Monday, October 6, 2003
HIV/Aids conferences useless
Yet these gatherings are permeated by great hypocrisy. Some are glaring. For example;
* These conferences are held in expensive five-star hotels. A single delegate's expenditure for one week could buy anti-retroviral drugs for people of his village living with Aids for a whole year. Why not use cheaper halls?
* Delegates pack their bags at the close of each conference after an exciting "holiday", never to practise what was resolved. How many delegates actually visit HIV/Aids victims in the slums and upcountry villages?
* Most of the papers presented are repetitive rhetorical and photocopies of what we already know. Only original ideas should be accorded this valuable time.
* Professionals like doctors, lawyers, social scientists and lecturers have practically refused to do their work. Instead, they train trainers in towns. These programmes are mere conduits for siphoning HIV/Aids funds.
* Multinational drug companies are also hypocritical. They attend these conferences for public relations and self-aggrandisement only. They should disregard patents to allow every country to manufacture the drugs.
* Most governments divert Aids funds to other less-important tasks. We want an inter-ministerial Aids/STDs committee, probably in the Office of the President.
* The United Nations should integrate and authoritatively document all resolutions and scientific advances.
Hitherto, the information seems to be scattered in libraries, offices, company laboratories and universities.
Dr IGNATIUS K. WANARUONA,
Kandara.
As the chairman of Lari Association of Community Aids Educators, I would like to shed some light on a vexing development.
There are about 3,000 households settled in the middle of Kamae forest in Lari division. These people were resettled from Molo after the 1992 tribal clashes. Their houses are made of polythene paper, and they spend their time begging for food on the roadside.
We educate the community on HIV/Aids and look after Aids orphans in the division and and we require a great deal of help. Due to poverty, these people have become very vulnerable to sexual exploitation. Is anyone listening?
JOSEPH K. KAGUNYA,
Lari, Kiambu.
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