ACTING President Alexander Chikwanda(left) presents a copy of the HIV/AIDS and other wellness issues to acting Secretary to the Treasury Felix Nkulukusa(right) as GIZ country director Thomas Schaef (middle) looks on during the launch of the policy in Lusaka yesterday.– Picture by MACKSON WASAMUNU.
By STEVEN MVULA
ACTING President Alexander Chikwanda says the Ministry of Finance is the nerve centre of Government and its workforce must thus be in good health.
Mr Chikwanda said this yesterday when he launched the ministry’s HIV/AIDS Wellness Workplace policy.
Mr Chikwanda is Minister of Finance.
“We have the primary duty and responsibility to marshal the resources that are needed for the development of our country. Being healthy is our brief number one,” he said.
Mr Chikwanda said the greatest resource any country has is its people who have the attributes of knowledge and skills but HIV/AIDS has continued to claim this resource.
“HIV/AIDS has taken away the young people whom society, at a great cost, has invested knowledge and skills needed for meaningful development of our country,” he said.
Mr Chikwanda said the Government overly attaches great importance to matters of health and HIV.
And GIZ country director Thomas Schaef said the organisation is proud to have been associated with the new policy at the Ministry of Finance.
“This policy has included new trends that have been associated with HIV/AIDS and we are proud to have been part of it,” Mr Schaef said.