Somalis urged to avert HIV/AIDS epidemic

Somalia has an opportunity to become one of the few countries in sub-Saharan Africa to avert an HIV/AIDS epidemic of major proportions, UN agencies said.

The latest prevalence survey for Somalia indicated an HIV prevalence rate among women attending antenatal clinics of around 0.9 percent, which was relatively low compared with other countries in the region, the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the UN Children's Fund and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said in a joint statement issued to mark World AIDS Day.

Citing the theme for World AIDS Day 2005 - Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise - the UN agencies urged Somalia and its partners to combat HIV/AIDS at personal, religious, community, organisational and governmental levels.

"Women, media, youth, men, religious leaders, business people, political leaders and professionals all have a unique strength that they bring to the fight against AIDS," said Elballa Hagona, UNDP Somalia country director and chair of the UN theme group on HIV/AIDS.

"Together with the local authorities, UN agencies, local and international NGOs and community-based organisations - and especially religious leaders - a critical opportunity exists to generate a society-wide response to HIV/AIDS. Such unity is crucial to ensure a continuum of prevention, treatment, care and support with the common goal of keeping infection low," he added.

Confronting AIDS was a crucial task for Somalia's Transitional Federal Government, the agencies said, urging the administration to mobilise society so that the youth, women and girls who are most vulnerable were equipped to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS.

The UN country team and partners have sought resources through the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, the British Department for International Development and other sources which were now being used in a multifaceted approach to combat the pandemic.

Among the significant achievements has been the launch of HIV/AIDS commissions in northwestern Somalia (Somaliland) and northeastern Somalia (Puntland).

The commissions were intended to increase and improve coordination for the prevention, treatment, care and support of those infected with and affected by HIV.

Plans were underway to create a coordinating structure for central/south Somalia, the agencies added.

"One of the major challenges is the need to break the silence and address the denial which has surrounded HIV/AIDS," said Leo Kenny, UNAIDS country coordinator for Somalia.

"It is vital that HIV/AIDS becomes visible, stigma is challenged and people living with HIV/AIDS are encouraged to be open about their status and are free to continue contributing to community life. This requires visionary leadership and significant individual courage."

"Keeping infection low won't happen unless we break the back of stigma and discrimination and address the needs of the most vulnerable groups and mobile populations," Kenny added.