Rwanda’s health insurance scheme known as “Mutuelle de sante” tops the list of disease control strategies the country will present to a global Aids summit in Mexico. This was confirmed yesterday by the Health Minister, Dr Jean Damascene Ntawukuliryayo. “We have included it on the meeting’s agenda, and Dr. Daniel Ngamije will present it on my behalf,” said Ntawukuliryayo. The 17th International Aids Conference slated for August 3 to 8 in Mexico City, Mexico, was preceded by the launch of a global anti-stigma campaign on July 31. The summit’s theme, “Homelessness and Poverty’s role in HIV/Aids Treatment and Prevention” is considered as an essential intervention that improves the health of patients. The minister also revealed that other issues to be presented included enabling HIV/Aids patients to access Antiretroviral (ARV) treatment and to create their own income generating activities. “The global fight against the Aids pandemic requires a lot to be done,” he said, adding that those affected have a priority of direct access to every health measure taken. The summit will review studies that show the causal correlation between stable housing and positive health and how housing has been used as an effective prevention strategy. The outcome will be a declaration to be used globally to ensure that homelessness and poverty are addressed when developing and implementing strategies to control Aids. The 2008 Aids Summit is convened by the International Aids Society (IAS), the world’s leading independent association of HIV professionals. Other co-sponsors include the United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS), the World Health Organisation (WHO), and World Food Programme (WFP). UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and former U.S. president Bill Clinton will address the summit. A team from Rwanda’s National Aids Commission (CNLS) will also attend. Ends
