Transport Sector Launches HIV And AIDS Policy. 1/10/10
This policy is a great achievement for the Zambian governmen
1 October 2010
Lusaka — The Ministry of Communication and Transport (MCT) of Zambia is today launching its new HIV and AIDS policy for the transport sector in the country.
The new policy aims to provide guidelines and strategic direction for the coordination, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all workplace programmes in the transport and related sectors, according to Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa, Minister of Communications and Transport.
With a national HIV prevalence rate of 15.2 percent among people aged 15-49 years, the Zambian government has highlighted mobility as one of the six key drivers of the HIV epidemic in the country and in response, has established a national campaign to initiate, revitalise and scale-up innovative HIV prevention programmes for mobile populations.
The HIV and AIDS policy for the transport sector is designed to help meet this goal, as well as to assist the government in reaching its Millenium Development Goal (MDGs) of arresting and continuing to reverse the spread of HIV in the country by 2015.
The new policy targets people who are employed in building, maintaining and operating transportation and related infrastructures, including railways, roads, airlines and maritime services.
"This policy is a great achievement for the Zambian government and is expected to have a significant positive impact on the lives of migrants, both in Zambia and beyond," said IOM Chief of Mission in Lusaka, Dr. Andrew Choga.