NGO urges youths to adhere to ARVs

National Association for Young People Living With HIV has emphasised the need for HIV-positive youths in Dedza District to adhere to anti-retroviral treatment to have their viral load suppressed.

Speaking on Tuesday during a session with young people living with HIV on community led monitoring Ready to care score-card, National Association for Young People Living with HIV Resilient and Empowered Adolescent and Young People (Ready+) project coordinator Lusungu Haraba called on partners to continue supporting teen clubs to ensure that youths adhere to treatment.

She said there was need to ensure quality access to healthcare services to end HIV infections by 2030.

Haraba said the youth are using Ready to care score-card tool to evaluate the healthcare services they are getting in their local health facilities.

She said their expectation was to ensure that young people are capable of receiving quality treatment in terms of HIV.

“We want to ensure that youths are resilient, knowledgeable and empowered so that they can hold stakeholders accountable and ensure that they receive better services,” said Haraba.

One of the participants, Olivia Njuzi, expressed hope that the session will help them identify challenges young people living with HIV are facing in their localities and in health centres.

Dedza District HIV-positive youth coordinator Chifuniro Misomali said the district is trying to ensure that youth-friendly health services are easily accessible.

“The engagement was insightful as it empowered us to be responsible on issues that affect us,” he said.

The interactive sessions are done with support from the Global Network of Young People Living with HIV.