Zambia National Voluntary & Counselling Testing (VCT) Day

Every year on the 30^th of June, Zambia has a national day, Voluntary & Counselling Testing Day or VCT Day as it is better known here.

The purpose of VCT Day is to raise awareness and encourage Zambians to get themselves tested for HIV. This year’s theme was “Get tested today, Get tested together”, encouraging couples to get counselled and tested as a couple.

My organisation's banner for VCT Day

Mike and I as we waited for the march to begin; it started
about 1.5 hours later than scheduled! 

This was the first VCT Day I have participated in since being in Zambia, so I was curious to see how much it differed from the events that take place on World AIDS Day. The answer to that was not much.

Marchers lined up along Mosi-Oa-Tunya Road

The local VCT Day event in Livingstone was bit more low key than what was done for World AIDS Day. However we still had a march through the main street, the marching band and the long speeches. What is most disappointing about it all however is that like World AIDS Day, the people who attend and participate in the event are already aware about the issue; it’s kind of like preaching to the converted.

Women from Self Help Groups dressed in matching chitenge for the
VCT Day March

Me walking in the VCT Day March

Traditional dancers preforming at the main event

 Nonetheless, intentions are good and it provided a good opportunity to set up the testing tents for public display. I don’t think anyone actually got tested on the day in Livingstone at least, (Zambian’s are very discreet people, especially when it comes to the subject of HIV/ AIDS) however it hopefully plants the idea in people’s minds.

"New Start" testing tents

This year my organisation had a display tent at the event, the first time for quite a while. The display looked great and I was very pleased with the effort made on the posters I had asked them to do for the different projects. 

My organisation's tent for VCT Day

The Livingstone District Commissioner and accompanying party taking a
look at our stand and discussing the various programmes on offer

Information on offer

Also impressive was the turnout we received from our Self Help Group women. All up there was about 40 women from the different groups and they came dressed in matching chitenge for the event, very effective during the march. We were also able to display some of the goods they had produced as a part of our display, which was a nice touch.

Poster for Self Help Group for Women Programme

Women from Self Help Groups and the team

 So, that was my first VCT Day. I think for a brief moment the day may raise some awareness on the importance of getting tested ,however it would be good to see event organisers find ways to draw members of the community into the event and increase their involvement. I think it would also be symbolic for local and national leaders to “lead the way” and get tested as an example to others. But I won’t hold my breath on that one! 

World AIDS Day- 1st of December 2010

World AIDS Day (WAD) is a big occasion in Zambia, given the impact it has on the country. Working for a HIV/ AIDS focused organisation meant I was able to take part in a couple of the events which took place, all to raise awareness and present messages on prevention and advocacy for those living with HIV/ AIDS.

On the evening before WAD a Candlelight Ceremony took place in Livingstone, beginning at one of the local churches. The evening was filled with song and dance, advocacy messages and prayer. A minute silence was held prior to our candles being lit and a procession from the church up the main street of Livingstone. Unfortunately my candle kept going out, but it did look impressive when looking back down the main street.



Candlelight Procession down

Mosi-oa-Tunya Road



WAD began in Livingstone with a march down the main street to the showgrounds. Various NGOs, businesses, churches and government agencies participated, many dressed up in t-shirts and hats prepared by their organisations for the day, making an array of colour

World AIDS Day in Livingstone: 1^st December 2010

World AIDS Day March: Lots of colour

World AIDS Day March

The march lasted about 45mins before the gathering at the Livingstone Showgrounds and a 3 hour event of more song and dance, advocacy messages, prayer, poetry by local school children and viewing some of the stands that has been set up for the day.



World AIDS Day Event: Villa Ground



World AIDS Day: Song & Dance

WAD in Livingstone was very telling of the impact that HIV/ AIDS has on Zambia, especially when hearing the stories from those infected and affected by the virus. I wonder if the messages that were presented here on WAD are remembered all year around? I guess time will tell. Nonetheless it was a great event to be apart of, especially so early on in my placement.

HIV and AIDS and Zambia

Given I’ve been sent to Zambia to work for a HIV/ AIDS focused organisation and we are only days away from World AIDS Day on the 1st of December, I thought it was timely that I fill people in on the illness and it’s impact on society.

I’m assuming that most people at home were probably much like me; they know a bit about what HIV & AIDS is, some of the ways you can become infected, it’s epidemic status particularly in Southern Africa and may even remember the “Grim Reaper” scare campaign that was used in Australia in the late 80s and early 90s. ( Australian TV Commercial for AIDS )

What is HIV?

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It infects only humans and attacks the body’s immune system which protects it against illness. Most people who become infected with HIV do not notice they have been infected and can remain healthy for many years with no sign of the infection.

A person with the virus but no symptoms is “HIV positive” or has “asymptomatic HIV disease”. If symptoms develop the person is said to have “symptomatic HIV disease” or “advanced HIV disease”. At this stage they are likely to develop opportunistic infections.

What is AIDS?

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and is the clinical definition given to HIV infected people who have a CD4 cell count of below 200 or one of a number of specific infection including tuberculosis, rare cancers and eye, skin and nervous system conditions

Livingstone Cemetery

The HIV & AIDS impact on Zambia is devesting. The prevalence rate is estimated at 16% for ages 15- 49, Zambia’s most productive members of society. In Livingstone where I live it is estimated at around the 29% mark, so nearly one in three people. I still find that difficult to comprehend when I look around.

Zambia’s life expectancy is one of the lowest in the world, in 2007 estimated to be only 44.5, largely a result of the HIV/ AIDS epidemic

Livingstone Cemetery: Running short of space

Economically HIV has the obvious strain on the country’s health system (or lack of) but it also affects the country’s work force through absenteeism and deaths both for those infected or affected by the illness, and taking away some of Zambia’s brightest and most educated. With 65% percent of the Zambian population living in poverty (i.e. less than $1.25USD a day), HIV and AIDS are making it much more difficult for the country to fight high levels of poverty and for households to effectively provide for themselves.



The truck queue for Zambian immigration across the Botswana border. Trucks may take up to 4-5 days to move through the border due to inefficient immigration processes and the pontoon used to cross the river separating Zambia and Botswana. A bridge is yet to be built despite the large prevalence rate of HIV amongst truck drivers and this border contributing to the epidemic.  



Socially HIV & AIDS is changing family structures; where previously the notion of the “extended family” stood strong in Zambia, HIV & AIDS is gradually reducing families to the “nuclear” family. No longer can families afford to take on nieces and nephews as parents die, thus creating orphans, or meaning that those children who are taken in by family are required to give up school in order to work. And so the poverty cycle turns.

The impact is much greater than I have outlined above and there are many, many issues and impacts to Zambia and all countries highly impacted by HIV & AIDS. To find out more about this epidemic please refer to some of the below websites and of course I will say more in future blog posts.

·             Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

·             World Health Organization (WHO)

·             International HIV/AIDS Alliance

·             The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria