Unless decisions are taken to fund humanitarian programmes, 12-million — or 20% — of southern Africa’s 60-million people may die prematurely of Aids, United Nations agencies said on Tuesday.
The agencies — the World Food Programme, the UN Children’s Fund, the UN Development Programme, the World Health Organisation and the UN-Aids programme — said the number could increase due to food shortages and poor health services because of the lack of resources.
The agencies appealed last year for a total of $613-million to assist southern Africa, which is threatened by drought and famine, but donations have only reached 57% cent of that goal, they said.
The agencies also said donations from the international community have been distributed unevenly between the needs for food and health care. Of the $509-million requested for food aid, 64% of the goal has been reached. Of the $48-million sought for health needs, only 11% was reached.
The agencies said HIV/Aids is hitting women hardest and entire communities are collapsing because the epidemic is killing those in productive ages who support their families.
In a statement, the agencies said southern Africa will suffer ”nothing short of a decimation of population in their most productive years, and the prospect of economic collapse and insecurity in the foreseeable future.” – Sapa-DPA