Church leaders urged to avoid discouraging members from taking ARVs

A clergyman has called on church leaders not to stop their church members from taking Anti Retroviral Drugs (ARVs).

Faith Tabernacle Church of Matero in Lusaka Pastor Wozifera Ngoma said the church should encourage their members to adhere to treatment and not discourage them from taking ARVs which are life saving drugs.

Pastor Ngoma said only medical personnel have the ability to advise patients when to start or stop taking the drugs.

He said this when he officiated during the commemoration of World AIDS Day in Matero Constituency under the theme” Getting to Zero in Zambia, Zero new infections, Zero deaths and Zero stigma and discrimination”.

Pastor Ngoma said as the church they will endeavour to continue with the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic and that they will keep encouraging people to go for Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT).

And a nurse from George Clinic Giveness Mwangala has called on parents to openly start talking to their children about HIV/AIDS instead of them hearing about it in the media.

Ms Mwangala said HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention should start from homes where people are coming from in order for the country to achieve the zero infection rate.

She said couples should also be going for VCT in order to protect their unborn children if they know their HIV status.