1.4 million. That is the approximated number of people living with HIV in Zambia.
According to UNAIDS and WHO, Global HIV/AIDS estimated statistics, there are 38.4 million (33.9 million - 43.8 million) people living with HIV as of 2021, 54% were women and girls. Adults from the age of 15 and older accounted for 36.7million (32.3 million - 41.9 million).
In Zambia, the majority of these are women (at least 60%). Zambian Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo attributes this to, "cultural and socio-economic vulnerabilities that women are faced with. Further, the high rates of gender-based violence (GBV) is contributing significantly to the new infections as it creates barriers for women to access care and preventive services."
The new infections are affecting younger people,
“Last year alone (2021), we had 38,000 new HIV infections. Nearly 40% of these new infections were in adolescents and young people aged between 15 and 24 years with about 11,000 of all new HIV infections in Adolescent Girls and Young Women. We certainly cannot afford to have new HIV infections, especially in the young people who are the future of this country.” The Minister says
Zambian Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo, photo by Ministry of Health
Every week, around 4900 young women aged 15-24 years become infected with HIV. In sub-Saharan Africa, six in seven new HIV infections among adolescents aged 15-19 years are among girls. Women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 63% of all the new HIV infections in 2021. Girls and young women aged 15-24 years are twice as likely to be living with HIV than young men.
These rates are appalling and the first thing that came to mind, especially for teenage girls is defilement and statutory rape. One of the things perhaps that needs to be discussed is the lack of adequate sex education in schools, perhaps we are so engrossed in a high sense of superior morality that we seem to have forgotten the importance of sex education, RANT OVER!
The lack of access to Sexual Reproductive Services in Government clinics doesn't make things easier 
It is hard enough for a woman in her 30s to access Pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP) which is a medicine taken to prevent getting HIV. PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV when taken as prescribed.
I had someone complain to me last year
after doing a thread on Twitter about PrEP and indeed when I and a colleague went undercover to Mtendere clinic, the male nurse was not only highly rude and judgemental but he was invasive too.
In his words: “are you a prostitute to want PrEP? ” So how then do any young people find it easy?
Let’s also bear in mind that sleeping with a minor is a crime in Zambia, how can we keep track, if our medical personnel are unapproachable and unhelpful?
“Evidence indicates that a larger proportion of the new HIV infections continue to be largely attributable to unprotected sex.
Some HIV-negative pregnant women get infected during the breastfeeding period and unknowingly pass their infection to their babies. 7% of HIV-exposed infants become infected with the virus at the end of their two-year breastfeeding period. This is concerning and calls for concerted efforts focused on instituting interventions to curb this challenge.
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The rate of deaths regarding HIV/AIDS-related deaths on the other hand is tipped towards men because of their poor health-seeking behaviour, men generally delay in accessing and utilising HIV testing, counselling, and treatment services as they opt to test by proxy, based on their partner’s status. This practice should not be encouraged because of the possibility of sero-discordancy among couples. This is when one couple is negative and the other is positive in a relationship.
You can only know your HIV status by taking an HIV test and not through somebody else.
Here is a list of places APART from Govt clinics where you can get free HIV/AIDS testing and counselling services.
Please do get tested. In terms of HIV/AIDS awareness and access to medication, Zambia doesn’t have bad statistics, it is commendable that Despite the many gaps and challenges, our progress towards the attainment of the UNAIDS 95-95-95 treatment targets is remarkable.
The UNAIDS 95-95-95 target is meant for member states to achieve the following:
UNAIDS 95-95-95 is a global target that calls for members states to achieve the following:
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| Picture by Danilo Alvesd |
- 1. Ensuring 95 percent of HIV-positive individuals know their HIV status;
- 2. Initiating 95 percent of those who tested positive are on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART); and,
- 3. Ensuring 95 percent of those on ART are virally suppressed.
Source USAID ZAMBIA
Over 90% of people living with HIV know their HIV status and of those that do, 98.6 % or 1.2 million are on life-saving anti-retroviral treatment with 96% being virally suppressed.
Regarding HIV rates in children Masebo had this to say:
From the estimated prevalence of HIV in children only 83% have their HIV status known.
Further, only 93% of children whose HIV status is known to have been linked to care. It is clear that our HIV treatment coverage for children between 0-14 years and adolescents falls way below the national target. We, therefore, need to ramp up efforts with regard to HIV in children, starting by accelerating our efforts to find every child living with HIV and ensure all are linked to care.
To view more statistics by region and globally click HERE. Remember that if you are sexually active use condoms and dental dams. Try and access PrEP, and get tested regularly. If you are HIV positive, please take your prescribed medication. You are not alone.
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