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’Aids likely to wipe out generation of Tanzanians’
2005-10-01 09:33:00
By Ludger Kasumuni
The high number of HIV/Aids orphans threatens the future of the nation, President Benjamin Mkapa, has warned.
In his routine end-of-the-month address to the nation yesterday, President Mkapa said Tanzania, which is burdened with 2.5 million orphans, is projected to have 4.2 million orphans in 2010 as a result of the rapid spread of HIV/Aids.
He said the nation is in danger of losing a whole generation of Tanzanians because of the adverse impact of the Aids pandemic.
’If we care about the destiny of our nation, we must take care of these orphans as they are part and parcel of the nation,’ Mkapa said.
He said that, since the orphans had lost families and lack social protection, most of them are forced to indulge in worst forms of child-labour and miss education, which is the foundation of self-reliance.
He also said that the peers and other members of society discriminate against Aids orphans to the extent that the psychological pains to them had been magnified.
President Mkapa said the number of Aids orphans in the world is estimated to be 13 million, 12 million of which are in Africa.
He said that the number is expected to jump to 25 million in 2010, with Africa being hardest hit.
Mkapa told Tanzanians to use traditional approaches to take care of the orphans.
’It is important that relatives of the orphans take the responsibility of caring for them. This is important because our country is poor. It cannot build enough centres for the orphans,’ Mkapa said.
He called on the central government, local governments, donors and civil organisations to ensure that orphans access education.
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