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Global
intervention, leadership commitment sought to combat
AIDS in Africa |
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ADDIS
ABEBA(August 6, 2008) -
The need for a committed localized and evidence-informed response
to HIV/AIDS in Africa was called for at the International AIDS Conference
in Mexico City earlier this week.
World Bank on Monday indicated how rapidly the AIDS epidemic is changing
necessitating better understanding on the part of all global and local
partners, including the Bank.
It revealed that resources must be invested in effective interventions
that are likely to work given the characteristics of the local epidemic.
The Bank reasoned its commissioning the papers within the report for
the development of its new Africa HIV/AIDS strategy; and authors of
the findings gathered to discuss how best to address them.
Poverty is usually associated with HIV/AIDS, but, at the individual
level, HlV/AIDS is associated with behaviors and characteristics demonstrated
by higher-income people, such as having more concurrent sexual partners,
geographic mobility, and urbanization, according to the Bank's statement
issued after the experts' discussions.
In addition, the Bank said the report enhances further scrutiny about
issues such as the need to integrate HIV/AIDS services into general
and reproductive health services, given the rates of tuberculosis
co-infection and the too-often missed opportunity to address HIV/AIDS
when women seek health care, for example.
"We cannot talk about more inclusive and sustainable development
in Africa without also committing to the long-term battle against
AIDS, the largest single cause of premature death on the continent,"
said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick. "We can see
where countries are starting to gain the upper hand against AIDS,
and we need to learn from these examples, multiply these results,
and be unrelenting in fighting this disease."
Elizabeth Lule, manager of the Bank's AIDS Campaign Team for Africa
said on her part, "Without health systems that work effectively
and efficiently, we are unlikely to achieve universal access to treatment;"
adding that "Increases in HIV/AIDS funding offer prime opportunities
to strengthen broader national systems and build civil society's capacity
to address the social drivers of the epidemic such as gender inequalities."
The report says to conclude that nations, donors, and communities
must understand their specific epidemics, rely on evidence to determine
appropriate interventions, and coordinate much better when setting
priorities.
The World Bank is one of ten co-sponsors of UNAIDS, along with ILO,
UNHCR, UNICEF, UNDP, UNESCO, UNODC, UNFPA, WFP, and WHO. |
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