Smart move to curb HIV/Aids countrywide

SYLIVESTER DOMASA in Dodoma

THE Government yesterday released an ambitious roadmap to curb the national spread of AIDS by getting more people tested and treated sooner in a new attempt to turn the tide of the epidemic before 2030.

Launching the fourth national multi-sectoral strategic framework for HIV and AIDS plan (HSHSP IV 2017-2022) Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elders and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu, said the new plan is to reach out to the entire population in the country.

“We want everyone to understand their HIV status. This is the only option that will help end the fight against AIDs,” she said. With the global target set for 2030 to end HIV and AIDs, the UN approved a 2020 plan targeting 90 per cent of people living with HIV diagnosed, 90 percent of diagnosed people on antiretroviral treatment and 90 percent of people in treatment with fully suppressed viral load.

But figures in Tanzania speaks different. The minister says 48 percent of the population of people living with HIV and AIDs do not know their status. “We’re doing well on the other 90 percent but it can be better if the first 90 percent is met,” she said.

According to the government the new strategy is to reach out to every populous place including football matches, music concerts such as fiestas and other programmes that bring together huge crowds. “We will not force people to test forHIV but we will make sure there are facilities everywhere for people to understand their status,” she said.

President John Magufuli has agreed to back-up the strategy. Ms Mwalimu said the ministry also is discussing with the Attorney General (AG) to review the HIV and AIDs (Prevention and Control) Act, 2008 to allow a young girl above 15 years to test for HIV without consent from their parents.

“We’re also looking at the possibility that the law should allow individuals to get HIV test kits and test on their own,” she said this will encourage a lot more to seek medical help after knowing their status. The minister said during the Financial Year 2018/19, the government has apportioned 5.3bil/- to buy medicine chiefly the variety needed by people living with HIV and AIDs.

“We have also approved 3bil/- for the National AIDs Trust Fund under the Tanzania Commission for AIDs (TACAIDS),” she noted. As the plan gets momentum, the government has also decided that 50 percent of all the health centres that were initially cited as alternative to Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCTs) should fully offer VCT service come December this year.

Should the plan materialize, this will bring the number of VCT to 2,800 while half of the alternative centres (1,700) will be ready to serve people with HIV and AIDs. The new strategy launched yesterday targets ending stigma and discrimination which expert says kills and discourages people especially men seeking medical help.

Ms Mwalimu says the new strategy will look and improve cultural barriers that hinder the fight against Aids.

United Nations agency for HIV and AIDs (UNAIDs) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) representatives lauded the government initiatives for fighting the aids but called for more actions to meet the global target.