South Sudan government to scale up HIV awareness campaign
April 18, 2011 (JUBA) – Across the ten states of South Sudan 116,000 people have been affected by the incurable disease, according to the findings reported to the Council of Ministers on Friday by the region’s vice president, Riek Machar, who was also assisted by the chairperson of the independent HIV/AIDS commission.
The UN estimated the adult prevalence rate of HIV in 2009 in Sudan to be 1.1%; 43rd highest in the world.
According to a press statement issued by the official spokesperson and minister of information, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, it is crucial that public awareness about the disease is increased. Western Equatoria state was reported to have been affected with the highest number of patients, followed by Central Equatoria and Eastern Equatoria states.
The commission said the fight against the disease has not been effective because of financial constraints. The level of awareness created among the populous in the region, which has a low literacy rate, has not also been sufficient.
The commission planned to treat over 46,000 people while it has currently put under treatment care only 2,600. Over 3,000 orphans have also been identified to have lost their parents due to the disease.
The cabinet meeting chaired by president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, after deliberating on the report, has approved over SDG34 million (US$12.7 million) to the HIV/AIDS commission to scale up the awareness campaign in the region, establish more counselling and testing centres as well as to try to provide medical care to the patients.
South Sudan will also send a delegation to a conference on HIV/AIDS which will take place in New York from 8-10 June 2011 in order to solicit more international support on the fight against the killer disease.
(ST)
Bol Deng
South Sudan government to scale up HIV awareness campaign
Bad news,
The spread of HIV in WEs, CEs, and EES is not a good sign.
May God help our people.
SPLA
South Sudan government to scale up HIV awareness campaign
The leaders of Equatoria states need to come up with new strategy to contain HIV. There would be nobody left for federation in Equatoria if the leadership of these states do not stop the spread of HIV very soon.
Mr. SPLA
maumau
South Sudan government to scale up HIV awareness campaign
The people who spread HIV/AIDS in the Greater Equatoria are Dinka SPLA soldiers who contracted the disease from foreign prostitutes who are living in the region. If proper survey is done, you will find that three quarter of the HIV/AIDS victims are either SPLA soldiers with their partners or the victims had sex with Dinka soldiers. This is an indication that, we will lose half of our soldiers in the next ten years and it is worse for those who don`t enough food to eat. Luckily though we have food and fruits in Equatoria to prolong lives of victims living in Equatoria. At this point, i thank the government for this initiative of awareness and then support to the victims. Let us join hands brothers and sisters to help victims of HIV/AIDS in our country by reasuring them and giving them help inform of food. MAUMAU
Deng Bornyang
South Sudan government to scale up HIV awareness campaign
@ MAUMAU.
That is not the right thing for you to say rather the SPLA composed of all tribes I,m not a DINKA but all i know is that the all population of Southern Sudan is still ignorant about the previalence of the disease.
It is niether EQUARORIANS nor the DINKAS. Every tribe is ignorant becuase if your people are aware of HIV why did they accept to have un safe sex with the strangers.
This is tragidy stop pointing fingers at others insteady we should look for the solution collectively to solve the problem or reduce the infection rate.
I hope you understand.
mathem jech amer
South Sudan government to scale up HIV awareness campaign
Big_logic-Boy & his likes
You guys were complaining that states controlled by Dinkas suffered a lot of HIV infections. Can you read now aboutr all Equatoria states suffereing from this disease.
Hidden truth had been revealed.
Adviser
South Sudan government to scale up HIV awareness campaign
Ithinks 1.1% is not the real figure if study was taken serously.
One our communities are so ignorance and it is Goverment challenges to educate people with disease.
The strategies are to involve Civil society Orgabisation , Fiath Based Gruop for the action to be realised,. I don,t see HIV/AIDS commision are transparent to handle that money efficiently and effectively.
They fail to do any thing despite alot of Money being alloacted to Commision by GOSS some years back.
I doubt commision, they are centralising the project then allowing every body to participate.
Adviser