Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Mighty Mumba says that over 1,900 people living with HIV are not yet on treatment.

Mr Mumba says only 64, 908 are on treatment against the total number of 66, 838.

He observes that this situation is hampering the HIV fight in the province as government desires to see to it that everyone who is HIV positive is on treatment.

Speaking during the commemoration of the works AIDS day in Mansa, the Permanent Secretary indicates that government has made HIV treatment readily available to everyone at no cost.

The Permanent Secretary noted that the government is providing ART services in all the 12 districts which have a total of 305 health facilities.

Mr. Mumba explained that with province’s HIV prevalence rate standing at 5.8, more efforts need to be put in place to ensure that the spread is controlled.

” Those who are not on treatment are more likely to continue spreading the virus hence the need for all stakeholders to work together and ensure that everyone in the province is on treatment,” he says. 

The Luapula Permanent Secretary observes that once everyone who is HIV positive is on treatment then the province is likely to address HIV as a public threat by 2030.

Luapula Province Clinical Care Specialist Bwalya Nkhula says discrimination and stigma are among the issues affecting the still HIV fight in Luapula.

Dr. Nkhula points out that people living with HIV are still facing discrimination in communities which sometimes makes it difficult for them to seek treatment.

He notes that more stakeholders need to come on board and help address various issues which seem to hamper the HIV fight.

This year’s world AIDS was commemorated under the theme: ” Take the right path.”