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 2, 2006
"Southern Africa is pioneering a major new alliance in which Red Cross/Red Crescent joins forces with key partners to reduce the burden of HIV and AIDS," Dr Kapila adds. The training initiative brings together the Southern Africa AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAFAIDS), the World Health Organisation and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in southern Africa to give people life-saving knowledge and skills.
"This comes at a time when the International Federation is launching a new five-year programme to support Red Cross societies in southern Africa in fighting HIV/AIDS", says Francoise Le Goff, Head of the International Federation's regional delegation based in Harare. "With adult prevalence rates now exceeding 20% in most countries in the region, and reaching more than 38% in some areas, there is an urgent need to take the Red Cross work to a new level both in terms of preventing further infection and greater support for those already infected," she adds.
The new integrated long-term HIV/AIDS strategy focuses on prevention for vulnerable groups through more education combined with support for people living with HIV. It aims to strengthen home-based care programmes built up over the last decade using the network of community-based Red Cross volunteers in southern Africa who provide support services to the chronically ill and family members. It also targets the growing number of orphans who have lost one or both parents due to AIDS. Some 225,000 children will be supported over the next five years.
"The availability of anti-retroviral therapy will change the shape of home-based care programmes from helping people to die with dignity to positive living," explains Bernard Gardiner, manager of the Global HIV/AIDS programme for the International Federation in Geneva. The launch of the training package, the first in the world ever produced to address all these needs, comes at the right time as it will empower people living with HIV, care givers and family members who provide care and support and improve backup for their humanitarian work.
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For further information or to set up interviews, please contact:
In Harare | Tapiwa Gomo, Regional information officer | Tel + 263 91 345 936
Jean-Luc Martinage, Press officer for Global Health | Tel (mobile): + 41 79 217 33 86
In Geneva Duty phone | Tel + 41 79 416 38 81
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