North-South Corridor urged to address HIV/AIDS
By Pelekelo Liswaniso
WE ARE happy with the efforts of our leaders in Southern African Development Community (SADC), East African Community (EAC) and Comesa to open up these regional groupings and strengthen integration among people under the North-South Corridor, as this will enhance development and reduce poverty.
We are, however, worried that as much as this development is desirable, the resultant effects of such integration could worsen the HIV/AIDS epidemic which is ravaging the three sub-regions.
The bottlenecks in infrastructure, particularly the roads and rail systems, once improved, will result in quicker flow of trade and consequently, the people too, will find it easier to cross from one country to another.
The much-needed economic activities will be enhanced and this is critical especially in the wake of the world-wide economic meltdown. But while our leaders find funds and ways to harmonise policies and regulations including infrastructure development, they should also pay attention to curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS that may increase due to deepened integration.
We agree with Britain’s Minister of State, Gareth Thomas, who said last week in Lusaka that there was need for the sub-region to invest more in the fight against HIV/AIDS while developing the North-South Corridor project.
Mr Thomas made the call during a transport, HIV/AIDS and health roundtable discussion organised by UK’s Department of International Development.
It is with this understanding that, as much as we welcome the North-South project, we hope that clear measures will also be taken into account to combat the epidemic as we develop the region’s infrastructure.
Obviously, human traffic along the corridor is bound to increase with improved policies but this can also have negative consequences as it may trigger more problems associated with HIV/AIDS.
Furthermore, there is a general assumption and perception that truck drivers are spreading HIV and STIs and although little data is available to support this assertion, researchers say increased mobility is one of the drivers of HIV/AIDS.
We therefore urge our leaders, donors and other partners to critically look at the problem of HIV/AIDS and plan for its inclusion as they come up with packages including funding for the North-South Corridor.
The corridor is intended to uplift the living standards of the people and it would be a futile exercise if the same population the project is aimed at assisting is imperiled further by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
WE ARE happy with the efforts of our leaders in Southern African Development Community (SADC), East African Community (EAC) and Comesa to open up these regional groupings and strengthen integration among people under the North-South Corridor, as this will enhance development and reduce poverty.
We are, however, worried that as much as this development is desirable, the resultant effects of such integration could worsen the HIV/AIDS epidemic which is ravaging the three sub-regions.
The bottlenecks in infrastructure, particularly the roads and rail systems, once improved, will result in quicker flow of trade and consequently, the people too, will find it easier to cross from one country to another.
The much-needed economic activities will be enhanced and this is critical especially in the wake of the world-wide economic meltdown. But while our leaders find funds and ways to harmonise policies and regulations including infrastructure development, they should also pay attention to curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS that may increase due to deepened integration.
We agree with Britain’s Minister of State, Gareth Thomas, who said last week in Lusaka that there was need for the sub-region to invest more in the fight against HIV/AIDS while developing the North-South Corridor project.
Mr Thomas made the call during a transport, HIV/AIDS and health roundtable discussion organised by UK’s Department of International Development.
It is with this understanding that, as much as we welcome the North-South project, we hope that clear measures will also be taken into account to combat the epidemic as we develop the region’s infrastructure.
Obviously, human traffic along the corridor is bound to increase with improved policies but this can also have negative consequences as it may trigger more problems associated with HIV/AIDS.
Furthermore, there is a general assumption and perception that truck drivers are spreading HIV and STIs and although little data is available to support this assertion, researchers say increased mobility is one of the drivers of HIV/AIDS.
We therefore urge our leaders, donors and other partners to critically look at the problem of HIV/AIDS and plan for its inclusion as they come up with packages including funding for the North-South Corridor.
The corridor is intended to uplift the living standards of the people and it would be a futile exercise if the same population the project is aimed at assisting is imperiled further by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
posted by aydpels @ 4:05 AM
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