A concerning rise in HIV cases among local adolescents has prompted calls for urgent action from community leaders and stakeholders. This year, 14 children aged 10 to 14 and 11 teens aged 15 to 19 in Lundazi have received post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), an HIV prevention intervention.
Crydon Muswatila, the district’s adolescent focal point person, highlighted that more children between the ages of 10 and 14 are engaging in unprotected sex compared to older adolescents. He also noted a troubling increase in HIV cases in the district, with 34 adolescents testing HIV-positive between January and October 2024.
Muswatila emphasized that a multi-sectoral approach is crucial to address the growing health challenges among adolescents in Lundazi. These issues include rising rates of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and pregnancies, all of which have been escalating in the 10 to 19 age group.
A review of the 2024 performance indicators reveals a disturbing upward trend in these health concerns. Muswatila is calling on parents, guardians, teachers, traditional and church leaders, as well as government and civil society organizations, to collaborate in addressing the complex issues facing adolescents in the region
