Premarital Sex Declines in Zambia Due to HIV Prevention Strategies, Health Minister Says
Premarital sex has declined among young people in Zambia, Health Minister Sylvia Masebo said on Tuesday, Xinhua News Agency reports. According to Masebo, the percentage of young people having sex with nonregular partners has decreased to 29% for boys and 16% for girls. Masebo attributed the to the country's multisectoral approach to HIV prevention. She also said the number of people in Zambia who are tested for HIV has increased as the number of voluntary counseling and testing centers in the country has grown (Xinhua News Agency, 4/11). According to Masebo, about 25% of HIV-positive mothers in the country are accessing complete courses of antiretroviral drugs, and she urged governments to include prevention policies in their approach to addressing HIV/AIDS, Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation reports (ZNBC, 4/12).
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