Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cresent Societies - 27 November 2003
The Masambo Fund will provide access to anti-retroviral therapy to Red Cross and Red Crescent staff and volunteers, many of whom are working on the HIV/AIDS frontline, but are dying through lack of treatment.
"We estimate that there must be at least 200,000 people in our organization who are living with HIV/AIDS. This poses an enormous challenge û not only to our ability to carry out our humanitarian mandate, but also to the survival of our organization," said Razia Essack-Kauaria, governing board member of the International Federation and secretary general of the Namibian Red Cross. "This fund is an emergency measure for us until global efforts to increase access to treatment are truly up and running. We simply cannot afford to lose any more of our people," she added.
The fund is named after a long-serving staff member of the Zimbabwe Red Cross' home-based care programme which provides support to families living with HIV/AIDS. Masambo died in late 2001 but it was her story, presented to the International Federation's General Assembly shortly afterwards, that led to the decision to create such a fund.
Money for the Masambo Fund will be raised through voluntary annual contributions by each Red Cross and Red Crescent society, the International Federation's Secretariat staff and other donations. It is hoped that with a minimum of contributions, at least 300 people will be helped to get onto treatment initially. Each person will be guaranteed five years of drug supplies with priority given to people in countries where there is no other funding option.
"We hope that the creation of the Masambo Fund will encourage other organizations and companies to care for their own staff who have AIDS," said Markku Niskala, secretary general of the International Federation. "The Red Cross Red Crescent is also making its own contribution to the World Health Organization's (WHO) efforts to get three million people on anti-retroviral treatment by 2005 through treatment programmes in six African countries initially. Our volunteers are essential to ensuring treatment reaches the most vulnerable communities."
For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:
Jemini Pandya, Press Officer - Tel: + 41 22 730 45 70 / + 41 79 217 33 74 Media Service duty phone - Tel: + 41 79 416 38 81
031127
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