Continue taking ARVs even after prayers – US Ambassador

The United States Ambassador to Zambia Daniel Foote has urged people living with HIV never to stop taking ARVS even after being told so by Pastors and Prophets following prayers.

Foote says ARVS remains the only proven way of managing HIV/AIDS.

The American Ambassador to Zambia, was speaking at a joint media briefing between the American Embassy and Ministry of Health. The event was hosted at the Embassy in Lusaka on Monday, June 17.

Foote said only two cases of HIV  in the history of the virus  have come out negative after testing  positive. He said going by the  documented findings and evidence, any other means of attempting to treat the disease had not yielded desired results and urged especially men of the cloth, pastors and church leaders to give out the right message regarding HIV to their congregants so as to save their lives.

He said God in his infinite mercy and wisdom had made it possible for Antiretroviral treatment to be discovered so that his Children could access the medication and live long and healthy lives even after contracting the disease.

And speaking at the same event, Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya said there was no known cure for HIV/AIDS and that Government through the Ministry of Health was doing due diligence and  testing and examining any claim of a cure that had been brought forth.

“As we Speak, there is no known cure for HIV in this county. We are subjecting any claim to due diligence through processes that are well laid down” he said.

“There are processes of safety, processes to prove  efficacy, clinical trails. There is no chemical, no compound, no drug in this country today that has been proven to cure HIV/AIDS and let nobody be Misled. If you are positive, start ARVS, it’s the surest way to get viral load suppression, the surest way to protect your immunity, the only way of not passing the virus to your partner,” he said.