Over 500 adolescents reportedly on anti-retroviral therapy in Chipata district

More than 500 adolescents in Chipata district are reportedly on Anti-Retroviral Therapy(ART) treatment after contracting HIV in the third quarter of 2023.

District Adolescent Health Focal Point, Khloe Hantumba, said a total of 561 adolescents of which 331 were females and 230 males are on ART.

Hantumba said this in Chipata on Friday, when she gave a presentation during the District Adolescent Technical Working Group meeting.

She said during the second quarter of this year, 338 females and 234 males were put on ART treatment while in the first quarter the females were 353 while the males were 227.

“From the age group between 20-24 years, 1, 073 people were put on ART treatment comprising 846 females while 227 were male in the third quarter of this year,” Hantumba revealed.

She stated that in the second quarter of this year, 842 females and 225 males were put on ART treatment while in the first quarter it was 830 females and 233 males.

Hantumba also disclosed that between 15-24 years age group, 840 people in the third quarter of this year used Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis medication.

“This was in order to reduce the chance of getting HIV through sexual intercourse while in the second and first quarters it was 1607 and 932 people respectively,” she said.

Chipata District Commissioner, Elidah Banda, said adolescent health was one of the public priority areas in the transformation agenda.

She said as such the involvement and commitment of all stakeholders would play a vital role towards the realisation of this agenda for the adolescents.

“I am glad to mention that through other partners,support has been realised towards adolescent health promotion, sensitisations on radio are going on and capacity building of adolescents is being conducted in order for them to provide services to their peers,” Banda said.

She commended a local Non-Governmental Organisation called Young Happy Health and Safe (YHHS) for playing a critical role in addressing adolescent health through its various programs.

Banda implored other local NGOs to emulate the efforts by YHHS targeted at supplementing Government efforts to promote adolescent health.

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