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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 22 Nov 2001

Vol. 544 No. 5

Written Answers. - HIV-AIDS Epidemic.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

79 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the size and scale of human tragedy which the HIV-AIDS epidemic is causing in Africa; the support and preventative measures in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29337/01]

In December 2000, the Joint United Nations programme on HIV-AIDS, UNAIDS, secretariat and the World Health Organisation, WHO, reported that 36.1 million men, women and children around the world were living with the HIV virus or had developed full blown AIDS. In 2000 alone, over 5 million people were infected and over 3 million died of this disease.

The spread of HIV has led to a global epidemic which is far more extensive than was ever predicted. Though AIDS is now found everywhere in the world, and the incidence of the disease is growing rapidly in the Caribbean, in Asia and in Eastern Europe, by far the worst affected region is the African continent.

UNAIDS estimates that 25 million people, or over 70% of the global total of people infected with HIV, are living in Africa. The percentage of the adult population living with HIV is estimated to be 36% in Botswana and 26% in Zimbabwe. In these situations, a child who is now 15 years old has a 50% risk of dying of AIDS.

A tragic aspect of the epidemic is the growing population of orphaned children – of the world's 13.2 million children orphaned by AIDS, 12.1 are living in Africa. The disease also particularly affects women, directly by their increased susceptibility to infection and indirectly in their role as principal carers. In addition, many grandparents have to assume the role of absent and deceased parents.
There is a clear link between HIV-AIDS, poverty and under-development. HIV-AIDS is both symptom and cause of poverty. Poor people are more likely to be infected with HIV. Once infected, the poor and the malnourished, whose immune systems are already weak, will succumb more easily. AIDS attacks fragile societies also, undermining their capacity to mount an effective response.
In confronting this disease, prevention has to be the mainstay of control. Many programmes that have been targeted at prevention, particularly to high-risk groups, have been demonstrated to be effective. Many innovative support programmes, which promote low cost approaches to the care of those living with AIDS and to the dependants of families affected by the disease, have been developed at community level. However, to sustain programmes directed at prevention and support there is a need for an enhanced international response to this global epidemic.
In an overview report in preparation for the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV-AIDS earlier this year, the UN Secretary General outlined three critical factors which he believes are essential for the control of this disease. The first factor is leadership – at global, country and community level – which the Secretary General has indicated is the single most important factor in reversing the epidemic. The second is the need for improved co-ordination – of resources, of planning across government departments, between public and private sectors – which is critical to an efficient and effective response. The third factor is the need for more resources – at present, the resources committed to the fight against HIV-AIDS are only a small fraction of what is needed to mount a satisfactory response.
HIV-AIDS is a major public health and development challenge in all countries in Africa where the Irish Government is providing financial support for development programmes, that is, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The extent of the problem and the way this disease is undermining development progress, particularly in countries benefiting from Ireland Aid support, requires a response that is urgent, resourced, focused and sustained.
The need to support HIV-AIDS interventions has been well recognised by Ireland Aid. In January 2000, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Don nell, launched a new HIV-AIDS strategy for the Ireland Aid programme.
The Taoiseach has on many occasions signalled his personal commitment to addressing the HIV-AIDS epidemic. Last June he demonstrated the extent of that commitment by leading the Irish Government delegation to the UN Special Session on HIV-AIDS in New York. In the course of his address to the General Assembly he committed the Irish Government to spending an additional US$30 million on HIV-AIDS programmes in developing countries from 2002.
The strength of this political commitment, along with the availability of additional resources and the publication of a clear strategic plan for HIV-AIDS, will allow Ireland Aid to continue to respond in a substantive and coherent manner to what is one of the greatest development challenges of our time.
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