The fortification of maize meal to combat HIV/Aids and the food crisis in southern Africa topped the agenda at a two-day United Nations (UN) meeting in Johannesburg, UNAIDS said on Thursday.
”They are discussing the links between Aids and the humanitarian crisis in the region and are trying to come up with the best way of dealing with the crisis,” said UNAIDS representative Richard Lee.
”Fortifying our maize meal is one of the recommendations we are looking into” added Lee, explaining that the fortification process involved enrichment of food by adding nutrients such as vitamins.
”We’re looking at fortifying our maize meal to ensure that people get the nutrients they need. Everyone, not only people with Aids, will benefit.”
The meeting, which started on Wednesday morning, is attended by more than 50 representatives from UN agencies, local and international non-governmental organisations, donor nations and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Delegates will try to devise a new strategy to help combat HIV/Aids, focussing on how the UN World Food Programme (WFP) can make food aid more nutritious for Aids sufferers.
A UNAIDS statement earlier said people living with HIV/Aids should increase their food intake and eat about 50% more protein and foods rich in micronutrients.
”During the conference, one of the many issues under discussion will be how can the WFP alter the size and composition of its food aid rations in the light of HIV/Aids,” the statement said.
A report by the UN Special Envoy for Humanitarian Needs in southern Africa showed that HIV/Aids was the single greatest threat to the region’s people. Agricultural production has fallen significantly because many adults were too sick to work, UNAIDS said.
The most affected countries are Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The UN estimated that HIV/Aids was responsible for a 9,6% depletion in Zimbabwe’s agricultural labour force in 2000, while Malawi lost 5,8%.
UN figures said, without food aid, 14,4 million people in the six countries were facing starvation in the next few months. At least 5,9 million people are suffering from HIV/Aids and there are more than two million AIDS orphans. – Sapa-AFP