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Responding to the HIV/AIDS Crisis: Africa Region

Presented by Terry Mukuka

What is the situation in Africa?

  • 24.5 Million people are currently living with HIV in sub Sahara Africa.
  • 510,000 in North and middle East Africa are living with HIV.
  • 2.7 million people died in 2005 as a result of AIDS.
  • 3.2 million new infections were recorded in 2005
    Source: UNAIDS

Different variations in countries

  • West Africa has been less affected by HIV, but the prevalence rates in some countries are creeping up. Cameroon (5.4%), Côte d'Ivoire (7.1%) and Gabon (7.9%).
  • The Adult population of Somalia and Senegal has a prevalence of under 1%, whereas in South Africa and Zambia, about 15-20% of the adult population is infected
  • Some countries now have a prevalence rate that exceeds 20%.i.e Botswana (24.1%), Lesotho (23.2%), Swaziland (33.4%) and Zimbabwe (20.1%).

Positive Trends: Prevention efforts can be effective

  • Senegal has had an effective prevention program, which is still reflective in the relatively low adult prevalence rate of 0.9%.
  • Also, the experience of Uganda shows that a widespread epidemic can be brought under control. HIV prevalence in Uganda fell from about 15% in the early 1990s to around 5% by 2001.
  • More recently, similar declines have been seen in Kenya, Zimbabwe and urban areas of Zambia and Burkina Faso

Zambia - case study: Impact of the epidemic

  • 1,100,000 are HIV + out of a population of 11 million
  • Adult prevalence is at 17%
  • 570,000 women (15-49) are HIV+
  • 98,000 deaths occurred in 2005 as a result of AIDS
  • 65,000 + orphans

Common causes of HIV infection in Zambia

  • In Zambia, most of the HIV infections are the result of unprotected heterosexual sex.
  • People who have many sexual relationships increase the risk to both themselves and their partners.
  • The high-risk, traditional practices of "dry sex": Plant extracts are used to reduce the natural lubrication; often this causes genital ulcerations through which HIV easily enters the body.
  • Child abuse/child rape-"virgin power"
  • Others: tattooing, blood transfusion, re-use of utensils, traditional beliefs

Impact of the epidemic

  • AIDS is erasing decades of progress made in extending life expectancy.
  • The toll of HIV/AIDS on households can be very severe.
  • Pressure has been seen mainly in the health sector. Zambia has one university teaching hospital and 8 other main hospitals in the 9 provinces.
  • As the epidemic matures, the demand for care for those living with HIV rises, as does the toll amongst health workers. All the hospitals have a bed capacity of about 200 BUT currently are catering to at least 1000+ patients, and health care workers have left for developed nations, drawn by the lure of higher pay.
  • A decline in school enrolment is one of the most visible affects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on education in Africa.
  • HIV/AIDS dramatically affects labor, setting back economic activity and social progress.

Greatest impact is on children!!

  • In just one day, HIV/AIDS will claim the lives of over 3,000 children; 1,400 will die of AIDS and over 1,800 will be infected by the virus
  • Every minute, a child under the age of 15 dies because of AIDS
  • Every Year, 640,999 children under15 are infected with HIV. Without treatment, half of them will die before their second birthday.
  • By 2010, an estimated 18 million children (more than all the children in the UK) will be orphaned by AIDS.
    Source : www.saveafricaschildren.org

What has been the response?

  • Education
  • Awareness of HIV & AIDS
  • Schools (HIV/AIDS crisis at the center of Zambia's national education agenda)
  • Condom and abstinence
  • Preventing mother-to-child transmission
  • HIV testing
  • Caring for those infected
  • Antiretroviral treatment
  • Opening more testing centers and encouraging people to get tested. (Think about it: The US has more testing facilities than the whole of the African continent.)
  • Advocacy and lobbying for cheaper ARV: Life saving drugs for 25 million infected people, who naturally think more about their hunger before they buy the expensive drugs.
  • Psychosocial support
  • Helping the already infected HIV+ (HBC)
  • Have the passion to help if you can!!

What needs to be done to make a difference?

  • Prevention efforts that work in Africa and individual countries need to be identified and sustained
  • Working with organizations that identify smaller but robust grassroots organizations at grassroots level that are not picked up by the "satellite" of bigger funding. These organizations have taken the initiative of funding innovative solutions at low costs. These efforts may be small BUT still act as a filler before sufficient resources are in place.
  • Such organizations include Save Africa's Children, Firelight Foundation, Global Fund for Children, and One World Children's Fund

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