| I was very thankful for the gratifying response to | | | | of this sad and unfortunate land. "46664 - The |
| my recent series of articles on HIV/AIDS in Africa. | | | | Concert" takes place at Greenpoint Stadium in Cape |
| Some people rightly asked me why I have tended to | | | | Town on November 29th. It will be broadcast on the |
| concentrate on the problems affecting this continent | | | | internet live and on MTV globally on World AIDS Day. |
| rather than our own and Asia. Well, there are two | | | | You may already know that 46664 was the prison |
| reasons. In the West, AIDS is slowly evolving from | | | | number of Nelson Mandela on Robben Island, Cape |
| an exotic plague to a normal and treatable disease. | | | | Town where he was held in captivity for 18 years. |
| Since 1997, the number of people dying from the | | | | Nelson gave his prison number 46664 to Dave |
| disease in the West is actually falling instead of rising. | | | | Stewart of Eurythmics in November of last year who |
| The number of deaths in the United States first half | | | | then asked the late Joe Strummer to write lyrics for |
| of 1996 was 13% below that for the same period in | | | | a song that included the prison number. Stewart then |
| 1995. In France, the decline was greater, at some | | | | completed the song with Bono earlier this year. |
| 25%. Moreover, even in Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest | | | | Further recording sessions began in March when |
| city, deaths from AIDS dropped significantly. It would | | | | Stewart was joined by Queen's Brian May and Roger |
| be foolish of me to assume that after years of | | | | Taylor to lay down tracks in collaboration with some |
| official pleas in the West for people to change their | | | | of South Africa's premiere musicians. Anastacia, The |
| behaviour to reduce exposure to the disease, the | | | | Neptunes, Johnny Clegg, Beyonce, Ms Dynamite, |
| message finally got through. What has happened is | | | | Roger Taylor, Paul McCartney, Paul Oakenfold, and |
| that the advent of drugs that slow the HIV virus | | | | Timbaland will perform. |
| from replicating has greatly improved. Our medical | | | | You will have the opportunity to make a difference |
| staff can also treat opportunistic infections that take | | | | by participating in the largest ever global call-in, a |
| advantage of the patient's weakened immune | | | | global petition for action and global webcast. |
| system better. Unfortunately, we cannot be | | | | Celebrities from all over the world, such as David |
| complacent. Our Government's inability to address the | | | | Bowie, Robert De Niro, Pink, Shakira, and Britney |
| growing numbers of newly diagnosed HIV patients | | | | Spears are all recording messages to encourage public |
| coming into this country from sub Saharan Africa is | | | | participation. |
| totally scandalous. My attitude towards treating this | | | | In Ireland all telephone users can call a premium line |
| growing problem by using the same scientific logic | | | | using the number 1580 715715 with the Nelson |
| that is practised in other parts of the world is by | | | | Mandela Foundation being the ultimate beneficiary. |
| now well known and I personally feel that the | | | | The Foundation will apply funds raised in its work, |
| humanistic approach to this problem by well meaning | | | | which provides key services on AIDS in South Africa |
| doctors and some medical journalists may leave | | | | where 25 per cent of the population has HIV. |
| future generations in potential danger. We can only | | | | The 46664 campaign is calling for: |
| hope our future children do not judge our ineptitude | | | | • people to join a global petition via local call-in |
| too harshly. | | | | numbers on which they can hear songs written by |
| Regarding Asia, I have already stated that we have | | | | contributing artists, contribute directly to the fight |
| to closely monitor HIV development in this continent, | | | | against AIDS in Africa, and be directed to the 46664 |
| especially India (Cutting Edge Dec 6th 2002) as it is | | | | website to hear more music; purchase exclusive |
| the next disaster-in-waiting. Already, 7m Asians are | | | | 46664 tracks; download ringtones; make donations |
| infected and India's close to a billion people are | | | | and leave their email addresses. |
| becoming increasingly vulnerable. The Indian rural | | | | • all governments to declare a global AIDS |
| population is now under treat as a recent study | | | | emergency. This means developed country |
| showed that Tamil Nadu, one of India's smallest | | | | governments must give much more money to the |
| states has 500,000 people infected. Literally | | | | Global Fund to fight AIDS, and the global community |
| translated, this is over 2% of rural people presently | | | | should strive to get 3 million people living with AIDS |
| HIV-positive. We should learn our lesson from China, | | | | on lifesaving anti-retrovirals by 2005. |
| where the Government tried to cover up a growing | | | | Notes on HIV/AIDS in Africa: |
| HIV/AIDS self inflicted scandal to their detriment. | | | | There are currently 11 million AIDS orphans in Africa - |
| Africa has been hit harder by the HIV/AIDS virus | | | | unless we take urgent action now, there will be at |
| than any other region of the world. 30 million Africans | | | | least 25 million by the end of the decade. |
| have HIV and AIDS has so far killed 17 million people | | | | Of the 30 million Africans affected, 4.1 million are |
| in the world's poorest continent. This is more than | | | | going to die in the near-term unless they get access |
| the casualties from all the wars of the last century. | | | | to affordable treatment. Only 50,000 Africans are |
| Every day in Africa alone: HIV/AIDS kills 6,500 people | | | | currently on Anti-Retroviral drugs (ARVs). |
| and 9,500 people are infected with the HIV virus. It is | | | | Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, |
| estimated that each day 1,400 newborn babies are | | | | has called for at least $10 billion a year to fight Global |
| infected during childbirth or by their mothers' milk. In | | | | AIDS - last year, the international community spent |
| Africa, the disease is presently spreading like chemical | | | | under half of this. By 2005, at least $15 billion will be |
| warfare along the gentle breezes of the Savannah | | | | needed. |
| and further beyond. I write about this region as I | | | | The World Health Organisation has called for 3 million |
| personally feel that this virus poses the biggest single | | | | people in the poorest countries to be put on |
| threat to humanity since the bubonic plague in the | | | | life-saving anti-retrovirals by 2005. This will be |
| middle ages. I have also lived there and I feel a | | | | impossible unless much more money, and much |
| special affiliation with these poor people. | | | | cheaper medicines are both made available on an |
| Realistically, there are 11 million AIDS orphans in Africa | | | | emergency basis. |
| and unless we take serious action now, there will be | | | | The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria needs |
| over 20 million by the end of the decade. I have | | | | $3bn for next year to fund life-saving programmes in |
| seen entire villages in countries like Malawi where | | | | Africa and other poor regions. Currently, there is less |
| there are only grandparents and their grandchildren | | | | than $900 million in pledges from donor countries. |
| and this virus has stripped out entire generations. Can | | | | Give 1 minute of your life to Stop AIDS. Go online to |
| you imagine going into the West of Ireland and facing | | | | make a donation at |
| only feeble children and haggled elderly people, | | | | AIDS STATISTICS |
| instead of comely maidens wandering in desolation at | | | | Worldwide: |
| the crossroads? That is the reality of Africa, where | | | | · More than 42 million people are infected |
| entire communities have been stripped of their | | | | with HIV/AIDS. |
| doctors, their nurses, their businessmen, and even | | | | · Over 20 million people have already died |
| their farmers. It is not an exaggeration to say that | | | | from HIV/AIDS. |
| parents are dying before they can pass farming skills | | | | · Everyday 14,000 people become newly |
| on to their children leaving behind a total generation | | | | infected with HIV. |
| who now do not know how to plant crops in order | | | | · Eastern Europe & Central Asia have |
| to feed themselves. Current life expectancy in | | | | the fastest growing HIV epidemics in the world. |
| countries like Zambia has dropped to under 30 years, | | | | · 95% of people with HIV live in the |
| over 50% of new infections are now young people, | | | | developing world. |
| and 66% of new infections are young women. While, | | | | Sub-Saharan Africa: |
| as Christians we should be compelled to act to help | | | | · Sub-Saharan Africa is the worst affected |
| our fellow human beings, it is also in our interests, as | | | | region in the world, where 29.4 million people are living |
| we will soon have a situation where young orphans | | | | with HIV/AIDS. |
| will wander aimlessly, homeless and hungry, with the | | | | · Approximately 3.5 million new infections |
| only obvious means of income being by resorting to | | | | occurred there in 2002, while the epidemic claimed |
| prostitution or burglary. With the accumulation of | | | | the lives of an estimated 2.4 million Africans in the |
| guns left over from the ongoing wars in the northern | | | | past year. |
| central and western nations reaching the equation, it | | | | · 77% of young people living with HIV/AIDS |
| will not be long before we have developed another | | | | are living in sub-Saharan Africa. |
| breeding grounds for terrorists. | | | | · The majority of persons living with HIV in |
| Nearly seven thousand Africans are now dying every | | | | sub-Saharan Africa (58%) are women. |
| day because of a preventable and a treatable | | | | · In four countries in sub-Saharan Africa, at |
| disease. The case against AIDS is not a humanitarian | | | | least one in four adults is now living with HIV/AIDS. |
| cause; it is in reality a medical emergency. In addition, | | | | · The fastest spread of HIV/AIDS among |
| to make it worse, the plague already has a | | | | youth is in Sub-Saharan Africa, where an estimated |
| twenty-year head start on whatever we are going | | | | 8.6 million youth (67% female) are infected. |
| to do. | | | | South Africa: |
| So, what can we do to prevent this meltdown into | | | | · South Africa is the country with the highest |
| an African apocalypse? | | | | number of people living with HIV/AIDS. An estimated |
| I will deal with the political dimension of how to deal | | | | 5 million people are infected with the epidemic. |
| with this crisis in next week's column. If you want to | | | | · One in 5 adults are living with HIV/AIDS. |
| help these suffering people now!, there is something | | | | · In 12 years, HIV prevalence rose from less |
| happening next week that will give you the | | | | than one per cent to more than 20%. |
| opportunity to pledge something towards the people | | | | |