The Red Cross Society in Zambia warned on Tuesday that half the country’s youth risk dying of HIV/Aids as it launched a $50-million appeal to finance a scale-up of its fight against HIV.
”Almost half of the population of our young people faces life-time risk of dying of Aids,” the organisation’s general secretary Charles Mushitu told journalists in Lusaka, pointing to the high HIV prevalence rate and the absence of treatment.
Zambia is one of the countries to be worst hit by the HIV/Aids pandemic. According to UNAids statistics 1,1-million Zambians out of the population of 11-million are living with the virus.
Mushitu made the appeal ahead of the UNAids programme coordination board meeting to be held in Zambia, and warned that signs of economic growth in the country could be imperiled as more working-age people fall ill or perish.
With thousands dying every week, potential donors should not focus so much on debt relief and give directly to HIV/Aids programmes, he added.
”If we don’t invest massively in preventing the spread of the virus, and in care and support, then we are investing in our own downfall,” Mushitu said.
He said the $50-million would be used to reach five million people with HIV prevention interventions and to provide care to 22 600 people living with HIV by 2010.
”This may seem to be an ambitious target but, given the harrowing statistics, this is exactly what is expected by governments,” Mushitu said. – Sapa-AFP