $2 per day. "These are the cheapest drugs on the market, such that every person including those from lower society, would benefit from," he was quoted as saying.

The report listed the drugs as Avalam 150 which contains Lamivudine, Nevipan containing Nevirapine, Aviro-Z with Zidovudine and Avocomb containing a combination of Lamivudine and Zidovudine. Launching the drugs, Mumba was reported as saying that guidelines on usage had been developed by the government and were awaiting implementation. Mumba challenged the private sector to contribute to the development of an infrastructure in the fight against AIDS. "The government is committed to ensuring the disease is combated. All sectors of society need to be involved in this fight," he said.

According to Mumba, about 20 percent of the people in the country were infected by HIV/AIDS, a figure representing about two million people. Mumba said the percentage might appear small, but it was high with regard to a growing population. "In Zambia, AIDS is not just a health crisis but a threat to the development of society. Not only does it stagnate the present but also the future," he was quoted as saying.

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