The Ministry of Health Zambia, through the Lusaka Provincial Health Office and supported by CIDRZ’s PROUDZ Paediatric team, recently hosted an Adolescent Weekend Test Drive event at Kanyama Level 1 Hospital’s community grounds.

The event raised awareness about #HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, particularly among Adolescents and Young People (AYP) aged 16 to 24, an age group that has seen a concerning rise in new HIV infections.

The outreach programme included a freestyle street dance competition for adolescents, a community-driven HIV testing service targeting 100 AYP, and educational sessions covering topics such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs), family planning, and human papillomavirus (HPV).

At the event, CIDRZ Community Implementation Officer Mwelwa Chabala Ngona emphasised the importance of community-driven health initiatives, ensuring that young people understand the availability and accessibility of HIV testing and prevention services.

“We are here today to ensure that our youths, especially those between the ages of 16 and 24, understand that HIV testing and prevention services are available and accessible. With schools closed, it is an ideal time to engage directly with the community. Our focus is not only on HIV testing but also on providing vital prevention messages tailored specifically for adolescents,” Mrs Ngona said.

One of the adolescents, Ethel Mbewe, 22, shared how the event empowered her to get tested and learn about staying healthy, encouraging other adolescents to take control of their health.

“I am thankful for the Adolescent Weekend Test Drive event hosted by CIDRZ and health workers from Kanyama Level 1 Hospital. It gave us a great opportunity to get tested for HIV and learn about important health topics like STIs, family planning, and HPV. Many young people in our community struggle to access these services, so bringing them directly to us is a huge achievement,” she said.

The event also provided preventive services such as condom distribution, family planning, HPV vaccines, Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and connected HIV-positive individuals to treatment.

The initiative broke down barriers to accessing adolescent healthcare, fostering empowerment and inspiring future outreach programmes. Additionally, the My Safe Space advertising campaign provided crucial information on accessing support and services in the community.