Do not lose hope over Aids says Mugabe
Sunday Mail Reporter
PRESIDENT Mugabe has urged all Zimbabweans not to lose hope in the fight against
HIV/Aids saying there is need for all the people to transform their collective
knowledge into practical measures to combat the pandemic.
In his address to the nation to mark World Aids Day yesterday evening, President
Mugabe said it was regrettable that individual and societal responses to the
pandemic still fell short of what is desirable to turn the tide against
HIV/Aids.
". . . I feel deeply saddened by the unrelenting escalation of the Aids epidemic
in our country, which continues to cause enormous suffering, premature losses of
lives and, as a result, has a deleterious effect on our socio-economic
development.
"The tragic reality is that an estimated 2,2 million Zimbabweans are living with
HIV/Aids while more than seven hundred thousand children have been orphaned by
the epidemic.
"The impact of this tragedy has been such that each and every one of us knows of
a relative, a loved one or a friend who has either died of the epidemic or is
living with it. That is why combating the pandemic demands our collective,
undivided urgent action."
He said the food shortages that the country is experiencing due to drought were
deepening the Aids crisis.
"Despite the frightening statistics on HIV/Aids and its far-reaching
consequences, there is evidence that we need not be powerless and hopeless
against the pandemic if only we can transform our collective knowledge into
concrete and comprehensive and practical measures that are founded on courage,
common goals and vision."
He said this year's World Aids Day theme, "Stigma and Discrimination, Live
and Let Live" was a poignant reminder that nearly 20 years into the epidemic,
stigmatisation and discrimination around HIV/Aids was still prevalent.
"Discrimination, silence and denial are, therefore, the worst responses to the
Aids crisis," he said.
He said due to the need for a strong national effort to confront HIV/Aids, the
Government had moved from a narrow health-centred response to a more
multi-sectoral and multi-level initiative since 1999.
"To date, $2,3 billion out of a total income of $6 billion from the National
Aids Trust Fund, has been disbursed through 84 District Aids Action Committees
and Non-Governmental Organisations to support prevention efforts and activities
on care and mitigation," he said.
The President said another $700 million would be disbursed before the end of the
year.
"The abiding challenge for the National Aids Council is to ensure that deserving
members of society benefit from these resources in a timely manner."
He said the Government was now consolidating initiatives to integrate HIV/Aids
programmes into the mandates and operations of all public sector departments and
organisations. He also said the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare was
examining practical details of a national Anti-Retroviral Treatment programme
but added that these drugs would only be a small part of the solution to Aids.
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"Ivinicus factus sum veritabem diceus." ( I have become an enemy for speaking the truth ) St Paul!
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Mitayo Potosi
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