•CHIEF Chikanta(seated, middle), poses for a photo with headmen and subjects after the launch of the policy declaration at his chiefdom recently.

By CHILA NAMAIKO –

WITH the cure for HIV/AIDS still elusive, it is clear that the fight against the pandemic cannot be restricted to one group but all people have a role to play in stopping it.
This fact seems to have been realised by many people, who do not want to take chances by leaving the AIDS fight to scientists alone but by involving ordinary communities.
It is true that the rate of HIV infection has come down in Zambia, but it is also true that there are new infections every day, and this calls for a need for continued awareness-raising of the epidemic’s impact on people, especially women and girls who are said to be most affected.
Recent reports that HIV had re-bounded in a US infant girl who was earlier said to have been cured of the infection has just reinforced the longstanding view that eradication of HIV/AIDS will not come through a cure, but from knowledge.
People have to gain knowledge about HIV/AIDS, its transmission and how individuals put themselves at risk of infection. Only then can they know how to prevent HIV infection.
In the early years of the disease’s outbreak, various theories were advanced in respect of who were most at risk, with some people, saying it was the disease for rich people while others linked it to homosexuals and drug users.
Over the years, however, it seems HIV/AIDS has been evolving with its ‘face’ radically changing to the current stage where even suburban couples and school pupils, truck drivers and their partners have become at risk of contracting the disease.
For this reason, health workers advise communities should understand that there is no invisible barrier protecting them from this disease other than themselves and that is through education leading to a change in people’s sexual behaviour.
In Southern Province, Chief Chikanta and his subjects in Kalomo District have launched a policy declaration to commit to combat HIV/AIDS in a comprehensive manner in line with their chiefdom’s strategic development plan of 2012 to 2016.
The strategic plan is being implemented through an incremental prioritisation process in which, each year the chiefdom would develop annual work plans, specifying strategies for the year, how and when they would be implemented.
Chikanta, a chiefdom blessed with good annual rains and fertile soils making it a fast becoming semi-commercial area for maize growing in Zambia, is located about 155 Kilometres from Kalomo central business district.
The chiefdom is quickly establishing itself as the food basket of Southern-Zambia due to its rich maize growing, annual bumper harvests and exports where the highest potential for local economic growth and development.
As HIV-virus knows no border, the chiefdom is experiencing a devastating epidemic which has decimated its young and adult populations and orphaned a huge swathe of its children.
The HIV prevalence in Southern Province is said to be slightly above the national average of 14.3 per cent, at 14.5 per cent.
The chiefdom has one Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) centre and six VCTs centres. Additional HIV-related services like CD4 count are offered at Kalomo General Hospital and Macha Mission Hospital, about 30 Kms from the palace.
After heated days of consultations from 2-6 June 2014, Chief Chikanta and his subjects represented by their over 300 headmen, assembled at his Chungu palace, to develop a policy declaration booklet that has given birth to a roadmap in fighting HIV/AIDS in the area.
Launching the policy at his palace recently in conjunction with Support to the HIV/AIDS Response (SHAReII) in Zambia, a USIAD funded project, the chief said the booklet was their commitment to fight the pandemic in a comprehensive manner.
“We are hereby to make a decree on how to address the HIV/AIDS problem and all its aspects as well as enhancing total commitment to combat the pandemic in a comprehensive manner at personal, family, village, zonal and chiefdom levels in partnership with the Government and other key partners in sustainable development,” Chief Chikanta said.
The locals have identified 35 key drivers of HIV/AIDS in their area which include the practice of penetrative sexual intercourse cleansing of the widow/widower, early marriages of young girls, defilement, raping women and teenage pregnancies.
Marriage before going for VCT, excessive beer drinking, widow inheritance, polygamy tattooing by using one razor blade on many people with multiple concurrent partnerships.
Overnight prayers, pre-wedding ceremonies, initiation ceremonies and memorial ceremonies held at night in which some people indulge in unprotected sexual activities.
Chief Chikanta said incest, prostitution and traditional aphrodisiacs such as the commonly used ‘Mutototo’ sexual intercourse enhancers were triggering HIV/AIDS prevalence rates.
The traditional practice of mothers delivering in homes by untrained birth attendants coupled with men exchanging wives for sexual intercourse was noted as factors spreading HIV/AIDS.
The locals have identified traditional ceremonies such as Lwiindi annual ceremony which bring together different people at once in one place for many days and night as key areas stimulating unprotected sexual intercourse among some people.
Other factors include families allowing a close relative to perform sexual intercourse with a wife of a relative who is not able to impregnate the wife to promote family generation.
High poverty levels and inadequate good child parenting at household levels was triggering early marriages but the locals have resolved to work harder to improve their lives.
Chief Chikanta said some witchdoctors were fond of discouraging people on ARVs to stop taking their medication and take traditional herbs which he warned of punishing such culprits.
The chief said indecent dressing code among some people in the chiefdom leads to others indulging in unprotected sexual vices thereby becoming a factor in the spread of HIV/AIDS.
He said, some pupils in schools have phones and computers which they misuse by viewing pornographic messages or pictures and thereafter, get enticed by practicing what they saw such as illicit sex and eventually contract HIV/AIDS.
In addressing HIV/AIDS, the locals have declared over 20 policy measures to combat it for a productive and developed society whose inhabitants would enjoy a high quality life.
The people of Chikanta have unanimously outlawed the practice of sexual cleansing of the surviving spouse through penetrative sexual intercourse between a man and a woman.
They would instead, use other calm methods of cleansing like thigh brushing of the same sex, bathing the widow/widower using traditional herbs or through the use of prayers.
In a case of a girl being married off at an early age, defiled or impregnated, the locals would ensure the victim was re-admitted to school and taken to hospital for testing of HIV and STIs.
“We the people of Chikanta chiefdom with our traditional leaders have outlawed early marriages, defilement and teenage pregnancies.” the chief said.
He said, working with stakeholders like ministry of Education, Kalomo District AIDS Task Force and NGOs, the chiefdom would ensure parents marrying off their children and men who impregnate girls below 18 years including defilers were arrested.
On cases of early marriages, teenage pregnancies and defilements, the residents would immediately report to law agencies using their established chiefdom governance structures.
The locals have outlawed adultery and multiple concurrent partnerships, incest which include sexual intercourse with a cousin, sister, and brother saying such practices spread HIVAIDS.
He said the chiefdom would promote awareness on importance of HIV testing before getting married, PMTCT, Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision and cervical cancer screening during traditional ceremonies.
They would instead encourage faithfulness among monogamous and polygamous marriages hence, the chiefdom outlawing property grabbing and eloping as they enhance poverty.
They would sensitise people on Sexual Reproductive Health, HIV and STIs at all levels while enhancing sex education to couples and counselling youths by elders in communities.
“We the people of Chikanta chiefdom with our leaders, we have made a decree that a women who has left her husband due to differences in their marriages, the chiefdom through its tradition structures shall facilitate reconciliation,” he said.
The chiefdom would mainstream HIV/AIDS, GBV prevention in developmental projects and the locals with support from stakeholders would mobilise funds for HIV/AIDS coordination.
Chief Chikanta has since appealed for more support from Government and stakeholders to realise his chiefdom’s policy declaration in combating HIV/AIDS comprehensively.
SHAReII Organisational Development and Policy Manager Charles Hankoma said the people of America were committed to helping improve the lives of Zambians, citing the support in realising the policy declaration of Chief Chikanta and his subjects.
He said SHAReII with funding from USAID would continue to provide capacity building and leadership skills aimed at addressing various challenges that people in rural areas encounter.
Abstinence so far remains the most effective protection. However, for those who are sexually active and are unable to abstain, condoms offer very effective protection against HIV infection, but only if used correctly because even these are said to be not 100 per cent safe.
Apart from abstinence, information remains the best method of fighting HIV/AIDS. People need to be informed about HIV/AIDS and how to prevent its spread.
Most importantly, people should get tested to know their status. This is one way that can help them change their lifestyles, and even the course of the disease.
The people of Chikanta know that HIV/AIDS is devastating, at the same time, they are aware that it is a preventable disease, hence coming together to combat the pandemic collectively.
They are likely to succeed if only they, as they say, promote awareness on the importance of HIV testing before marriage, and end such traditional practices as sexual cleansing.