The National AIDS Council convened a consultative meeting on 30th April at the Taj Pamodzi Hotel. The Guest of Honour was the Minister of Education, Honourable Mr. Douglas Syakalima, who is also the Acting Minister of Health.

In his address, Honourable Syakalima revealed that Zambia currently has 1,341,098 people living with HIV, with 1,303,472 of them receiving treatment. He further disclosed that in 2024, the country recorded 23,000 new infections—one-third of which occurred among young women and adolescent girls.

Other key speakers at the event included the NAC Director General, the Permanent Secretary for Donor Coordination, Dr. George Sinyangwe; the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Beatrice Muntali; UNAIDS Country Director, Dr. Isaac Ahemesah; and the Chairperson of the Civil Society Self-Coordination Mechanism, Mr. Julius Kachidza.

In his remarks, the NAC Director General noted that the meeting provided a strategic roadmap to guide efforts toward ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 and outlined strategies to sustain the national response. Ms. Muntali emphasized that the consultation was essential for securing national commitment and shaping Zambia’s HIV response over the next five years and beyond