HIV PREVENTION DRIVE: 50,000 CONDOMS, 20,000 TEST KITS DELIVERED FOR NGONI ZAMBEZI RIVER CROSSING
The Lusaka Provincial Administration has dispatched 50,000 male condoms and 20,000 oral HIV self-testing kits to Luangwa District ahead of the symbolic ceremonial crossing of the Zambezi River in Luangwa–Feira, scheduled for Saturday, 21 February 2026.
The event, organised by Paramount Chief Mpezeni IV of the Ngoni people, marks the 191st anniversary of the Ngoni migration into Zambia. The celebrations will include traditional dances and a re-enactment of the 1835 migration, forming part of an annual pre-Nc’wala event.
Lusaka Provincial HIV Coordination Adviser Eunice Masi says the government has a duty to protect the thousands of people expected to attend the ceremony from unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.
She has emphasised the importance of attendees knowing their HIV status through the 20,000 oral self-testing kits provided.
She added that the interventions align with the government’s commitment to reducing new HIV infections and ending AIDS by 2030.
Lusaka Province currently has 347,647 people on antiretroviral therapy (ART), the highest in the country, with 350,000 people living with HIV. New infections in the province were estimated at around 5,500 as of December 2025.
The information is contained in a statement issued by Logic Lukwanda, Principal Public Relations Officer of the Lusaka Provincial Administration.
By Best Jere
© Diamond TV Zambia. Republishing full content without permission is prohibited.
