The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said on Friday that Zambia has recorded a low percentage of the number of people accessing antiretroviral (ARVs) treatment and voluntary counseling and testing (VCT).

UNAIDS country coordinator Catherine Sozi told a press briefing in Lusaka that only 25 percent of Zambian women have access to HIV/ AIDS remedy treatments of preventing mother to baby transmission.

She said the continuing spread of HIV/AIDS was a serious obstacle to the realization of global development goals.

The UN official advised that the Zambian government should devise an HIV/AIDS mechanism which will ensure that people living with the disease have access to effective support and treatment.

She further implored all stakeholders, including civil society, church and donor community to join the national crusade in the fight against HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Official statistics show that at least 16 percent of Zambia's 11 million people are living with HIV/AIDS.

Sozi made the remarks prior to the UN High-Level Meeting on AIDS scheduled to take place from May 29 to June 3 in New York this year.

Heads of states and key government representatives, the civil society, people living with HIV/AIDS and other representatives are expected to attend the meeting.

Source: Xinhua