Your daily Selection of IRIN Africa PlusNews reports, 12/1/2006

December 1, 2006

U N I T E D N A T I O N S

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) -

[These reports do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

CONTENT:

1 - AFRICA: Time for a rethink on AIDS campaigns - UNAIDS

DAKAR, 1 December (PLUSNEWS) - Despite a boom in publicity campaigns on World

AIDS Day, the disease continues to spread in Africa because basic details about

the illness are not reaching the right people, UNAIDS has warned.

According to a report released last week by the Joint United Nations Programme

on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), 4.3 million new HIV cases were registered in 2006 and 65

percent of them were in Africa. Some three million people met an early death

because of HIV/AIDS in 2006, the report said.

In sub-Saharan Africa, there are 24.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS, five

million more than in 2004.

A glimmer of hope comes from West Africa, where except for Mali the prevalence

shows signs of stabilising, and in some cases even slowing.

Southern Africa remains the most affected region, but isolated Zimbabwe has

nonetheless registered a drop in prevalence rates amongst pregnant women, the

report said.

Prevention is the key, according to UNAIDS.

" New data suggests that where HIV prevention programmes have not been sustained

and/or adapted as epidemics have changed - infection rates are staying the same

or going up, " UNAIDS said in a statement at the report's release.

The report singled out Uganda as an example both of possibilities and pitfalls.

Often praised for reducing its infection rate from 20 to six percent in 10

years, thanks to a voluntary prevention policy, Uganda is now showing a

resurgence in HIV/AIDS infections.

" This is worrying - as we know increased HIV prevention programmes in these

countries have shown progress in the past - Uganda being a prime example, " said

Dr Piot, executive director of UNAIDS. " This means that countries are not

moving at the same speed as their epidemics. "

According to the UNAIDS report, " People at highest risk - youths, women and

girls, men who have sex with men, sex workers and their clients, injecting drug

users and ethnic and cultural minorities - are not adequately reached through

HIV prevention and treatment strategies because not enough is known about their

particular situation. "

The report did point towards healthier sexual behaviour among youths, which it

said contributed to a decline in prevalence rates in youths between 2000 and

2005, especially in Rwanda, Burundi and urban areas in Burkina Faso and Cote

d'Ivoire.

But Piot said that is not enough. " Action must not only be increased

dramatically, but must also be strategic, focused and sustainable to ensure that

the money reaches those who need it most, " he said.

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December 1, 2006