“In 2025, I was taken in for care at the ZNS Chongwe Clinic with a high viral load of 25,850 copies/ml. My mother had hidden from me that I was HIV positive until I asked her for consent to test. This made it difficult for me to accept my status and consistently take medication,” said 22-year-old Grace Banda (not real name).

Grace was identified at the age of 21 through the DAPP Total Control of the Epidemics (TCE) project operating from the Zambia National Service Camp Clinic in Chongwe District, 35 kilometres from Lusaka.

Grace received counselling, psychosocial support and appointment reminders through the TRIO group and healthcare workers. A TRIO group is a support system made up of a client and two treatment supporters who help promote adherence, care and healthy living.

Grace explained that although she had been taking medication since the age of seven, her mother told her it was for stomach problems and never disclosed that it was HIV treatment.

“My mother only revealed my HIV status after health workers accompanied me home to seek consent when I insisted on getting tested following a routine HIV awareness programme at school,” she said.

Grace later experienced stigma from peers at school, which caused her to stop attending clinic appointments and taking medication. However, through continuous support from healthcare workers, she received adherence counselling, psychosocial support and regular appointment reminders.

She later reconciled with her mother, who, together with her sister, became part of the DAPP Zambia TRIO support group.

“At first, I thought my life had stopped. But with support from community health workers and family, I learned that I can live a normal life with medication. I am now healthy and my viral load is suppressed to only 20 copies/ml after four months of consistent treatment. Even when I find a partner, I cannot transmit HIV to him,” she added.

High viral load among adolescent girls is often associated with stigma, fear of disclosure, treatment fatigue, school and work pressure, and missed clinic appointments.