Global campaign on children and AIDS launched in city

CABINET ministers, senior Government officials, diplomats and heads of international organisations observed a minute’s silence in Windhoek yesterday as a mark of respect for 21-year-old Juanita Mabula, who was murdered in Windhoek last month.

Speaking at the launch of the Global Campaign on Children and AIDS in the capital, Health Minister Richard Kamwi said Namibia needs to focus on how HIV-AIDS redefines childhood for millions of children. “Children are threatened by AIDS just like adults,” he said.Children who lose their parents to AIDS are forced to head households, while others are affected by the death of teachers and other adults to guide them.”As a consequence, children lack information and essential services and are not aware of how to protect themselves,” Kamwi said.Girls in particular were growing up without the option of deciding about their reproductive and sexual health.”They do not have the power to negotiate safe sex with their partners,” he said, adding: “The case of Mabula, I suspect, is once such case.”This made the global programme entitled ‘Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS’ an all-important initiative to fill the gap of what children are missing in the era of HIV-AIDS.The Minister called on those present to redouble their efforts to be able to provide medical treatment and essential services to 80 per cent of HIV-positive children by 2010, which is also in line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 6 aiming to combat AIDS, malaria and other diseases by 2015.In Namibia, 77 hospitals and health centres provide Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) programmes and around 50 per cent of women have access to this service.”Ninety-two per cent of babies born to registered HIV mothers are receiving Nevirapine treatment (which can prevent transmission of the virus to the baby),” Dr Kamwi said.”However, we need to see at least 90 per cent of HIV-positive pregnant women utilising this service in order to really make an impact,” he added.According to figures provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), HIV-AIDS is threatening children as never before.Children under five account for one in six global AIDS-related deaths, and one in seven new global infections.A child dies of an AIDS-related illness every minute of every day, and a young person contracts HIV every 15 seconds.Each day sees new infections in 5 000 young people aged between 15 and 24, 2 000 new infections in babies through HIV-positive mothers and 1 400 children under 15 die of AIDS-related illnesses.Speaking in her capacity as Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, sprint start Agnes Samaria appealed for treatment for children.”Antibiotics such as cotrimoxazole and anti-retroviral therapy are available but our children are still at risk because of no access to this treatment.”In Namibia, with an estimated 100 000-plus orphans, 34 263 are getting Maintenance and Foster Care Grants, according to Gender Equality and Child Welfare Deputy Minister Angelika Muharukua.By May 2004, a total of 78 460 orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) had been registered.”An OVC census will commence in May 2006 and it will help establish a reliable database and manage all the issues related to the OVC,” she said.The Deputy Minister made a plea for humane assistance for orphans and children in need.”I feel that gone are the days of traditional African solidarity when no child could be left unattended,” she said.Namibians today were paying more attention to material than to humane values.”That leads to emotional and moral poverty,” she added.The pandemic and the OVC crisis provided an opportunity to restore one’s human integrity.The ‘Unite for Children and Unite Against AIDS’ campaign is being co-ordinated by Unicef and partners, including UNAIDS co-sponsors, donors, non-governmental organisations and civil society.”Children are threatened by AIDS just like adults,” he said.Children who lose their parents to AIDS are forced to head households, while others are affected by the death of teachers and other adults to guide them.”As a consequence, children lack information and essential services and are not aware of how to protect themselves,” Kamwi said.Girls in particular were growing up without the option of deciding about their reproductive and sexual health.”They do not have the power to negotiate safe sex with their partners,” he said, adding: “The case of Mabula, I suspect, is once such case.”This made the global programme entitled ‘Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS’ an all-important initiative to fill the gap of what children are missing in the era of HIV-AIDS.The Minister called on those present to redouble their efforts to be able to provide medical treatment and essential services to 80 per cent of HIV-positive children by 2010, which is also in line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 6 aiming to combat AIDS, malaria and other diseases by 2015.In Namibia, 77 hospitals and health centres provide Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) programmes and around 50 per cent of women have access to this service.”Ninety-two per cent of babies born to registered HIV mothers are receiving Nevirapine treatment (which can prevent transmission of the virus to the baby),” Dr Kamwi said.”However, we need to see at least 90 per cent of HIV-positive pregnant women utilising this service in order to really make an impact,” he added.According to figures provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), HIV-AIDS is threatening children as never before.Children under five account for one in six global AIDS-related deaths, and one in seven new global infections.A child dies of an AIDS-related illness every minute of every day, and a young person contracts HIV every 15 seconds.Each day sees new infections in 5 000 young people aged between 15 and 24, 2 000 new infections in babies through HIV-positive mothers and 1 400 children under 15 die of AIDS-related illnesses.Speaking in her capacity as Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, sprint start Agnes Samaria appealed for treatment for children.”Antibiotics such as cotrimoxazole and anti-retroviral therapy are available but our children are still at risk because of no access to this treatment.”In Namibia, with an estimated 100 000-plus orphans, 34 263 are getting Maintenance and Foster Care Grants, according to Gender Equality and Child Welfare Deputy Minister Angelika Muharukua.By May 2004, a total of 78 460 orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) had been registered.”An OVC census will commence in May 2006 and it will help establish a reliable database and manage all the issues related to the OVC,” she said.The Deputy Minister made a plea for humane assistance for orphans and children in need.”I feel that gone are the days of traditional African solidarity when no child could be left unattended,” she said.Namibians today were paying more attention to material than to humane values.”That leads to emotional and moral poverty,” she added.The pandemic and the OVC crisis provided an opportunity to restore one’s human integrity.The ‘Unite for Children and Unite Against AIDS’ campaign is being co-ordinated by Unicef and partners, including UNAIDS co-sponsors, donors, non-governmental organisations and civil society.