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Do Not Go To Sleep: The Silent Killer "HIV/AIDS" is Evident in Our Nation BY J 'Funso Odesola Zambia FEBRUARY
2004
AFRICA STATISTICSIt
is estimated that as many as 15million African children could be
orphaned by the year 2000 because of AIDS related diseases. (WHO 1996) 44%
of Zambia’s professional are said to be HIV positive. (Doctor for
Life, 1997) Life expectancy reduction projection for Africa due to Aids Zambia
from 66 to 33 years; Kenya
from 68 to 40 years; Uganda
from 59 to 31 years; Zimbabwe
from 70 to 40 years; Malawi
from 66 to 29 years; (National Research Council, Washington DC December
1995) The
average life span in Africa is usually between 3-7 years after
infection, however, some HIV – infected live healthily for 10 years or
longer. AIDS is Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome and it is a killer. What
does AIDS look like? It looks like any common disease ... flu, fever,
and pneumonia, cancer. AIDS can be anything in the body cannot fight.
AIDS… thrives on: Attitudes, Ignorance, Discrimination, Sex and
silence.
WHILE THE GIANT SLEEPS SUBTLE KILLER ENTERIn
brief
More
than one in 20 Nigerian adults are infected with the HIV virus,
according to new statistics published last year on World Aids Day.
The
United Nations says 95% of HIV sufferers live in poor countries,
particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where infection rates will rise
faster because of inadequate health systems, poverty and limited access
to new drugs. The
virus is most prevalent in eastern and southern Africa, where the
disease has orphaned millions of children.
But
the new findings on Nigeria - the most comprehensive survey into the
spread of the HIV virus in Africa's most populous country - concludes
there is a growing HIV epidemic in Nigeria which will have a major
social and economic impact.
A
report accompanying the findings says that an estimated 5.4% of adult
Nigerians now have the virus which leads to the disease Aids. It
concludes that about 2.6m adult Nigerians have the HIV virus and that
this number will rise to 4.9m in the year 2004.
Because
of its huge population, Nigeria has far more people who are HIV positive
than any other West African country, but it also has double the rate of
infection of nearby countries like Benin, Chad and Niger. According
to this report, there is still a window of opportunity for Nigeria to
prevent the dramatic spread of the HIV virus. But that window is closing
rapidly.
Its
findings are based on a survey of more than 20,000 pregnant Nigerian
women, which was carried out by the government with help from the World
Health Organisation. Infection
rates are relatively high amongst the youngest women surveyed and
already this report says the HIV virus is spreading at an explosive rate
in some parts of Nigeria.
In
the central state of Benue for instance, 21% of adults are estimated to
be HIV positive. Another
document from the National Intelligence Council (NIC) this
year makes predictions about the course and implications of the HIV/AIDS
pandemic over the next eight years. It states that the number of people
with HIV/AIDS will grow significantly by the end of the decade. The
increase will be driven by the spread of the disease in five populous
countries—Nigeria, Ethiopia, Russia, India, and China. This estimate
eclipses the projected 30 to 35 million cases by the end of the decade
in central and southern Africa, the current focal point of the pandemic.
The report projects that these five countries will be critical in that numbers of people with HIV/AIDS will grow drastically and their governments will not be able to adequately respond. It outlines the reason behind growing infection rates in each country but states that governments are not making HIV/AIDS enough of a priority. Social, political and military implications are projected to be different in each country: Ø
Nigeria and Ethiopia - both keys to
regional stability- will suffer severe economic impacts and governments
will be strained. Ø
Increased rates in Russia will exacerbate
the population decline and severe health problems already plaguing the
country, creating even greater difficulty for Russia to rebound
economically. These trends may spark tensions over spending priorities
and sharpen military manpower shortages. Ø Although not a fundamental threat to India and China's status as major regional players, the disease will add to the complex problems faced by their leaders. Having
being following what is going on in my home country for sometimes now,
as someone who lives in Zambia part of Sub-Saharan Africa the home of
75% of World HIV/AIDS where one actual witness the reality of the
Monster called HIV/AIDS. Therefore in my own opinion I suppose that our
Government at various levels should put more effort in the awareness and
fighting against HIV/AIDS. Appreciation to the WHO and various
organizations that have being working on this epidemic that wanted to
wipe out the whole generation, however, much is yet to be done,
especially on the part of Nigeria Government or else we would be in
terrible danger considering our population. The reality of HIV/AIDS is
with us here, the message is clear; sleeping around has always been
unhealthy, now it can be suicidal. HIV/AIDS is reality in the adult
lives; especially Doctors, Nurses and youth of our time are becoming
sexually active. The question is; in the near future will the Government
of Nigeria able to raise their head high and be proud of the way they
responded to this challenge. Let alone the racial change of life style
in our dynamic society; which may not help those already infected,
however, our hope remains in the understanding this strange virus so we
can fight it. Things are moving fast and as the time you have red up to
this point in Africa alone eight people would have been infected.
Therefore it will be in the interest of Nigerian people posterity both
now and future for this regime to make difference. To this end here are
some proposal: Assessment
the extent of this Problem in the Nation/States: With
the cooperation of WHO in Nigeria we could get it right, because the
Government do not need to squander resources on the problems that does
not exist or being exaggerated, however, we needed an adjustment our
plans on budget to address specifically this issue of HIV/AIDS epidemic
that is becoming worse on daily basis in our society. As we plan for
educational budget this should also be taken into consideration because
education alone does not reduce the spread of the virus. There suppose
to be a deliberate effort to fight this epidemic in our budget or else
it may be a mere lip service and this should not be left with the
Doctor, Nurses or Social workers alone but the President, Ministers,
Governors, Legislators (Federal and States), all local Government Chair
persons, councillors, Church leaders, Imams and every sector of our
society. Campaigns
should be target people at risk
Focus
campaign needs to be aimed at the alcoholic addict and drug addict
population of major cities where alcoholic and drug is a problem. These
are prime target for HIV/AIDS spread in the near future. In addition, a
further campaign needs to be aimed at all men who have had sex with
either men or those who have had sex outside their marriage. Ø
Youth need to be
targeted before they begin taken risks. Half
of all new HIV infections are those who are younger than twenty-five
years old, so prevention must start young. However, surveys show that
those changing behaviour the most as a result of campaigns are those who
would likely anyway to be settling down, changing partners less
frequently[1]. Those at the firing ling are the young people. Every year especially like our country without a reliable statistics of the age of puberty falls a little more for reasons, which are unclear, although it is related to increasing body weight in girls. At the same time the age of settling down is being effectively pushed in other direction, with longer training and apprenticeship and changing social pressures. A twelve years old boy and girl may be experiencing strong urges to explore sex at a time when they are incapable of working out a stable adult relationship. Ø
AIDS generation is
growing up In
Africa 1 in 5 of every person is infected if the statistics put forward
is correct then it could be a reflection for Nigeria the (Giant of
Africa). The high rates of the infection are among the heterosexual
especially those who have injected drugs. But AIDS is preventable
illness and very expensive to treat. The cost of prevention is much less
than the cost of ignoring prevention event to the government. With the
epidemic out of control in most of the world, our young people need to
be prepared urgently to live in an AIDS world without dying … but what
have we done about it? What do we say and how do we put it across?
It
is far easier to prevent risk-taking behaviour before it becomes a life
of habit, than afterwards. Travellers abroad also need targeting. In
some countries travellers may be several hundred times more likely to
become infected from a casual sexual encounter than in country like
Nigeria
There
should be research/ debate over where HIV/AIDS should fall in the plan
of teaching in School. Should it be part of sex education and a
compulsory part of science curriculum or through other means? The
Federal Minister of Education and all Commissioner of Education in
States should sound out the parents, teachers and propriet (ors)/(resses)
before a specific policy on the matter.
Government campaigns will be insufficient without continued high-profile publicity for a prolonged period afterwards, education is easy, changing behaviour is extremely difficult. Involvement of Health EducatorsThe
argument for teaching prevention is overwhelming. After all, a human
life is worth more than a few thousand of Naira. Moving around the
school and colleges, by an effective communicator can save hundred of
live a year. One important factor has been left out most of the school
in Nigeria information packs and is also missing from youth education:
the personal factor. It is almost useless for a teacher to spend an hour
just telling the facts. Young people are bored rigid with facts. Where
is the action? Who is actually dying? Is there any one dying at all? It
is all an empty scare story. The health workers/ educators I suppose via
WHO will have concrete example from the current of HIV/AIDS infected
patient in the country and possibly they may also know personally those
who have died of AIDS or people who are dying right now.
The
asset an educator needs to have is the credibility that comes from
personal experience, even only to say that he/she has visited an AIDS
patient or ward if any exist would be a tremendous help in earning the
attention of the students
More
health educator needs to speak to schoolchildren over the age of eleven
and twelve years. It needs to happen soon, these health workers/educator
should go to colleges, universities, factories, workshops, bars, clubs,
leisure centres, churches, mosques, youth groups, housing projects and
wherever people congregate. Of course they should go in with permission
of those in charge, with a high-impact, short message – like the
person you are sitting next to right now may well be positive and all
you have in ten years or so time may have been to an AIDS funeral. I am
telling you could you be so sure that none or someone around you is
postive without him/herself known about it – unless something changes
drastically. Training Programme for Health related WorkersHIV/AIDS
is one of the fasted spreading diseases that this generation ever known,
never in history has there any disease that spread so quickly. The
existing units may soon been under strain with conflicting demand from
patients and from the need to train more health workers/Carers
particularly for this programme. The
explosion of HIV/AIDS cases in many countries and the rapid-changing
appearance of the diseases – with the new treatment and research
likely to make most knowledge obsolete in few years – means that a
vast crash training programme need to be established. If every week
terrorists blew off civilian aircraft on the domestic flight killing 250
Nigerian citizens, a national state of emergency will be declared and
many of the 1st world nations will be call for help. Why
should not Nigeria Government treat the HIV/AIDS epidemic with the same
seriousness? After all, possibly about the same number are doomed every
week in Nigeria alone through new HIV infections. This we can hardly
notice now because of our population and perhaps because of our cold
silence on the matter but given time, it may have adverse effect on the
whole country. Ask for the Help of Special Advisory TeamGovernment
at every level in Nigeria should fund without delay full- fledged
multi-disciplinary teams to advise and support health /care workers in
the community and in the hospitals in high-incidence areas, as well as
giving constantly giving advice to families and friends. One aim is to
channel the latest information and techniques on treatment from current
research to those in the field. Each team could comprise one full-time
Doctor, one qualified nurse and one auxiliary nurse and one other worker
depending on what the government can fund. Working in Association with the Religious CircleThe
church is the largest non-government in Nigeria, which is also true
Globally. With its many branches and groupings, it represents a massive
untapped resource. In country like ours that has a long history of care
and provision. Government at every level should actively seek
partnership programmes. The church and Mosque represents not only an
effective resource organization, but also a powerful influence for
behaviour change. The essential government task is to provide overall
strategy, leadership and coordination. The epidemic of AIDS is too great
for government or secular agencies to solve in their own; the twin has
to work together for a lasting solution. Urgent Long-term Research at the International/National LevelGovernment
and international agencies need to fund further major research into
vaccines, cures and better ways to prevent spread. Incentives need to be
provided to encourage drug companies though one is not unaware of so
many fake, callous and greedy Nigerian business/Academician who are
using that to pile up for vanity. However, a careful scrutiny could be
done to know how to direct research fund to the appropriate quarters
towards the vaccines. Why can Nigeria not be part of the solution to the
world problem? A
comprehensive study of marriage is greatly overdue: what make a happy
marriage, how to chose the right partner and how to prevent breakdown.
Result can be fed to the schools’ education programmes on AIDS, sex
education and counselling. The
future of Nigeria is in our hands; whatever we can do it should be NOW.
Together we can help build a better place for those who come after us.
We are too late to prevent a disaster, but not too late to prevent an
even bigger one. Bibliography Botchwey, K. 2001. 'AIDS and
Development' Theme paper for Africa Development Forum Addis Ababa,
December 2000, ADF Secretariat, Economic Commission for Africa. Cok, F et al., 2001. "Turkish
University Students' sexual behaviour, knowledge, attitudes, and
perception of risk related to HIV/AIDS Culture, Health and Sexuality 3
(1) 81 - 100. Goliber, T. J. 1997. Population and
Reproductive Health in Sub-Saharan Africa PRB 52 (4), Washington, DC. Hiebert,
P. G., 1994. Anthropological Reflections on Missiological Issues,
Grand Rapids, MI., Baker Books, Hiebert,
P. G., 1997. Cultural Anthropology, Grand Rapids, MI., Baker Books, International Labour organization;
2001. HIV/AIDS in Africa: The Impact on the world of work. Document for
Africa Development Form 2000, Geneva, ILO Office. Kelly M. J. 2001. Challenging the
Challenger: Understanding as Expanding the response of Universities in
Africa to HIV (AIDS) ADEA working Group on Higher Education, Washington
D.C. M.
Angulu Onwuejogwu, 1992. The Social Anthropology of Africa; An
Introduction, Ibadan, Nigeria, Heinemann Educational Books Plc, Stanecki, K. A., 2000. The AIDS Pandemic in the 21st Century: The Demographic Impact in Developing Centuries: Paper presented at the xiiith International AIDS conference Durban, South Africa, 9 - 14 July 2000 (Processed). UNAIDS, June 2000. Report on the
Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic Geneva; UNAIDS. UNAIDS; December 2000. AIDS Epidemic
Update: Geneva UNAIDS. http://www.photius.com/wfb2000/Countries/Nigeria Dr
J Funso Odesola Wings
Zambia
91A
Mutandwa Road (Roma) P
O Box RW 50838 Lusaka
Zambia +260-1-293652,
95-749354, 97-749354 odesolajohnson@hotmail.com;
odesolajf@yahoo.co.uk rccg@zamtel.zm
Dr Johnson Odesola a Nigerian, a Missiologist/Anthropologist
also the Chairman of NGO called WINGS Zambia. He holds BA (Honour)
degree in theology from Greenwich School of Theology London, Mth in
Missiology/Anthropology from Queen University of Belfast, a PhD in
Christian Education from Ashland University and another PhD in
Intercultural Studies from Trinity International University. He resides
in Zambia, from where he is contributing to fighting against HIV/AIDS
and other vices prevalent in the continent of Africa.
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