We will not give up the fight on HIV/AIDS
By Helen Keogh, CEO , World Vision Ireland
It is estimated that around 1,000 babies are born with HIV every single day. Half of them will die before their second birthday. This is a shocking fact when one considers that the medicine exists to prevent this from happening. These children have as much a right to life as everyone else around the world yet in 2011 they are still dying of HIV/AIDS.
We have made some progress. In 2005, only 15% of HIV-positive women in low- and middle-income countries had access to antiretroviral drugs for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission. In 2009 that number increased to more than 50%. This proves that we can make a difference, but even with this progress made, half of the HIV-positive mothers who need help to prevent spreading HIV to their children don’t receive it. We cannot allow this to continue.
About 90% of children living with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa where AIDS accounts for 8% of all under-five deaths. In high income countries the mother to child transmission of HIV has been virtually eliminated thanks to effective voluntary testing and counselling, access to antiretroviral therapy, safe delivery practices, and the widespread availability and safe use of breast-milk substitutes. If these interventions were used worldwide, they could save the lives of thousands of children each year.
World Vision is determined to do something about this. We have committed to continue our HIV and AIDS response around the world until no child is infected with HIV. We believe that it is important to integrate HIV/AIDS initiatives into all of our programmes. HIV is not a competing priority. We should not have to choose whether to respond to HIV or respond to some other critical issue. Rather, HIV is a critical component that must be factored into all programmes in countries, especially those countries with high-HIV prevalence.
For example, World Vision Ireland works with the local community in Shiselweni, Swaziland to support 22,150 people living there. Swaziland has the world’s highest HIV infection rate. UNAIDS estimates that every second pregnant woman and 26.3% of Swaziland’s adult population is infected.
Life expectancy in Swaziland is a shocking 37 years because of HIV/AIDS. As many as 130,000 children have lost their parents to HIV related illnesses and one third of children under the age of 18 do not live with either parent. Grandparents are stepping in to care for orphans but often don’t have the earning power and resources to support their grandchildren. As a result, 40% of orphaned children do not have their most basic needs, such as a meal per day met.
Currently 1,345 World Vision Ireland sponsors fund the Shiselweni ADP in Swaziland. Addressing the problem of HIV/AIDS is integrated into every element of our work there. For example, we support credit unions, to assist local income generation. Many of the women who are members of this credit union are infected with HIV/AIDS so the credit union and the World Vision funded HIV/AIDS support group interact frequently. Women at the credit union chat openly about how HIV/AIDS affects their lives, without worrying about being stigmatised. They offer each other advice and support each other to live as happily and healthily as they can with this illness.
The women you meet in places such as these credit unions are strong, inspirational people. We owe it to them and we owe it to their children to keep the fight against HIV/AIDS alive. We cannot rest until no more children are being orphaned or infected by this terrible disease. On World AIDS Day we must remember that the fight is far from over, we are winning the battle, but the war on HIV/AIDS has yet to be won.
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