Zambia records slight HIV decline

Zambia has recorded a slight decline in the aggregate number of people living with HIV, with recent figures showing a shift from 1.311 million individuals in 2023 to an estimated 1.308 million in 2025. The data, released during the dissemination of the national HIV estimates, was presented by Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Dr. Kennedy Lishimpi. Health authorities note that this stabilization reflects an evolving epidemiological landscape shaped by consistent antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage, scaled-up prevention strategies, and natural demographic shifts in mortality rates. Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr. Lishimpi emphasized that while the overall population living with the virus has plateaued, targeted interventions continue to yield positive results, particularly in reducing vertical transmission. Statistics indicate that mother-to-child transmission rates have plummeted significantly over the past two decades, dropping from historical highs above thirty percent to roughly six percent in recent estimates. Furthermore, the country maintains high treatment success benchmarks, with a vast majority of diagnosed individuals successfully linked to life-saving antiretroviral care and achieving viral suppression. Despite these notable public health milestones, the Ministry of Health has sounded a note of caution regarding persistent vulnerabilities, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Current estimates reveal that young people aged 15 to 24 continue to account for a disproportionate share of new adult infections, driven by a combination of behavioral, social, and structural factors. Public health experts stress that tailoring age-appropriate interventions and expanding access to modern prevention choices—such as oral and long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)—remain critical to reversing infection trends in this demographic cohort. The broader national HIV response also operates against