| |
 Empowering The Rural Poor
Icts to enhance delivery of health services
The scarcity of qualified health staff in rural health centres/hospitals, long distances, cultural beliefs, gender relations and difficult terrains create major problems for equitable health care delivery in Zambia.
Zambia is situated in the southern part of Africa covering an area of 752,612 square kilometres. The Population of Zambia is 10.3 million. The country has an estimated HIV/AIDS prevalence rate of 19.7 percent among 15 to 49-year-olds. The prevalent rate among women in some areas was as high as 27 per cent in 1993, but by 1998 it had declined to 17 per cent. During these same years, there was a 42 per cent reduction in HIV/AIDS prevalence rates among 15 to 19-year-olds in Lusaka. This trend was found in other urban areas, and to a lesser extent in some rural areas. The recent sexual behaviour surveys show that the median age of beginning sexual activities for males has gone up from 16.3 years in 1998 to 18.1 years in 2000; youths are delaying the start of their sexual activities. Annual condom sales have grown steadily since 1993. In 2001, 10.1 million condoms were sold and condom use continues to increase among almost all age groups for both sexes.
In Zambia the first AIDS case was diagnosed and reported in 1985.
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a major public health problem in Zambia. The National HIV/AIDS Intervention Strategy Plan 2002-2005 has drawn up a very aggressive programme. Its vision is to free the nation from HIV/AIDS under the mission to provide national leadership for a co-ordinated fight against HIV/AIDS in order to eliminate the virus and associated opportunistic infection for the benefit of the society with a goal to reduce HIV/STD transmission among Zambians and reduce the socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS. It is for this reason that the Ministry of Health is trying to approach this problem from many angles using different types of interventions. Primary Health Care strategy seems to be a right intervention in terms of basic preventive methods but it needs to be supported by other strategies as well to close the gaps. Primary health care is presented by the Alma-Ata declaration as essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology, which is universally accessible to individuals, family and the community through their full participation and at the cost they can afford. Zambia, a signatory to a number of international conversions and declarations including the Alma-Ata, should strive to provide essential basic healthy services to all Zambians. Therefore strategies such as PHC and Telehealth would contribute to bridge the gap between the rural and the urban dwellers.
Interested?
Read the complete article here.
|
|
