‘HIV/AIDS, TB & Malaria Pose Serious Threat to Africa’s Development’ – Says President Koroma President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma has said that HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria pose serious threats to the socio-economic development of Africa. He made this statement on the occasion of the Special Summit of the African Union on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria in the Nigerian capital, Abuja on Monday 15th July, 2013. The theme of the two-day summit which ends today is ‘Ownership, Accountability and Sustainability of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Response in Africa: Past, Present and the Future’. President Koroma informed his colleague Heads of State and Government that Sierra Leone has drastically reduced HIV infections and was now aiming towards a zero tolerance plan against the malaise. Whilst acknowledging the challenges facing the fight, he however maintained, “We have shown leadership as a nation”. The president also informed the Summit that in the fight against malaria & TB, the Government of Sierra Leone has made tremendous progress and was still making the necessary efforts to minimize the presence of these syndromes in the country. President Koroma further used the platform to continue to appeal to donors to increase funding to enable performing governments accomplish their struggle against HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis in Africa. He also called on all to renew their vow and fight against these diseases so that the continent will realize sustainable socio-economic development. He commended his Nigerian counterpart His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan and the African Union for the initiative to organize a Special Summit to implement the Abuja Call for Accelerated Action towards Universal Access to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria treatment services in Africa. In his opening remarks, the Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said the presence of his colleagues at the Summit signifies the importance they attach to the development of Africa. He pointed out that these diseases were crucial to the socio-economic development of the continent and still remains as major cause of morbidity and mortality. President Jonathan therefore urged his colleagues to give the relevant attention needed to address these syndromes. Commending Global Fund for being the major funding agency that continues to sustain the fight against malaria, TB and AIDS, which he dubbed a “noble mission”, President Goodluck Jonathan called on his colleague Heads of State and Government to take ownership of the process. He also implored them to sustain their commitment, noting that the Summit was also to review their total achievements so far and make a renewed commitment towards the challenge. The President also acknowledged other development partners for their immense support and efforts towards the fight against malaria, TB and HIV/AIDS in Africa. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), of the World’s thirty four million people living with HIV, 23.5 million are in Sub-Saharan Africa, and 21 of the Global Plan’s 22 focus countries are in Africa. Similarly, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there were about 219 million cases in 2010 and about 90% of the estimated 660,000 deaths from malaria in that year occurred in Africa. Africa also carries a large burden of the TB disease with 30% percent of the approximately 9 million new TB cases each year and 9 of the 22 most affected countries coming from Africa. Recognizing the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria and other related infectious diseases on the socio-economic development of Africa, the Heads of State and Government of Africa adopted the 2000 and 2001 Abuja Declarations and Action Frameworks committing Africa Union Member States to take measures to halt the progression of these diseases in Africa. This high level commitment, reinforced on multiple occasions at the continental level over the past five years, marked a turning point in the continental response to the three diseases stimulating a sharp increase in resources and the scaling-up of programs to fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. Although countries have strengthened their interventions in many of the priority targets set by the Abuja Call, they still continue to face constraints due to the lack of financial, material, technical and human resources for addressing health needs. Increase access to Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) is imperative. It is against this background that the Heads of State and Government during their Twentieth Ordinary Session of the January 2013 Summit held in Addis Ababa, endorsed the offer made by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to host the Special Follow-up Summit on the Abuja 2001 Africa Union Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other related communicable diseases in the third quarter of 2013 to address the numerous challenges that will enable Africa realize the Abuja Call objectives and the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on health. On arrival in Abuja, Nigeria, President Koroma was received by the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Professor Sylvester Monye, where he was taken to CGOCC Company Limited for a brief presentation on projects undertaken by the company on hydro electricity and water supply.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Jul 2013 11:35:38 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015