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Drought: HIV/Aids patients ’in danger’
2006-02-20 07:10:39
By Pacifique Nkeshimana
The United Nations Commission for Aids (UNAIDS) has said that the prevailing drought could adversely affect people living with HIV/Aids and those undergoing antiretroviral treatment in the country.
UNAIDS’ Executive Director Dr Peter Piot said the lack of sufficient food and good nutrition will have negative impacts on the immune system of people living with HIV and those receiving ARVs in the country.
Her Highness Princess Mathilde said in her three day-stay in the country she talked with many people, including the victims of HIV/Aids and learned that the pandemic was still a threat to the youth.
Said she: ’’During the past days, I have heard the missing voices of children giving testimony on HIV/Aids issues…I am convinced that education for children and young people is of great importance.
It is clear that the prevention is crucial and ignorance is the worst enemy of the Aids response.
’’According to the reports by UNAIDS and UNICEF, it is estimated that HIV prevalence in Tanzania is 7 per cent and it translates into approximately two million people.
Young people are at higher risk as a half of all new infections occurs among youths aged of 15 to 24 years.’’
On his part, Dr Piot said the delegation has learned that there is a very big gap between rural and urban areas in the country in so far as tackling the HIV/Aids scourge was concerned.
’’When we visited Mwanza we came to understand that in rural areas people do not test for HIV and thus do not have access to ARVs treatment… they lack information on their health condition until they die.
It is in the urban areas that people test for HIV and if found infected they can easily benefit from ARVs treatment,’’ he said.
The delegation stressed the importance of education and HIV/Aids awareness as a proven component of the ”social vaccine’’ against the pandemic. It also encouraged more action to address the impact of HIV/Aids on children.
’’Tanzania has made strides in providing free primary education which could be a key avenue for HIV prevention.
There is a need to strengthen secondary education and activities for out school youths,’’ Dr Piot said.
The delegation recommended that the funds donated by the donor community to fight HIV/Aids be spent effectively in order to enable the needy people get the services instead of enabling only few people to benefit from the funds.
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