Press conference by Secretary-general’s special envoy for hiv/aids in africa

The evolution of the response of the international community to the unparalled tsunami tragedy had been both exhilarating and fascinating, as the outpouring of international concern and generosity “attested well to the truth that the quality of decency was nowhere strained”, Stephen Lewis, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, said today at a Headquarters press briefing.  It was noteworthy that in a matter of three weeks or so, Western governments had managed to raise between $5.5 and $6 billion for the relief effort.

While that response was tremendously gratifying, the truth was that in a matter of three years -- not three weeks -- the Global Fund on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria had received almost an identical amount of $5.9 billion in pledges.  “I don’t think it’s invidious to point out that there are 6 million people on the planet now, today at the time of this press conference, dying of AIDS, 4.1 million of them on the continent of Africa”, Mr. Lewis said, noting that obviously the money raised was imperative for South and South-East Asia.  However, one had to ask about balance in the world and the need for the industrialized world to respond to a tragedy that unfolded incrementally, but methodically and horrifically, on the African continent.

Speaking of his recent trips to Malawi and the United Republic of Tanzania, Mr. Lewis expressed the hope that in an odd, unexpected way the tsunami would prove to be the turning point for humankind, so that the tremendous outpouring of the publics of countries might now be mirrored by an equivalent outpouring from governments.  The publics of the world had shown their desperate concern for the human condition:  How long will it take for governments to do the same? he asked.  Alluding to Jeffrey Sachs’ Millennium Project report presented to Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday, he agreed that the targets for official development assistance (ODA) which Dr. Sachs had set out in his report were entirely attainable.  The industrialized world had been “toying with the 0.7 per cent of GNP” figure for 36 years, and only five countries had reached or come close to reaching that goal.  It was time for them to finally deliver.

It was crucial to recognize, in the context of the Millennium Development Goals report, that the pandemic of HIV/AIDS was “bedevilling the possibility” of reaching the millennium goals in most of the African countries, certainly in all of the countries with high prevalence rates.  Further, the response of the industrial world had been somewhat disappointing an on item that should be easy to respond to:  the matter of African debt. 

That issue had caused inevitably some consternation and concern that within a matter of days, the Paris Club was able to effect a moratorium on the debt of all of those countries affected in South-East Asia and that the world was able to come together so quickly to respond to the debt of Iraq.  “I comment not adversely on any of that.  But I ask the question, as African are asking:  Why, in heaven’s name, can we not get our debt reduced or eliminated as has been promised and tentatively reassured time and time again?”  Such reassurances had been received as recently as last fall during a meeting with international financial institutions in Washington, D.C., when everyone expected the African debt to be reduced or eliminated altogether.  Yet, nothing had happened. 

There was something indefensible about a situation where not just South-East Asia but Iraq got debt reduction, while Africa “festers in frustration”.

Mr. Lewis extolled “the tremendous efforts” that the two countries of his latest visit -- Malawi and Tanzania -- in combating the AIDS epidemic, said Malawi was a nation “obsessed” and would not stop at anything in its preoccupation with the treatment of the scourge, even in the face of extremely limited resources.  That country’s biggest challenge was unquestionably its limited capacity.  In the health-care sector alone, there was an annual attrition rate within the Ministry of Health of 15 per cent, and a vacancy rate of 67 per cent.  There were five government pharmacists in the country.  Based on the rough norm for Africa, Mr. Lewis continued, Malawi should have 12,000 nurses; there were just over 4,000.  The Ministry of Health had a total of 103 physicians in all facilities.  There were 10 districts in the country without a Ministry of Health doctor, and four districts without a doctor at all.  The country’s capacity problems were second only to those of Afghanistan, according to authoritative sources.

Similarly, the East African nation of Tanzania was “curious, in some ways inexplicable”, he said.  With an adult HIV prevalence race of 8.8 per cent, the country had experienced “endless” difficulties and was only now beginning to gather itself together.  He was hopeful, however, that the country was resolved to confronting the pandemic.  The sophistication and competence of the leadership and membership in both the Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Council, along with the full engagement of President Benjamin Mkapa, gave him reason to fell encouraged.

Mr. Lewis also highly praised the UN Country Teams in both countries, whose services were clearly valued and respected by the two Governments.

Responding to a correspondent’s question about the UN’s policy on HIV testing among UN troops in Africa, Mr. Lewis said he believed the policy varied from country to country and, therefore, he could not give a conclusive answer.  However, he explained that within UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, was an actual department that dealt directly with questions of military and peacekeeping forces.  That department was better placed to address that issue.  Further, countries with their own peacekeeping forces quite logically applied their own various policies with regard to HIV/AIDS.

Asked what kind of aid the “mineral-rich” countries of Africa were giving to devastated African countries, Mr. Lewis replied that he was fascinated to note that Mozambique had given $100,000 to the tsunami relief fund, Nigeria had given a million dollars, and the Kenyan and Ugandan Red Cross were even now raising money.  The South African Red Cross hoped to raise 10 million rand.  Those African countries, themselves incredibly beleaguered, were nonetheless responding, as Africa so often did, to the human desolation of the tsunami.

“I don’t know how many South-East Asian nations contributed to Mozambique’s floods.  But I know that Mozambique immediately felt that it should contribute to the South-East Asian tragedy”, he stated.  The African countries with resources have themselves a pretty serious pandemic problem, he added, citing Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, among those struggling with the pandemic.  He suspected that the resources in those countries that were available were dedicated to the internal priorities.

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