New campaign brings hope of a better future to OVC

Now that the hype surrounding this month's launch of a global campaign on HIV/AIDS and children by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and UNAIDS has subsided, Mozambique has started implementing the initiative that will benefit thousands of children affected by the pandemic. Government officials, the UN system and civil society organisations are working together, planning how to scale up activities to address four priorities in 2006: prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV; paediatric treatment; prevention of new infections; protection and support for orphaned and vulnerable children. Although these activities have been in place for some time, the results have been poor. For example, a single dose of Nevirapine, given to an HIV-positive pregnant woman just before labour, and a few drops administered to the newborn in the first 72 hours, halves the risk of HIV transmission. In 2004, there were an estimated 133,000 pregnant women living with HIV/AIDS in Mozambique, but only three percent received the medication, according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and the Ministry of Health. About 91,000 children under 15 are HIV-positive. "We have to do more for the welfare of our children," UNICEF Representative in Mozambique, Leila Pakkala, told IRIN. "We need to scale up, to be ambitious, and we must not lower our benchmarks." Apart from expanding the number of PMTCT sites, the campaign partners are also advocating for the introduction of HIV counselling and testing in the existing antenatal care programme. But for this to happen successfully, "we need to break the silence and stigma," Pakkala observed. An estimated 62,000 children are in need of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment; by mid 2005, only 1,226 children were receiving it. In addition, not enough children are getting Cotrimoxazole, a low-cost antibiotic that could almost halve child deaths from AIDS-related diseases. Cotrimoxazole treats malaria and pneumonia and costs only US $0.03 a day, but less than one percent of children living with HIV/AIDS access paediatric treatment. "We need to advocate globally for cheaper drugs for children - treatment for children is very expensive," Pakkala noted. "Communities, too, aren't aware that such treatment can be available for children, so a demand needs to be created." The campaign will also focus on the prevention of HIV infection among young people by expanding youth-friendly information and health services. Some 129,000 Mozambican girls and boys aged 15 to 19 are thought to be living with HIV/AIDS. With up to 326,000 children orphaned by AIDS, and more than 500,000 caring for sick family members, many children lack the support they need to stay in school, receive free healthcare and access other basic rights. The Minister of Women and Social Action, Virgília Matabele, noted that her ministry was developing a plan of action for children, with a special focus on orphans and vulnerable children, to support the campaign's four priorities. The five-year campaign, known as 'Unite for Children Unite Against AIDS', is part of a global campaign launched on 25 October by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman and UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot. "This campaign is not about one organisation leading and others following. It needs to be a movement, building a consensus and mobilising partners, in which children participate and in which we are listening to young people," said Pakkala. The start of the campaign coincided with the release of data by the health ministry showing that the HIV prevalence rate has risen from 14.9 percent to 16.2 percent over the past two years. First Lady Maria da Luz Dai Guebuza warned in a press release for the launch: "Mozambique is at a tipping point and the window of opportunity is closing rapidly. Children and young people affected by HIV/AIDS deserve more than inspiring words; they need leadership and concrete actions that will improve their lives."