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Mixed response to Africa's Aids epidemic
Eight million African children have been orphaned |
By Africa correspondent, Jane Standley
Two-thirds of all the people who are HIV positive live in sub-Saharan Africa, which has only one tenth of the world's population.
But in some countries political leaders are being criticised for not supporting efforts to solve the crisis.
In parts of the far south of the continent - Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia and Zimbabwe - as much as one-quarter of the adult population is infected with the virus which causes Aids, painting a grim picture for their social and economic development.
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Four people on the continent become infected every minute -- that's 11,000 every day and four million every year.
Aids has become Africa's number one killer. Last year, 5,500 people died every day, equivalent to wiping out the entire adult population of a country like Norway in just one year.
Eight million African children have been left orphaned as a result, and Aids is now the biggest threat to the development of what is already the world's poorest continent.
Official neglect
In some countries like Senegal and Uganda, in-roads have been made into the spread of the HIV virus by national campaigns spearheaded by political leaders.
But in others, little is still being said by key figures.
At an international conference on Aids in the Zambian capital two months ago, not a single African head of state turned up - not even the host president.
The distinct lack of support for the conference was criticised by Aids activists who say that, without a new political boost being given to campaigns against Aids, the education work which is being done will not succeed in bringing about the behavioural changes which are necessary.
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11 Nov 99 | UK Politics |
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Aids focus for summit |
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14 Sep 99 | Aids |
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