Black Jesus
JF-Expert Member
- Mar 7, 2008
- 256
- 9
[h=1]Living with HIV in Tanzania[/h] There are more than 2 million Tanzanian people living with HIV. The national prevalence rate stands at 5.7%, which is down from 7% in 2004. Antiretrovirals (ARVs) are now available to all those testing positive and requiring such treatment, and they don't need to pay. This is a government entitlement to all living positively.
There is greater of awareness of the facts about HIV and Aids infection, its management and prevention, which has led to reduced stigmatisation; people can collect treatment in major health centres, and they are living longer because of the ARVs.
But for those older people caring for someone HIV positive, HelpAge is concerned that they remain vulnerable to infection because older people are excluded from prevention programmes, and may not have correct or appropriate information. In Tanzania, at least 40% of orphans and vulnerable children and 30% of people living with HIV and Aids are cared for by older people.
Life is getting better for people living positively. But the same cannot be said for older people and the under-15s: the national Aids-control programme focuses on those between 15 and 49, leaving out children under 15 and everyone over 50. But in our work we see many over-50s desperate for advice on HIV. As well as the risk of undiagnosed infection, older people without appropriate information often rely on traditional medicine. This is a problem as some traditional healers claim to have cures for Aids.
HIV-infection, and prevention, rates are also affected by gender-based violence, which remains high in the country, and access to adequate food particularly for older carers, and especially in rural areas, who are not included in food-security and income-generation activities.
But while ARVs are adding years to life, there is no planning for palliative care and support, beyond the drugs' effectiveness.
There is already significant improvement in Tanzania, but the MDG on HIV and Aids may not be achievable by 2015 if the budget for HIV and Aids is not increased and without strategic support for food.
The international community should persuade the Tanzanian government to put more money into HIV and Aids work and donors should include older people in national HIV and Aids surveys and have disaggregated data beyond 49 years
There is greater of awareness of the facts about HIV and Aids infection, its management and prevention, which has led to reduced stigmatisation; people can collect treatment in major health centres, and they are living longer because of the ARVs.
But for those older people caring for someone HIV positive, HelpAge is concerned that they remain vulnerable to infection because older people are excluded from prevention programmes, and may not have correct or appropriate information. In Tanzania, at least 40% of orphans and vulnerable children and 30% of people living with HIV and Aids are cared for by older people.
Life is getting better for people living positively. But the same cannot be said for older people and the under-15s: the national Aids-control programme focuses on those between 15 and 49, leaving out children under 15 and everyone over 50. But in our work we see many over-50s desperate for advice on HIV. As well as the risk of undiagnosed infection, older people without appropriate information often rely on traditional medicine. This is a problem as some traditional healers claim to have cures for Aids.
HIV-infection, and prevention, rates are also affected by gender-based violence, which remains high in the country, and access to adequate food particularly for older carers, and especially in rural areas, who are not included in food-security and income-generation activities.
But while ARVs are adding years to life, there is no planning for palliative care and support, beyond the drugs' effectiveness.
There is already significant improvement in Tanzania, but the MDG on HIV and Aids may not be achievable by 2015 if the budget for HIV and Aids is not increased and without strategic support for food.
The international community should persuade the Tanzanian government to put more money into HIV and Aids work and donors should include older people in national HIV and Aids surveys and have disaggregated data beyond 49 years
