Times Reporter
10 January 2001
Lusaka — Education Minister Godfrey Miyanda has advised Zambians who have contracted the HIV virus while using condoms to sue companies manufacturing and promoting their use.
Opening an international week-long workshop for Youth Alive Zambia (YAZ), Brigadier General Miyanda said Zambians were not being given an opportunity to make informed choices about condoms and their failure rate was not communicated to them.
Gen Miyanda who is the YAZ patron said the high volume of sales for condoms did not translate into lower rates of HIV infection.
He said the messages in condom advertising should be moderate and carry a health warning sign.
Gen Miyanda urged Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) to include a policy that tones down on sensual and pornographic adverts.
Speaking earlier YAZ founder Sister Miriam Duggan urged Government to have an open policy on HIV/AIDS and said a deliberate policy of promoting cultural and spiritual values should be embraced.
Sister Miriam urged the youth to abstain from sexual activities and reduce HIV infection rate.
Meanwhile, Church of God Central Africa regional superintendent Bishop John Mambo has said HIV/AIDS advertisements should not be banned because they help young people know the dangers of illicit sex.
He has instead cautioned church leaders not to call for the complete ban of HIV/AIDS advertisements but speak in the interest of every Zambian.
Bishop Mambo said in Lusaka yesterday that not every Zambian was a Christian and suggested that condoms could be used by people who were weak in the area of sex.
"The church should take a stand of abstinence which will save the entire nation but individuals who cannot abstain should use condoms which is one of the available protective measures," he said.
He noted that abstinence was good but said Zambia was formed out of different people who could not all abstain and suggested that such people could also use condoms.
The bishop also admitted that there were some arguments among church leaders calling for the ban of condoms on television and papers with some advocating for a complete ban while others did not agree.
He concurred with President Chiluba's stance for abstinence as the absolute solution against HIV infection.
He advised that the media should be able to censor the adverts to enable them suit the promotion of behaviour change instead of portraying the message of sleeping around.
In Kitwe, a UNIP official has urged Government to impose an immediate ban on the promotion of condom use in Zambia.
The appeal has been made by Kafue's Tom Mboya UNIP branch chairman Boniface Mhango.
Mr. Mhango told the Times yesterday that the ban on the promotion of condom use was necessary to discourage promiscuity and immorality.
*Dr Kenneth Kaunda will set up two radio stations in Northern and Western provinces to disseminate information on HIV/AIDS.
The two stations would be set under the auspices of the Kenneth Kaunda Children of Africa Foundation.
The radio station to be installed in Western Province would cater for countries like Botswana and Namibia while the Northern Province one would be used to disseminate to countries bordering Northern Province.
Speaking after touring the Christian Vision projects in Lusaka yesterday Dr Kaunda said the stations would be set strategically to cater for other counties in the region.
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