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NGOs, National AIDS Councils Endorse Radical Plan to End HIV and AIDS |
Universal HIV Testing Endorsed AIDS and Human Rights activists from 32 countries world wide as well as National AIDS Council commissioners from several African governments have questioned efficacy of the current HIV and AIDS response strategies and endorsed a radical plan of action to end HIV and AIDS especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Meeting in Nairobi from 27-29th May under the banner of Global Citizens’ Summit on Social Mobilisation to end AIDS, the participants who preferred to be called citizens resolved to support the WHO/UNAIDS policy on Provider Initiated Testing and Counselling (PITC) as one of the ways to bridge the gap between those who have HIV and those who actually know they are HIV positive. They noted that many HIV positive people in Africa for instance only get to know their status when it is too late and are very ill for ARVs to work effectively because health personnel are not empowered to give their patients options to test for HIV at the earliest opportunity of visiting a health facility. This they said must change otherwise treatment efforts will surely never catch up with the virus since for every 2 people put on ARVs, 5 people are newly infected. |
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De- politicise the fight against HIV and AIDS |
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A three day summit HIV and AIDS called on governments to depoliticise the fight against HIV and AIDS and take the lead in fighting the scourge rather than leave it to donors and lobbyist. “Governments must take their stewardship role in HIV and AIDS response and aid or support from outside must only come to complement their efforts, strategy and plan and not to leave the bulk of the response dependent on donor funding.” |
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Outcomes of the Global Citizen Summit on HIV and Aids |
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The summit represented citizens from 32 nationals among them national aids control council representatives (commissioners) from seven countries in Africa. Participants appreciated the meeting saying space for frontline citizens involved in the fight against Aids to articulate their concerns has constantly been reducing despite there being many conferences. The conferences, they said, were dominated by lobbyist without genuine concern and interest for PLWHA and NGOs that were formed to cash-in on HIV money. Outcomes from the three days discussion emphasised the following: - Aids is entering a phase where response must be driven by the citizens infected and affected by HIV and not according to the agenda set by donors and technocrats.
- Governments must take their stewardship role in HIV and AIDS response and aid or support from outside must only come to complement their efforts, strategy and plan and not to leave the bulk of the response dependent on donor funding
- More emphasis should be placed in accountability to and between citizens
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Communities reclaiming their role in universal access. |
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Leonard is the father of five girls, one of them who recently turned 14, was born HIV positive. In addition to juggling with the responsibility of raising a family of girls, Leonard is becoming very concerned about the new challenges he’s facing with having a positive teenage girl at home. “She is growing and as a father, I must help her grow into a mature and responsible woman. How should I talk to her about sex given her HIV positive status without instilling a sense of guilt? I do not find the guidance to help me respond to her needs.” he says. |
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Global Citizen Summit 2009 |
 Leonard Okello, Salil Shetty,Alloyce Orago of NACC and Brian Kagoro during the official opening of the conference |
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