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| Kaunda nudges vigor to reverse Africa's HIV/AIDS crisis
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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) -
Former Zambian President Kenneth
Kaunda has called on African governments to wage a relentless
fight against HIV/AIDS with similar vigour and determination that
characterised the struggle against colonialism and apartheid.
Observing that Africa was facing a crisis with frightening
implications on populations, Kaunda urged the continent's leaders
to "do what is right to help reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS."
Kaunda made the remarks here Thursday at the ongoing fourth
African Development Forum (ADF IV).
On the impact of HIV/AIDS on Africa's capacity to govern and the
challenge of scaling up treatment, he said governments need to
work with other key players such as NGOs, with the participation
of the people at national, district and local levels.
"This is a challenge, which our governments need to take
seriously to enhance not only the availability of drugs but also
accessibility," said Kaunda, patron of the Commission on HIV/AIDS
and Governance in Africa (CHGA).
Underlining the need for focused partnerships between governments
and stakeholders, he said high-level political leadership would
encourage openness in dealing with people infected with the
disease.
Kaunda requested members of the Commission attending the ADF IV
to seriously consider the issue of nutrition, saying, "it is a
critical factor in the management of HIV/AIDS."
He said clinical researches had proved the remarkable role
nutrition plays in helping patients on anti-retrovirals to get
better. "This is an important discovery that should be pursued
aggressively," he added.
Meanwhile, the UN Economic Commission for Africa says in a brief
prepared for the Forum that the HIV/AIDS epidemic is a unique and
unprecedented crisis, unlike the many other development problems
facing Africa in its scale, nature and implications.
Across the continent, the disease is significantly reshaping the
demographic structure of communities, diminishing the capacity of
states for sustainable development.
At the same time, the report points out that HIV/AIDS was
reducing the capability of the states to maintain gains achieved
over the past decades in terms of social and economic growth.
Discussions at the plenary session of the Forum are aimed at
highlighting critical issues facing African governments in
mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS.
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| Addis Ababa - 14/10/2004 |
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