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Behaviour change is the answer - Prof Mtulia
2006-05-12 12:53:47
By Ogonda K`OYOO in Nairobi
Tanzanian delegate to the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, Prof Idris Mtulia yesterday acknowledged that AIDS infection rate was rising in the country, despite government’s efforts.
Responding to remarks made by the UN Special Envoy on HIV/Aids in Africa, Stephen Lewis, Prof Mtulia said hope for the future lies in behavioural change amongst the people.
Lewis, who made the keynote address, said it was incumbent among parliaments to do more in terms of legislation of laws which, for instance, ’put women and children on top of the agenda for both treatment and HIV/ Aids management.’
On the 3rd day of IPU deliberations, and speaking to a packed session, Lewis said not enough focus was being placed on the prevention of mother to child transmissions which if implemented, would save lives by over 66% going by the current Mother to Child transmission rates in Africa.
Rooting for the children of Africa, Lewis cited the case of free primary school education in East Africa as having helped put more orphans in school than was ever possible when school fees and other charges were levied.
’Parliaments must legislate for drug combinations that can help treat children born with the Aids virus while at the same time, remove the burden of buying text books and uniforms for the orphans of Africa,’ said Lewis.
The UN Envoy, roasted the World Bank and IMF conditionalities that force countries to impose school levies and advised that the national parliaments must do more in special committees, question time, private members bills and all other committees to root for more support for programmes on women and children in Africa.
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