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The Ministry of Health says women aged between 15 and 49 years remain the most vulnerable to new HIV infections on the Copperbelt, with Kitwe, Ndola and Mufulira identified as the province’s major hotspots.
Copperbelt Provincial Clinical Care Specialist Dr Elijah Kabelenga, disclosed the findings during a media breakfast meeting on HIV prevention held in Kitwe on Thursday.
“The province continues to record one of the highest numbers of new HIV infections in Zambia, despite making significant progress towards global treatment targets,” Kabelenga said.
He said the latest data show that women aged 15 to 49 years remain the hardest-hit demographic, while a substantial proportion of new infections is also occurring among young people.
Despite the continued burden of new infections, Kabelenga said the province had made notable progress in reducing HIV transmission.
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He said estimated new HIV infections had declined from about 48,000 in 2020 to a projected 30,000 in 2025.
Meanwhile, Copperbelt Provincial Health Director, Charles Mwinuna, called on the media to play a greater role in raising public awareness by dispelling myths and misconceptions surrounding HIV and helping to reduce stigma.
He said improved public understanding would encourage more people to access HIV prevention, testing and treatment services.
“Journalists should simplify health communication so that communities can make informed decisions about their health, especially considering that the province has achieved a 93-93-98 performance against the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets,” Mwinuna said.
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