President Kikwete's Hiv Aids Campaign-Handle with Care-June 2007
Youth Action Volunteers congratulates the president of Tanzania, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete on his bold
move to lead a campaign against HIV and AIDS in Tanzania. It is, we believe, a unique strategy and
commitment by the highest political leader in Tanzania. Significant poverty reduction in Tanzania can be
achieved if we manage to effectively combat HIV and AIDS and all its forms of negative impact on our
socio-economic life. While we express our unconditional support to the president on this move, we wish
to broaden and invite all citizens to discuss the following:
Testing for HIV is one big step towards one’s improvement of health status and for the country to acquire
accurate data for accurate planning purposes. In order for HIV testing campaign to be effective there must
be sound preparations and adequate mobilization of health systems, resources and citizens to test. The
government needs to assure citizens that shortfalls reported in the media in the past few months have all
been adequately addressed. With this request goes the need to make available adequate testing kits,
testing centers, and qualified health workers without crowding out other health care services. Since this is
a campaign by the president himself, the president should also encourage health workers not to
manipulated data to appease him or for other political competition purposes.
Care for people living with HIV/AIDS is paramount for their health status and welfare. As we strive to
achieve the enrolment target of 440,000 people living with HIV/AIDS qualifying for ARVs by 2008, we
can ask recipients what programmes work best for them. Recently around the world, recipients have come
in public several times asserting their claims against increasing counterfeit drugs in the distribution lines,
effectiveness, efficacy, and sustainability of enrolling on ARVs. Tanzanians need to be assured that
nutrition is going to be given priority over drugs and that propensity for drugs will be sought more in the
traditional medicine than in expensive and doubted western medicine. That availability of qualified and
adequately trained and motivated health workers will be adequate and sustained in remote rural areas as
well. Domestic financing for HIV and AIDS need to be increased and donors to honor their commitment.
And that these services will adequately reach the rural and poor people.
Download file
Comments
|
