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African Traditional Herbal Research Clinic
Volume 6, Issue 10 NEWSLETTER October 2011
FEATURED ARTICLES
Tanzania: Aids at 30 - What Does the Future Hold
for Us
By Dr. Chinua Akukwe
The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
8 July 2011
Washington — As the world marks the 30th year of the
HIV/Aids, Africa remains at the epicentre of the global
epidemic. In the last 30 years, at least 25 million
Africans have died of Aids and more than 50 million
have been infected with HIV.
Despite the extraordinary impact of HIV/Aids, Unaids
reports that steady gains have been made against the
epidemic in the continent. In seven years, the
proportion of individuals on Aids lifesaving medicines
increased from two per cent to nearly 37 per cent.
Botswana has an Aids treatment coverage rate of more
than 90 per cent. Aids deaths decreased by 20 per cent
between 2004 and 2009. The proportion of pregnant
women receiving HIV prophylactic medicine to reduce
maternal transmission to newborns grew from 15 per
cent in 2005 to 54 per cent in 2009. In four countries-
Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia and South Africa-80
per cent of all pregnant mothers received HIV
prophylactic medicine before giving birth.
Other impressive gains in the last decade include a
reduction of 32 per cent in the number of newly
infected children less than 15 years of age in southern
Africa as well as 26 per cent decrease in AIDS-related
deaths. Average HIV infection rates remain low and
stable in West and Central Africa, at about two per
cent.
Four of the five countries with the highest burden of
HIV in Africa -Ethiopia, Zambia, South Africa and
Zimbabwe- averaged an impressive reduction rate of 25
per cent in new infections between 2001 and 2009.
South Africa recently rolled out the most
comprehensive, coordinated Aids response in history.
Although the HIV/Aids epidemic appears to be slowing
down in many parts of Africa, the continent continues
to face significant challenges that can inflict severe damage
to the much vaunted African renaissance of the 21st century.
First, nearly seven million Africans that qualify for
Aids lifesaving medicines are yet to be on treatment. These
nearly seven million individuals will die if they are unable
to receive treatment.
Second, ten countries in southern Africa currently account
for 34 per cent of all global HIV infections. South Africa,
the richest economy in the continent has the highest number
of individuals living with HIV worldwide, 5.6 million,
according to the Unaids. How long can the economy of
South Africa remain robust if Aids continues to account for
the largest proportion of maternal deaths and is also
responsible for 35 per cent mortality among children under
five years of age Swaziland has the highest prevalence rate
of HIV among adults in the world at nearly 26 per cent.
Third, the feminization of Aids in Africa is alive and well.
In, 2011, Africa women are at the receiving end of
HIV/Aids and respite appears a long way off. Women and
girls not only remain disproportionately at risk of HIV
transmission, they are also less likely empowered to
prevent new infections. I am not aware of any significant,
sustained, comprehensive and coordinated effort in Africa
to address social and cultural mores that may increase the
risk of HIV transmission among women. The rate of HIV
infection among couples where one partner is initially
infected (mostly males) is very high, sometimes as high as
85 per cent.
The Unaids estimates 60 per cent of new HIV infections in
Zambia may have been contracted within marriage or in
cohabitation arrangements. The Unaids estimates 50-65 per
cent new HIV infections in Swaziland, 35-62 per cent in
Lesotho and 44 per cent in Kenya may have been similarly
contracted.
Continued on page 47
-46- Traditional African Clinic October 2011