In Chadiza as we drove between projects, we asked the Program Manager about HIV in Zambia. She said that stigma is a still a big problem in Zambia, with many people refusing to be tested and missing out on life preserving drugs. But HIV affects everyone here. She described an exercise they did with all the staff, where everyone collected rocks to represent members of their families who had died from HIV/AIDS. It was not long before every one was surrounded by rocks. Without exception, every single staff member – in a big group – had been affected. Everyone stared in silence, as the realisation of HIV/AIDS impact sunk in. The Manager had also lost brothers and sisters and close friends to the disease.

One of our friends is very worried about his older brother who has TB but won’t be tested for HIV. As a younger person he doesn't feel able to raise it with his older brother even though he sees many signs that suggest HIV. After seeing a faith healer his brother became very sick as he was told to stop taking his TB medicine. This is the worst thing you can do when you have TB as you risk building resistance to the drugs. He is back on the TB drugs and his health is improving by the day but now he is on his way to South Africa for more faith healing - using the last of his meagre funds to fly there. If he only has TB, which is what he claims, following his TB treatment regime would be far more effective... His younger brother has tried to remind him that God uses medicines but so far this has been to no avail. It is sad too that he, like so many people, prefers the uncertainty and fear of the unknown, than to have a test for HIV and either be reassured or have access to life changing drugs.

The good news is that the HIV prevalence rate seems to be dropping, and is now down to 14% of the population. However, this is still over one million people in this country who are living with HIV/AIDS. More concerning is the admission from most organisations involved in HIV/AIDS programming is that although drugs are helping people stay alive, no-one really feels that they have a handle on prevention.