[Press Kit, International Conference on AIDS (13th : 2000 : Durban, South Africa), compiled by the International AIDS Society]

IAS
INTERNATIONAL
SOCIETY
BACKGROUND NOTE
AIDS STORIES IN AFRICA
During the last G7 meeting the financial ministries of the seven more industrialized
countries of the world were shown the worldwide AIDS situation: 2,8 million deaths in
1999, at least 34,3 million people living with HIV/AIDS, more than 15,000 new
infections every day of the year. The 95% of AIDS cases are concentrated in developing
countries where the epidemic itself is blocking any developmental effort and economic
growth. Such data underscore the present limited awareness concerning the fact that
HIV infection is not only a problem pertaining the ministries of health but also financial
ministries and, more generally speaking, the whole country.
In the USA, the average cost for the therapy of a person living with HIV/AIDS is about
10,000 $US, that is about 30 times the sum (320 $US) which constitutes the mean
individual annual income in countries like Uganda or Zimbabwe. The mean pro capital
allocation to health is about 10 $US in African countries.
Such a situation reached the dimension of a real catastrophe in Africa but
epidemiological surveys suggest that the Far East, headed by India, could quickly obtain
the sad leadership of worst affected region of the world.
James D. Wolfenshon, World Bank Chairman, highlighted quite recently that AIDS will
soon have its own place the agenda of the Committee for the Development as 32 million
people living with HIV/AIDS are Africans out of more than 50 million people affected
worldwide (32 million of whom still alive). That represents a strong challenge not only in
humanitarian terms but has also a deep and direct impact on the developmental policies:
at present there are five African countries with 20% of the population who is living with
HIV whilst 8% of the population of the remaining other 21 countries is equally HIV
positive. Such figures clearly indicate that for the relevant governments is actually
impossible to plan and implement any activity towards the economic growth.
Tanzania
The Electricity Supply Company of Tanzania has recently launched a new campaign for
the fight against AIDS because of the death due to AIDS of 567 own employees in a lag
time of just two years. For such a reason the Company allocated 100 million of
Tanzanian shilling to the fight against AIDS. In Tanzania, HIV infection represents an
absolute emergency both in the work place and at home: AIDS is the principal cause of
death among Tanzanians of 15-60 years of age; a recent survey reported and estimate of
various hundred of thousands orphans due to AIDS. President Benjamin Mkapa, in his
speech about the situation of the country, highlighted that in several key ministries, like
the Ministry of Defense, Public Education and Health, there are each month more than
20 employees who die because of AIDS.
Botswana

A recent report by the Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis indicated
that the National economic growth will be reduced by one third because of HIV/AIDS