Rwanda has a good chance of winning the Aids war

For too long Sub-Saharan Africa has been battered by the Aids scourge. Ever since the first casualties hit the headlines back in the 1980’s child-headed homes, broken dreams and affected communities have been the order of the day. When, despite scientist’s best efforts, there wasn’t a quick cure, the world decided to act, and act quickly. In 1988 the World Summit of Ministers of Health, which was held in Geneva decided to set aside 1st December, as the World Aids Day. This day, the assembly decided, would remind the world that the war against Aids would come to an end. It’s been twenty years since that historic meeting; and despite everything, the best that scientists have been able to come up with are Anti-Retroviral drugs (ARV’s). A vaccine is still a long time away. But still the dream of an Aids-free world lives on. ‘Stop Aids. Keep the Promise-Lead- Empower- Deliver.’ is this year’s theme. Rwanda, hasn’t been spared the continents ravages. We lost 21,000 people in 2005 according to UNAIDS; 91, 000 women older than fifteen years of age were HIV-positive. Our Aids prevalence rate of 3.1 per cent is still too high, especially when compared with the American prevalence rate of 0.33 per cent. But these statistics don’t tell the whole story. Rwanda has been making great strides in the war against the wily virus. A six year (2005-2009) action framework to combat HIV was developed by the National Aids Control Commission (CNLS), This anti-Aids framework is, so far, included in the budgets of the Health, Education, Labour and Transport ministries, the Military Police while the Agriculture, Tourism, Trade and Industry ministries have the framework but with no earmarked budget to implement it. During this year’s commemoration of the World Aids Day, CNLS announced that HIV ‘Testing For All’ has become a top government priority. The commissions Executive Secretary Dr. Anita Asiimwe, said that it was up to every individual to fight against the disease and that CNLS was particularly encouraging all people, especially couples to go for HIV testing and counseling. She added that Rwanda’s fight against HIV has shifted emphasis from a one day celebration on the 1st of December to a one year national campaign that had started on November 1st, 2008 and would be going on until October 2009. With testing available all over the country people are now able to determine their status voluntarily. The training of heath workers and educators has made this possible. Testing isn’t, however, the only weapon that has been thrown at the Aids monster. Prevention efforts have intensified in Rwanda; this can be seen by the additional emphasis put on education and by the number of organizations advocating for people living with HIV. According to a CNLS report, 1,051 associations dealing with people living with HIV/Aids are in existence. That is why, while the prevalence rate of 3.1 per cent is still a statistic that is not something to gloat about, Rwanda has a good chance winning the Aids war. Especially if all the policies that are being mooted are taken to heart and implemented. Ends