Speaking when he addressed a group of journalists in Maputo Mozambique, Dr Phiri said an average of 250 people in Zambia die each day of HIV related causes.
He said an average of 200 to 220 new HIV infections are also recorded on a daily basis in Zambia, a situation he described as not so different in other countries in the Sub-Saharan region.
"The HIV virus knows no borders, it is cross cutting, this means the figures that are prevailing in Zambia may be similar with other countries in the region," he said.
Dr Phiri called on Southern African Development Community (SADC) governments to adopt a more inclusive approach in the fight against HIV.
He said very few countries in the region were working on curbing the spread of HIV and AIDS among men having sex with men (MSM's) and lesbians.
"Most countries in the region are doing very little to include gays, lesbians and MSM's in the fight against the spread of HIV and AIDS," he said.
"This is because there are no statistics on MSM's, no out-reach programs and services such as the distribution of condoms and lubricants among MSM's," he added.
He also challenged the media fraternity to break the silence on homophobia (the extreme fear or hatred for homosexuals), in order to achieve the targets of having an AIDS free generation in the region.
