Mozambique: UN Envoy Concerned At Levels of Aids

The special representative of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan on HIV/AIDS, Stephen Lewis, on Wednesday described as "worrying" the situation of the AIDS pandemic in Mozambique.

Lewis was speaking shortly after a meeting with Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, who told him of the country's difficulties in checking the spread of the disease, with the number of new infections increasing continually, as well as the number of orphans whose parents have died of AIDS.

Lewis described the situation in Mozambique as "serious" when compared with some other countries, where the epidemic is relatively stable.

The last national round of epidemiological surveillance, in 2004, showed that 16.2 per cent of the Mozambican population aged between 15 and 49 are HIV-positive.

Lewis, who also met with Health Minister Ivo Garrido, said that the best way to deal with this problem is a joint effort between the government and its national and international partners.

"On my return I will convey the concerns of the Mozambican government, and I will speak at the United Nations of the need to support the government's Strategic Plan to strengthen prevention to reduce the number of cases of the disease, but I will also broach the issue of treatment, which is urgent", said Lewis.

Meanwhile, the Mozambican private sector is preparing a study on the impact of HIV/AIDS in companies across the country.

The Executive director of the Business Against AIDS Association (EcoSida), Cornelio Balane, explained that the objective of the study is to identify the problems that private business faces because of the pandemic, and seek the best ways to fight against them.

"The private sector needs a study of the impact in order to determine the conditions in which it is working and identify the problems and the needs in order to move forward", he said.

Speaking in Maputo on Wednesday, at the opening of a seminar to train 35 trainers of peer educators at the workplace, Balane explained that peer educators are fundamental because they carry out education and counselling during working hours, with no need to interrupt activities as would be the case if somebody from outside the company was brought in.

"It is difficult to train workers, and thus we sought service providers who, in coordination with EcoSida, will train trainers within the companies. These are activists from civil society who offered to work in training workers in the companies", he said.

Balane also noted that the major challenge his association is facing is to design sustainable programmes. They cannot depend on outside implementers, because when one cannot find them, activities are interrupted.

He added that business campaigns against HIV/AIDS are underway in the central city of Beira, conducted by the Sofala Industrial and Commercial Association (ACIS), and in Nampula, in the north of the country, by the Nampula Industrial, Commercial and Agricultural Association (ACIANA).

Balane explained that EcoSida is now working with 60 companies across Mozambique.