Lusaka tops with highest HIV infections

Lusaka tops with highest HIV infections

By a Correspondent

LUSAKA Province has recorded the highest HIV infections in the country, says the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats).

Acting Statistician General Sheila Mudenda revealed during a town hall meeting in Lusaka Thursday 12.1 per cent of adults aged 15 to 49 in the province were living with HIV.

“I wish to take this opportunity to state that Lusaka is topping the list of provinces with high HIV prevalence at 12.1 per cent among adults between the ages of 15 and 49. These are serious and concerning figures we need to address as a matter of urgency,” Mudenda said.

She attributed the rise in HIV rates in Lusaka and the country to various economic and societal challenges.

Mudenda said the Copperbelt Province recorded second highest prevalence of HIV in the country at 11.6 percent, while Western and Central provinces stood at 10.4 and 10.3 percent, respectively, above the national average of 8.7 percent.

She said HIV in infants and children was also a source of concern, which needs a different approach to address it.

Mudenda said infants and children between the ages of 2 and 14 were living with HIV, with urban areas recording a high number of infected children compared to rural areas.

“Paediatric HIV also remains a concern, with 1.2 percent of children aged 2 to 14 living with the virus. Urban areas record a higher prevalence of 1.9 percent, compared to 0.7 percent in rural areas,” said Mudenda.