Aids activists criticised a Zambian official on Thursday for his proposal to round up everyone infected with HIV and force them into isolation camps.
Alex Chama, deputy minister for Luapula province, made his comments during a parliamentary debate Wednesday over a bill to form a National Aids Council secretariat to coordinate Zambia’s response to the pandemic.
”(Those infected) are busy spreading the problem. It is not fair,” Chama said. ”They should be isolated to a specific camp until such a time that they become negative.”
Leaving aside Chama’s statement that people infected with HIV can suddenly turn HIV negative — which they can’t — Aids activists said it was sad to see a government minister express such attitudes in a country where an estimated 20% of people are HIV
positive.
People Living with HIV/Aids Chairman Augustine Chola said people like Chama are trying to move society backward and do not deserve to represent Zambians in government. Not all those infected with HIV were promiscuous, Chola said.
Parliament is debating Aids legislation so it can qualify for $42-million from the global Aids fund.
During the debate, Catherine Namugala, the deputy foreign minister, told Parliament it should introduce laws to deal with husbands who rape their wives. – Sapa-AP