Day: January 28, 2023

GENEVA — The U.N.’s main AIDS program says thousands of children are dying from HIV/AIDS because, unlike adults, they do not receive treatment for the deadly disease.

HIV/AIDS is no longer an automatic death sentence. People infected with the disease can live a normal lifespan, provided they receive treatment and care. Unfortunately, there is a glaring disparity between the way children and adults with HIV/AIDS are treated.

UNAIDS spokeswoman Charlotte Sector says 76 percent of adults have access to treatment but only half of children living with HIV are receiving lifesaving treatment. She says children account for 15 percent of all AIDS deaths, despite making up only four percent of all people living with the disease.

“Last year alone 160,000 children were infected with HIV," Sector said. "So, what is happening is that 12 countries are coming together in Africa because six countries in sub-Saharan Africa represent 50 percent of those new infections.”

She says a global alliance led by UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF has formed to close the huge gap. She says 12 African countries have joined the alliance. Sector says health ministers from eight countries will launch the initiative next week in Tanzania.

“So, not only is it getting children on treatment, but it is mostly trying to stop vertical transmission," Sector said. "Now what is vertical transmission? It is the mother passing on HIV during pregnancy, during delivery or during breast feeding because most of those transmissions are taking place during breastfeeding.”

Spector says efforts to contain the spread of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa mainly have been centered on getting adults on treatment, as the main transmitters of the virus. In the process, however, she says the needs of children have been overlooked.

“So, what happens is suddenly there is a realization that we have forgotten all these children, and there is a forgotten generation of children," Sector said. "So now, there has been a scramble to kind of close that faucet, if I may say, of getting to the children before they are even born or after they are born.”

The global alliance will run for the next eight years until 2030. During that period, it aims to close the treatment gap for pregnant and breastfeeding adolescent girls and women living with HIV, prevent and detect new HIV infections, provide access to testing and treatment, and end the social barriers that hinder access to services.

Source: Voice of America

GAUTENG (South Africa), South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has confirmed a new outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) on a farm in Gauteng.

The department said the farm has been put under quarantine and the Provincial Veterinary Services instituted forward and back-tracing investigations to identify any properties that could have had direct or indirect contact with the affected farm.

The department said the source of the infection on the farm has not yet been identified, but “it is believed that the infection was already on the farm from mid-December”.

“Farms in Gauteng, North West and Free State have been placed under precautionary quarantine as a result of this. The ASF status of these farms will be confirmed before precautionary quarantine can be lifted,” the department said in a statement on Friday.

Outbreaks of swine fever started in the previously ASF free areas of South Africa in 2019 and these outbreaks eventually affected many areas of the country.

The department noted that the spread of the disease seems to have slowed down, with less new properties becoming infected since October 2022.

“Control measures are based on quarantine and movement controls, with awareness drives to highlight essential biosecurity measures to enable pig owners to prevent infection of their pigs. This outbreak of ASF on a farm with good biosecurity measures in place again illustrates that the virus is highly contagious,” the department said.

The department has reiterated its call to all pig farmers and pig keepers to only buy pigs directly from known healthy herds, and to prevent contact between their pigs and other pigs or wildlife.

Visitors have also been discouraged from coming into the area where pigs are being kept.

“Anyone who has contact with pigs should wash their hands before and after handling the pigs. Before moving to other farms, one should ensure that they have thoroughly showered and to only use clean clothes, shoes, and equipment,” the department said.

The department has also emphasised that ASF is a controlled disease in terms of the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act 35 of 1984), “which means that all cases or suspicion of ASF must be reported to the State veterinary services”.

“Pig owners are encouraged to be extra vigilant and to report any increased pig deaths or unusual symptoms to the local State veterinary office. All pig owners are also reminded that Section 11 of the Animal Diseases Act makes every animal keeper responsible to prevent the spread of disease from their animals or land to other properties.

“The importance of biosecurity is again emphasised, both to protect your own animals, and to prevent the inadvertent spread to other pigs. Veterinarians are urged to rule out ASF whenever there is increased mortality on a farm,” the department advised.

Source: Nam News Network

PRETORIA, South Africa says it appreciates the European Union’s (EU) continued support of the development cooperation aligned to the National Development Plan (NDP) and the backing it received during the COVID-19 pandemic and the creation of the local mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub.

“This support and partnership enhance Africa’s own capacities,” the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, said.

These were Pandor’s opening remarks during the 15th South Africa-European Union Ministerial Dialogue, currently underway in Pretoria. Pandor was speaking alongside EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Joseph Borrell.

“I hope that during our engagement today we will be able to review all the opportunities for enhancing two-way trade and increasing investment under the existing bilateral and multilateral frameworks,” she said.

“We also greatly appreciate the EU partnership at the regional level and continental level, which through our strategic partnership, can also be enhanced to be more effective.”

She told delegates that the bilateral engagements and events on Thursday, 26 January 2022, were most productive and successful.

These include the ceremonial signing of a number of partnerships, most notably the South Africa-European Union Multi-Annual Indicative Programme; the centrepiece of the strategic relationship between the country and the union, and an integral instrument in the EU’s support for South Africa’s development priorities.

According to the Minister, the delegates also spoke about peace and security issues and developments.

“Our discussions will no doubt contribute to how we seek to address all these pressing challenges through our various levels of engagement including at the United Nations (UN) with our shared commitment to multilateralism, democratic principles and the Rule of Law,” she said, adding that strengthening the UN system is a priority.

“For the first time, the various engagements under the Strategic Partnership are taking place as they were meant to be synchronised.”

She said the parties will soon receive feedback on the South Africa-EU Joint Cooperation Council (JCC), which took place in South Africa on 7 December 2022.

This comes after several decisions were taken to reflect current realities and priorities.

The delegates also discussed the preparations for the 8th South Africa-European Union Summit, which South Africa will host in the first half of 2023.

The summit will touch on political and security cooperation; cooperation in international fora; trade and investment as well as financial flows.

“Regarding the latter issue, South Africa appreciates the technical assistance received from the EU related to the possible greylisting of South Africa by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).”

This is after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed two Acts in December 2022, which it is hoped will assist the country make progress to avoid such a greylisting, which Pandor believes would have disastrous consequences.

Pandor said she also looks forward to addressing global and local challenges, focusing on the Just Energy Transition, Green Hydrogen, health, education, science, technology and innovation.

“All the agenda items are relevant to the strategic partnership including its newer areas of engagement. EU support in these areas can help move South Africa forward on a path of sustainable development.”

Source: Nam News Network