The Zambian Youth platform says HIV has continued being a challenge among adolescents between the ages of 15 to 24 with 30 percent being infected.
Zambian Youth Platform Executive Director, Sibu Malambo, says the infection rate among adolescents is high because the young tend to know their status late due to restrictions at health facilities.
Speaking during the official opening of the Copperbelt Adolescent Health Indaba in Ndola today, Mr. Malambo says HIV is common in girls who are sexually active as early as 12 years of age, and they often do not have access to getting tested tested.
Meanwhile, while Notional Aids Council Copperbelt Provincial Aids coordination advisor Violet Mongeza says since 2019, 69,000 new HIV infections have been recorded among young people in the country.
Ms. Mongeza says key population areas are being targeted for prevention as many do not have proper infrastructure or information to prevent the spread of HIV in communities.
By Lovemore Sondashi