HIV/AIDS conference to assess progress

As HIV/AIDS continues to take its toll on Zimbabwe, the government is organising the first national conference to assess what progress has been made in mitigating the effects of the disease. The forum, to be held between 15 and 18 June, is expected to draw about 500 participants locally and from abroad. Close to 4,000 people die of AIDS each week and an estimated 26 percent of Zimbabwe's 11.6 million people are infected with the virus that causes the disease. Health Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said the conference would also discuss the role of traditional medicine, nutrition, exercise and stress management in coping with the disease. "Delegates from the [southern African] region, who have excelled in the area of HIV/AIDS management, are expected to attend the conference so that Zimbabwe can learn from them," said Parirenyatwa. The country's plans to roll out antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to HIV positive people is expected to be high on the agenda. Nevirapine is currently available to expectant mothers in a few hospitals around the country for the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission. AIDS activists have complained that the criteria used to provide patients with ARVs was discriminatory, as it applied only to patients who were critically ill. Gordon Chavunduka, president of the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers' Association (Zinatha), told IRIN the conference would provide an opportunity for his association to raise awareness about the benefits of using traditional medicine to fight the disease. "It will give us the opportunity to talk publicly about things like how traditional medicines assist in suppressing AIDS symptoms. Apart from that, traditional medicine is cheaper and can prolong life," said Chavunduka.