News / Health
Zimbabwe lawmakers to undergo HIV testing
12 Jun 2012 at 20:59hrs | Views
More than 60 parliamentarians from across the political divide have pledged to undergo voluntary counselling and HIV testing on the 22nd of this month following the launch of the Zimbabwe Parliamentarians against HIV and Aids campaign.
Since the advent of the AIDS pandemic in the 80's no legislator has come out in the open about their HIV status.
Calls for the lawmakers to take the initiative of getting tested for HIV and publicly disclose their status has seen the start of a campaign that will see legislators honouring their share towards eliminating stigma and fighting the pandemic.
Zimbabwe Parliamentarians Against HIV and Aids Chairperson, Blessing Chebundo said as a starting point, legislators have taken the initiative to get tested as one of the interventions that will contribute effectively to the national response.
"Legislators should lead an exemplary life by going for voluntary HIV testing, urging them to disclose their status as part of a broader programme to achieve the global campaign that focuses on the three zeros, namely, zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero deaths related to HIV and AIDS. On the 22nd of this month 61 legislators will go for VCT while 28 of them will also undergo male circumcision," said Chebundo.
The Zimbabwean Parliamentarians Against HIV and AIDS Network (ZIPAH) was launched on the 1st of March and is open to all legislators who are committed to the fight against HIV and AIDS.
ZIPAH's membership currently stands at 175 legislators and 25 Parliament staff members who make up the technical team.
Since the advent of the AIDS pandemic in the 80's no legislator has come out in the open about their HIV status.
Calls for the lawmakers to take the initiative of getting tested for HIV and publicly disclose their status has seen the start of a campaign that will see legislators honouring their share towards eliminating stigma and fighting the pandemic.
Zimbabwe Parliamentarians Against HIV and Aids Chairperson, Blessing Chebundo said as a starting point, legislators have taken the initiative to get tested as one of the interventions that will contribute effectively to the national response.
"Legislators should lead an exemplary life by going for voluntary HIV testing, urging them to disclose their status as part of a broader programme to achieve the global campaign that focuses on the three zeros, namely, zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero deaths related to HIV and AIDS. On the 22nd of this month 61 legislators will go for VCT while 28 of them will also undergo male circumcision," said Chebundo.
The Zimbabwean Parliamentarians Against HIV and AIDS Network (ZIPAH) was launched on the 1st of March and is open to all legislators who are committed to the fight against HIV and AIDS.
ZIPAH's membership currently stands at 175 legislators and 25 Parliament staff members who make up the technical team.
Source - zbc
