Zambia’s government has backed down on an earlier announced compulsory HIV/AIDS testing policy by its President Edgar Lungu. The government is withdrawing the policy due to huge uproar from citizens and rights groups, according to the Lusaka Times.
This month Mr. Lungu said a public event that testing, counselling and treatment for HIV which used to be voluntary will now be a must for every citizen as the country struggles to address the high prevalence rate in Zambia.
READ: Zambia: HIV testing now compulsory
Mr. Lungu was hoping the new directive will enable his country to be Aids free by the year 2030.
“I must admit that there were some colleagues who felt that this policy would infringe on human rights but the no one has the right take away somebody’s life” President Lungu said when he launched the inaugural national HIV and Aids Counselling, Testing and Treatment day in the capital, Lusaka this month.
Lungu further said that “Just the same way we don’t consult you for consent when we are testing for malaria, we will go ahead and test you for HIV and we will counsel you and if you are positive, we will commence you on treatment,”
But, the Lusaka Times is reporting that authorities in Zambia have now withdrawn the decision.
The country’s health minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya said that patients still have the power to choose whether or not they get tested for HIV in line with global standards and medical ethics.
Dr Chilufya was quoted as saying “Before any blood is drawn from your body, consent will be obtained and the tests or any kind of diagnosis explained to the patient. It is not like there will be police officers who will be arresting those people that will opt out but it is important to encourage everyone to know their HIV status.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS operate voluntary counselling and testing policy.
Source: Africafeeds.com
