Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - October 3, 2006
Jean-Luc Martinage in Harare
The launch sets a good example of how joining forces with other major humanitarian partners can benefit to communities. The new package was developed jointly by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in southern Africa, the World Health Organization and SAFAIDS (Southern Africa AIDS Information Dissemination Service).
"This is a genuine package for use worldwide, which covers comprehensive issues on treatment preparedness, anti-retroviral therapy, adherence to treatment, positive living and nutrition. It also looks at palliative care and caring for the carers themselves," explains Bernard Gardiner, manager of the Global HIV and AIDS programme for the International Federation in Geneva.
Key players in the development of the training package were senior trainers from Red Cross/Red Crescent societies, from governments, national AIDS councils and people living with HIV. Collaboration took place from the head offices to the community-level. Though the training package was tested in southern Africa, it can be used anywhere in the world with suitable adaptation to local needs and cultures. It will be translated into several languages, including French, Spanish and Portuguese.
Speaking on behalf of people living with HIV, Dorothy Odhiambo, the International Federation's regional HIV and AIDS partnership officer based in Nairobi, warmly welcomed the creation of the new tool, insisting however on the need to scale up access to anti-retroviral treatment "which is still a mirage for most of the 40 million people living with HIV in developing countries", she said.
Prof. Francis Onyango, the World Health Organization's acting country representative also stressed on the necessity to build community skills through initiatives like the new training package.
"It is only when communities are working in synergy with health care providers that we can hope to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support", he said. Co-ordination meetings will be held to discuss the adaptation of the training package, how to maximize resources and reduce duplication among partners.
The official launch of the training initiative held in Harare was also the occasion for the International Federation's new Special Representative for HIV and AIDS, Dr. Mukesh Kapila, to send a strong message to communities affected by HIV in the region. "Southern Africa deserves better than promises. It is time to turn words into deeds," he told the audience at the Harare International Conference Centre, also highlighting the disastrous statistics - with over 25 % of the adult population infected with HIV - and the need to further fight stigma and discrimination.
Dr. Kapila especially insisted on the plight of many women who cannot always control their sexual life while they already have a greater biological vulnerability to the virus. "Sexual and gender-based violence and exploitation has become an epidemic in its own right," he said.
Dr. Kapila also mentioned the new 5 year-plan developed by the southern Africa regional delegation to support national societies in fighting HIV and AIDS. The plan focuses on prevention for vulnerable groups through more education campaigns. It also aims at strengthening home-based care programmes built up over the last decade.
Already 50,000 people benefit from them, as well as 100,000 orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS. "These numbers should more than double," said Dr. Kapila, also stressing that the Harare launch was "a key element of a wider ambition".
Other speakers at the official launch ceremony included Dr. David Parirenyatwa, Zimbabwe's minister of Health and Child Welfare, Francoise Le Goff, Head of the International Federation's regional delegation based in Harare and Lois Chingandu, executive director of SAFAIDS.
The major role played by Zimbabwe Red Cross in field testing the toolkits, and as pioneers of home based care in the International Federation, was acknowledged by the event being held in Zimbabwe and by volunteers giving gifts to the speakers at the launch.
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