The New York Times

Monday, September 13, 1999

Africa Seeks New AIDS Approaches

By The Associated Press

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) -- Delegates at Africa's largest AIDS conference began work today on forging a greater commitment by governments to combat the spread of the AIDS virus across a continent that accounts for two-thirds of the world's infections.

Peter Piot, head of the U.N. AIDS program, said the work of his organization has been hindered by a lack of money and support from world nations.

``But I see hope. I see a growing awareness of this massive development catastrophe requiring an emergency response,'' he said.

In 15 years, AIDS has killed 11 million Africans -- more than 80 percent of the world AIDS deaths. The epidemic, infecting five Africans every two minutes, is the main burden to the largely impoverished continent's growth and development, organizers of the U.N.-sponsored meeting say.

Past efforts to combat AIDS have focused on medical aspects and the distant prospects of finding cost-effective treatment and cures for AIDS-related illness.

The four-day Lusaka meeting, which has attracted thousands of delegates, researchers, social workers and AIDS sufferers, seeks a stronger political response to the economic impact of AIDS deaths among Africa's most productive people and the care of millions of AIDS orphans.

After an opening ceremony Sunday, delegates to the 11th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Africa today began discussing their theme, ``Looking into the Future,'' with meetings on how to strengthen links between AIDS organizations, government health services and political leaders.

``There is an urgent need for all African countries to immediately declare AIDS a national disaster,'' said Linda Francis, an AIDS activist from Zimbabwe.

Activists asked African governments to redefine their priorities and allocate more resources to health needs.

In a message to the conference on Sunday, Zambia's president, Frederick Chiluba, said he hoped the meeting would lead to ``discernible changes'' in AIDS policies.

AIDS in Zambia ``has spared very few families. It is tearing at the very fabric of our society,'' he said.

U.N. statistics show Zambia and neighbors Botswana and Zimbabwe have up to 25 percent of adults infected with the virus that causes AIDS.

Katele Kalumba, a physician and former Zambian health minister, said it was estimated that if present infection rates were not stemmed, as many as half of Zambian girls now aged 15 could be expected to be infected with the virus in coming years.

AIDS has already reduced life expectancy in southern Africa by an average of 17 years, from the early 60s to the mid-40s, he said.

The cost of drugs to relieve the suffering of AIDS victims before their inevitable death, caring for the sick, and traditional African funerals were the foremost threat to Africa's food production in rural communities and the continent's growth in general.

``Many Africans are spending more time tending the bodies of the sick than tending their fields,'' he said.