Testing for HIV is now compulsory in Zambia, President Edgar Lungu has said.
Zambia has one of the highest prevalence rates in southern Africa with 11.6% of Zambian adults aged 15 to 49 years being HIV positive, according to the National HIV Council.
Mr Lungu said that, as part of efforts to make Zambia Aids-free by 2030, counselling and treatment is no longer voluntary.
He did not say who will have to undergo compulsory testing, and by when.
Mr Lungu made the announcement when launching the inaugural national HIV and Aids Counselling, Testing and Treatment day in the capital, Lusaka.
He said that the matter had been discussed in the cabinet:
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.
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.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS are in favour of voluntary counselling and testing.
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