HIV/AIDS: African Leaders Challenged
From Andrew Ahiante in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Critical issue of HIV/AIDS to the effective governance in Africa formed the basis of analysis yesterday, at the Fourth Africa Development Forum (ADF IV), with participants challenging African leaders on the priorities of scaling up prevention policies and treatment of infected people.
The forum tagged: "Impact of HIV/AIDS on Africa's Capacity to Governance and the Challenges of Scalling up Treatment," urged African governments "to wage a relentless fight against HIV/AIDS with similar vigour and determination which characterised the struggle against colonialism and aparthied."
Chaired by Executive Secretary of Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Mr. Kingsley Amoako, former Zambian President, Kenneth Kaunda, who is also the patron of the Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa (CHGA), said in his opening remarks that given the impact of Africa's capacity to governance, it was imperative that African leaders do what was right to help reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS in the continent.
"We would need to work together through networking mechanisms in order to learn from each other's experiences for the good of our people. We must do everything possible to conquer AIDS," he advised.
Speakers from within and across the continent critically examined the HIV/AIDS situation in Africa with regard to its origin, prevalent cases, availability of drugs, prevention policies, treatment and care as well as vulnerable groups including orphans, rural communities, refugees and internally displaced persons, calling on governments in the continent to come out with holistic treatment policies to meet with the challenges.
Nigeria's situation was presented by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonje-Iweala, who was represented at the occasion by Mr. Isah Shettima.
According to him, what makes the nation peculiar was the avalanche of faith groups, many of which still doubt the existence of the virus, while others, he further said, ascribed the virus to sin.
"Our problem is that many faith groups are still relutant to accept the existence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. Moreso, when people are infected, some believe it is a punishment for sin, while those who died of AIDS are ascribed as the work of God that must be accepted with faith", he said.
Emphasising that the nation was doing its best in the area of awareness creation, treatment of peoples living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), he called for research in the areas of traditional herbal treatment, capacity building for nations to scale up their policies, among others.
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