Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Government says it still considers strong district leadership as a critical element in engendering an effective multi-sectoral response to HIV challenges at community level.
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Davy Chikamata says this is because the District Commissioner is a fulcrum of development at community level.
Dr. Chikamata notes that as the country moves towards decentralization as articulated in the Revised National AIDS Strategic Framework (NASF), greater involvement of district leadership particularly at the level of District Commissioners will be critical.
Speaking in Lusaka this morning during the official opening of the 2015 Annual Partners’ Meeting (APM) for the Southern African AIDS Trust Zambia, Dr. Chikamata says his Ministry finds the SAT Zambia meeting principally important especially within the context of mounting an effective and assailable crusade against HIV and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) challenges at community level.
He notes that the meeting is also unique and special, in that for the first time, SAT has invited the district leadership from the community.
Speaking at the same event Southern African AIDS Trust (SAT) regional Executive Director Jonathan Gunthorp called for closer collaboration between government and the civil society in responding to HIV and Sexual Reproductive Health Rights challenges.
Mr. Gunthorp says it has now become distinctively clear that both government and the civil society need each other in dealing with these challenges.
He has also stressed the need to develop a new approach to responding to HIV and SRHR challenges that is based on getting results as opposed to routine service.
Earlier SAT Country Director Zoonadi Ngwenya said the meeting is meant to among other things build a common understanding among SAT partner organizations and strategic partners on the SAT’s New Strategy including the Community Mapping Systems, Strengthening Model and New Interventions as well as launch the New SAT Zambia Strategy.