PRESS RELEASES

Mobile HIV Units Launched in Katete, Mkushi and Solwezi Districts

Lusaka
June 04, 2007

LUSAKA – Minister of Health, the Honourable Dr. Brian Chituwo and Deputy Mission Director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Melissa Williams, launched three Mobile HIV Units which will be based in Katete, Mkushi and Solwezi districts today. The Mobile HIV Support Services will provide HIV treatment, care, and support to remote and underserved areas identified by the District Health Offices, communities, and participating private sector companies.

Each Mobile HIV Unit will be equipped with a qualified and experienced, multidisciplinary team of four staff. It will carry equipment, medications, and supplies to provide voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) and anti-retroviral therapy (ART) support services to clients in a confidential manner. These units will enhance the Ministry of Health’s response to HIV in underserved areas. The district health offices will provide office space for the mobile team, medications, medical consumables, laboratory testing and day-to-day clinical oversight. U.S. Government funds will secure the vehicles and equipment.

The launch of the Mobile HIV Units highlights an innovative private-public partnership in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Private companies, including Dunavant Zambia, Mkushi Farmers Association, and First Quantum Minerals Limited, joined forces with the Ministry of Health and the United States Government’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and USAID to ensure that HIV and AIDS services and activities reach rural underserved communities. The Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Management Program (CHAMP) provides technical support designed to leverage resources from all parties.

This alliance started in 2005 when seven leading corporations joined together and committed to accelerate and enhance their existing HIV/AIDS workplace programs and to extend HIV/AIDS programs and services to outreach communities. With funds from the U.S. government and these private companies, the alliance has generated $5 million in private resources and achieved impressive results. Over 52,069 people have received VCT services and 9,000 persons, mostly in rural areas, are on ARV treatment as a result of this joint effort. The Mobile HIV Units will build on the impressive work carried out so far by the three companies and enable them to expand life-giving education, counselling and treatment services to more remote locations. The Mobile HIV Support Units will follow a regular monthly route to ensure patients receive regular care and support at fixed locations. The care provided will focus on prevention, education, counselling and testing, psychosocial support, management of opportunistic infections, and antiretroviral therapy. The units will build capacity at community level for support groups and adherence support. USAID Deputy Mission Director, Melissa Williams stated, “The resources from this unique private-public partnership are bringing free, reliable HIV/AIDS services for the first time to many remote locations in Zambia”. # # #