PWAs march for Mwanawasa

Controversy marred last month's election victory by President Levy Mwanawasa, but he has won the backing of a large although politically marginalised constituency in Zambia - people living with AIDS (PWAs). After being sworn in last week, Mwanawasa said in a Reuters interview that HIV/AIDS was a national emergency and that he planned to lead the fight against the epidemic. "AIDS is a national disaster and it must be looked at it in that way," he said. "We will be examining all options on getting cheaper drugs to those of our people carrying the virus. We are encouraging national awareness." For Augustine Chella, vice president of the Network of Zambian People Living With HIV/AIDS, those were encouraging words. As a result, his organisation is planning a series of peaceful, nationwide demonstrations this month "in solidarity with [the president] and the stance he's taken". "Maybe we will have a voice in this government," he told PlusNews. Chella said he had been "disappointed" by the way politicians had mishandled HIV/AIDS during the general election campaign - either ignoring it, or choosing to debate whether HIV-positive presidential candidates should be forced to stand down. One in five Zambian adults has HIV/AIDS and an estimated 200 Zambians die each day from the disease. It has also left 650,000 orphans in its wake, according to government figures. Mwanawasa's recognition of the problem, in contrast to the relative silence of his predecessor, Frederick Chiluba, could make a difference. "But he needs to come out openly and talk about it," Chella said. He added that Zambia had "lost out" over a decision by Chiluba last month not to take a US $42 million loan package from the World Bank to fight the disease. The government argued it would have deepened the country's indebtedness. But according to Chella: "We should have taken it, because with that money we could have addressed some issues."