SHOCKING
20% TANZANIA ASIANS HAVE AIDS
By Lina Lorentz
It has been estimated that 20 per cent of the Asian community in
Tanzania is HIV/AIDS infected; which would make 10,000 of the projected 50,000
Asians in Tanzania HIV positive.
According to a various doctors in Dar es Salaam, who preferred anonymity, the
figure is on the rise. Contrary to popular belief, the number of HIV infected
people follows the overall pattern in Sub-Saharan Africa, where it is estimated
that over 20 per cent of the people carry the virus.
Following a blood screening campaign in 1997, it was revealed that three to five
per cent of the Asian community were HIV positive, but that figure is no longer
relevant, according to the doctors The Express spoke to.
The government acknowledges it is difficult to establish the impact of HIV/AIDS
on different sections of society, economy or the overall development, but argues
there is sufficient evidence the impact of AIDS is already felt in many if not
most sections of the society.
Even though the Asian community is not more affected by HIV than any other
community in Tanzania, many fear that the stigmatisation and taboo related to
the disease prevailing in the community could have devastating effects.
According to the Tanzanian government, the general climate of stigma and
discrimination surrounding HIV/AIDS and the continued resistance by important
segments of society (e.g. religious organisations) provide the background for
the continued spread of the virus.
Few HIV positive in the Asian community reveal their status, commented Dr. Z. G.
Abbas, a consultant physician in Dar es Salaam. Despite the fact that everybody
knows how the disease is transmitted and what precautions one should take,
compared to other communities, its members are very secretive and few are
willing to speak about it.
“We have been hiding away from discussing sex and sexual matters within our
congregation (jamat); I am surprised over how high the figure is, but it is
possible,” said one Muslim organisation leader on condition of anonymity.
“If we do not address it now, we are headed for even worse statistics – perhaps
you in the media can help us. Our leadership has a very old fashioned manner and
that will eventually catch up with us and let us down as Muslims,” he continued.
Many of the infected live with the disease in denial and if they seek a doctor’s
consultation, they contact doctors from outside their community or doctors who
they can trust and who won’t reveal who they are treating and for what reasons.
Some even travel abroad to seek medial treatment there.
Figures of 2002 reveal only about 150,000 AIDS cases have been reported
officially in Tanzania since the discovery of the first case. The Ministry of
Health estimates that only one out of five cases gets reported.
The majority of the people who get the disease are infected via heterosexual
activities. It is impossible to say if any age group or gender are more prone to
get HIV, rather the disease is spreading across the communities and affects the
young as well as the old.
However, according to Dr. Abbas, promiscuity is the underlying factor for the
spread of the disease, and bearing in mind the fact that prostitution is on the
rise in Tanzania, there is the possibility that those with more money in their
pockets are also more likely to spend it to buy sexual favours.
Currently, there are prostitutes from all around the world in Tanzania, and
especially in Dar es Salaam. A visit to any of the more popular nightclubs and
casinos in town confirms that women from, for example, India, China, Russia,
Zambia and South Africa as well as local women are willing to sell their sexual
favours to potential buyers.
The spread of the disease, thus, knows no national, community or cultural
boundaries.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) figures for June this year estimate that
around 3,840,000 people in Africa are in need of antiretroviral treatment, but
that only four per cent (150,000) are having access to such treatment. Compare
that to the Americas, where 54 per cent of those in need have access to the same
treatment.
Antiretroviral drugs inhibit the replication of HIV. When antiretroviral drugs
are given in combination, HIV replication and immune deterioration can be
delayed, and survival and quality of life are improved.
Effective HIV/AIDS care requires antiretroviral therapy as a treatment option.
Without access to antiretroviral therapy, people living with HIV/AIDS cannot
attain the fullest possible physical and mental health and cannot play their
fullest role as actors in the fight against the epidemic, because their life
expectancy will be too short.
WHO has proposed as a target that by 2005, three million people in the world
should have access to antiretroviral treatment. If people live in a community,
which hide the disease, and shy away from its causes and consequences, it is
difficult for infected people to get HIV counselling and testing, which are some
of the components crucial for the successful use of ARVs.
At present, according to the WHO, the cost of antiretroviral treatment in the
least developed countries ranges from US$ 300 to US$ 1,200 per year. The cost of
monitoring antiretroviral therapy varies with its complexity. The WHO believes
that the cost of the treatment in developing countries will decrease if their
utilization increases significantly.
In January 2003, the Tanzanian government issued a new proposal to combat the
HIV/AIDS. In it, the emphasis is put on a community-based response. Different
communities should be active and find and implement the preventive mechanisms
that best suit them.
It states that: “Each sector, public, private, non-governmental organisations,
faith-based organisations and communities in rural and urban areas, are required
to plan and implement cost effective HIV/AIDS interventions according to their
comparative advantage.”
Environmental conservation
commended
By Kizito Makoye
The world renowned conservationist who played an active role in the
conservation efforts in the Congo Basin Forest Partnership, Michael Fey has
expressed satisfaction over the country’s natural resource management.
Speaking at a special function organised by the American Embassy in Dar es
Salaam on Sunday, Fey said flying over Tanzania was an incredible experience,
and that he was surprised to see proper environmental conservation despite the
degree of poverty that people are living in.
He said, thanks to the equipment on the aircraft, he could make an aerial survey
which reveals human and wildlife activities.
Fey added that the findings of the project would be submitted to the government
and that photos taken from the aircraft would be posted on the Internet.
He said unlike in Central Africa where most areas have been exploited by foreign
mining companies and nearly 90 per cent of the woods have been devastated,
Tanzania’s national reserves are in a relatively good condition.
Fey said that making his mission understood by others is not always that
straightforward. Once he met with the President of Gabon, Omar Bongo who wanted
to understand the predicament of the natural forests in his country.
“I showed him National Geographic’s photos of his own country and he was blown
away by what he saw and what was happening and said immediately he was going to
do something,” said Fey.
Fey’s mission is part of a unique international conservation project aimed to
explore Africa’s wildest places including many unspoiled areas in urgent need of
protection.
Looking at his objectives Fey said “I hope to show the world an Africa that for
the most part only Africans know about. It is the continent that has the most
varied landscapes that are among the richest and most beautiful on the planet.”
The Africa Mega flyover project is sponsored by National Geographic and the
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).
The project highlights existing habitat corridors between protected areas and
stresses the necessity of maintaining habitant connections to allow a free
movement of animals and as well as averting protected areas from becoming
habitat island.
Africa Mega flyover aims to survey more than 100 eco-regions if possible,
ranging from areas of high population density to the wildest places in the
region.
Hospital receives
accreditation
By Express Reporter
The Aga Khan Hospital, Tanzania announced on Tuesday that six of its
upcountry Primary Medical Centres in Iringa, Dodoma, Mwanza, Morogoro, Mbeya and
the new Mwanjelwa dispensary received ISO 9001:2000 accreditation in October
2004.
The ISO is an international organization for standardization which focuses on
quality management systems.
In a statement issued by the Hospital, Teresa Chiesa, Director of Community
Services for the Aga Khan Health Service said: “I’m very pleased we received
this award. It is a very significant step and it reflects our on going efforts
to ensure patients are receiving the most appropriate care in the most
appropriate setting.”
This year the six centres have been visited by a total of 89,000 patients; 44
per cent of which were under the public private partnership scheme of NHIF
insurance.
The Hospital has plans early next year to open another dispensary to accommodate
the growing demand by Tanzanians for quality health care services.
All centres provide primary medical and nursing care, led by well qualified and
trained nurses and doctors. The facilities have well equipped labs, pharmacies,
minor surgical procedure rooms, ECG, ultrasound and comprehensive MCH services.
HIV voluntary counselling and testing is provided in most centres. In patient
services are available in Iringa, Mwanza and Morogoro.
Last year Aga Khan Hospital, Tanzania became the first hospital in the country
to receive this award.
Registration disrupted
By Kizitto Joseph
The local resident registration exercise at Tembomgwaza Street,
Segerea Ward in Dar es Salaam Region has been disrupted following the street
local government chairperson’s refusal to hand over the registration books to
the Ward Executive Officer.
Patia Futto has refused to release the 44 books due to conflicts between himself
and the Ward Executive Officer, U. Lyakurwa.
Futto explained his conduct to The Express as resulting from Lyakurwa’s refusal
to pay and allow Paul Seleli to do the job of collecting the books. Seleli was
chosen by Futto for the task, but Lyakurwa allegedly gave the job to someone
else.
According to a letter by the Segerea Ward Executive Officer, Futto was supposed
to hand over the books on 26 October to enable prompt sorting of people eligible
to vote in the coming local elections.
Despite this letter, Futto maintains that he will not submit the books unless
Paul Seleli is paid Tsh. 30,000.
Resident registration began nationwide in June this year with the aim to
determine the number of eligible people to participate in the coming local
elections.
Govt officials to improve
communication with public
By Jacqueline Mujuni
Despite the efforts of improving the dissemination of information by
government officials to the public, the process proves hard to achieve; however
following a study tour to Britain, the government hopes things will change.
Although there has been some improvement in giving out information to the public
and to the media following President Benjamin Mkapa’s request to government
officials especially Ministerial Permanent Secretaries to be more open, openness
and transparency are tricky topics for the government to handle.
Now, the government has embarked on a mission of learning from other countries
by sending a number of Permanent Secretaries to Britain to see how their
counterparts handle and maintain communication channels between the government
and the public.
Heading the delegation of nine Permanent Secretaries, State House Chief
Secretary, Martin Lumbanga said when arriving from London this week, “I know it
will take time for some of the governmental officials to be open and give out
the information to the public, but people have the right to know what ministries
are doing in developmental activities.”
Lumbanga said: “The government has trained and continues to train some
information officers. Sometimes they don’t see how important some of the
information is to the public and how to make the flow of information easier.”
As regards Britain and South Africa they have established a Government
Communication and Information System (GCIS) which has the task of distributing
developmental information to the media on a regular basis and to improve the
communication environment in government departments.
Lumbanga furthermore, explained that the delegation of Permanent Secretaries
will have the task of advising the government on how to improve the
communication coordination after getting feedback from other Permanent
Secretaries when they return from South Africa where they will be going for the
same mission.
Permanent Secretaries who paid a visit to Britain were from the Ministry for
Mineral and Energy, Patrick Rutabanzibwa; Prime Minister’s Office, Rose Rugembe;
International Co-operation and Foreign Affairs, Philemon Luhanjo; Health, Mariam
Mwafissi; Clerk Cabinet, Hab Mkwizu; State House Director of Communications,
Ambassador Peter Kalaghe; Finance, Peniel Lyimo and Zanzibar State House Chief
Secretary, Ramadhani Mwinyi.
Communication bill criticised
By Kizito Makoye
The government has drafted a new electronic and postal communication
bill proposal following the forthcoming end of TTCL’s monopoly, but the proposal
has been met with fierce resistance from involved players.
Presenting a paper at stakeholders’ workshop on the new regulatory framework for
the communication sector in a post exclusivity scenario, held in Dar es Salaam
last week, Senior Legal Counsel, PSRC Ngassa Dindi said the government had to
inevitably undergo sectoral reforms to give small players a chance and avert
them from paying excessive licensing fees.
He said the government had recruited foreign consultants who had made a thorough
sector overview and given recommendations and prepared the draft to ensure that
reforms were done properly.
Dindi said the appointed consultants, Gide Loyrette Nouel - a French law firm,
Bowman Gilfillan of South Africa and Tanzanian Kalunga and Co. started the work
in March 2003.
According to Dindi, the firms recommended the introduction of a ‘converged
licensing regime’ in Tanzania (except for broadcasting contents) and the removal
of distinctions between telecommunications and broadcasting activities.
The consultants have responded to the challenges of the convergence of
technologies, where particularly the Internet has come to work as a hub through
which many services move, such as telephone and data services.
He added that the bill, which will be complemented by rules and regulations, had
to incorporate the postal sector as well.
However, stakeholders in the communication sector have vehemently reacted to the
proposed bill. Many complain that not enough time had been given to them for
scrutinising the proposal. They also object to the fact that the concrete
changes and regulations have not yet been issued by TCRA.
TTCL Chief Executive Officer, George Mbowe said all the changes that are taking
place must accelerate the development process and by no means derail it.
“TCRA need to initiate a taskforce to determine ‘excess capacity’ to harmonise
investment in the country,” he said adding that it would be more economical for
new players to use already laid out infrastructure.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the Media Owners Association Franco
Tramontano said the proposed legislation had a lot of ‘appalling’ clauses. He
referred particularly to the proposal that with separate licences for
infrastructure and services, the licence fees are likely to rise.
Another speaker said it is stipulated in the bill that Internet is going to
dominate communication, although it is not categorically stated how it is going
to be regulated.
Earlier the Chairman of TCRA Board of Directors, Ambassador Richard Maliki,
hailed TCRA for being open in its businesses. He said in past couple of years
the country had witnessed rapid changes in the pace with which the
communications sector is developing.
‘Body to fight for house girls
needed’
By Emmanuel Lazaro, Mwanza
The government has been asked to establish a special body which
should fight for the rights of house girls, to save them from unfair treatment.
The suggestion was given by parents and house servants in Mwanza, when they
presented their grievances in a special interview.
A house girl from Nyegezi Street, Elizabeth Maseni narrated that one house girl
at her Street, Tatu, was mercilessly beaten and wounded by her employer, just on
claims that she had broken a Thermos Flask.
The event, which took place on Friday last week, was accompanied by the girl’s
expulsion without being paid her final benefits.
“It is true that we live difficult lives and suffer greatly. I think if we have
a special established body to fight for us, it will also help us getting better
paid, bearing in mind the work we do,” said Maseni.
Adding, presently we hear there are some associations which fight for the house
servants’ welfare, but we never see the consequences of their work but continue
to face persecution, oppression and humiliation.
The community countrywide, on the other hand, have been warned to respect house
girls, as they contribute greatly to the nurturing of the families.
This was reiterated by one religious leader in Mwanza City when talking on the
role of house girls in family education, especially at this period of economic
changes.
The religious leader, Taveli Roshie, who is the Chairman of Msumba Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Tanzania (KKKT) Elders Council in Mwanza City said, the house
girls do very important work and need to be respected.
Many times, these house servants are given a hard time, yet, in spite of working
in such difficult environments, they are not valued by their employers.
This can be seen when taking into account how home servants sleep and dresses
not to mention how they are treated when they get when sick; all these are quite
different from family members, Roshie noted.
Many parents, who were asked to give their opinions on the Tatu incident, were
of the opinion that the house servants played a great role in family matters and
thus needed to be valued and respected.
They called on other parents to treat home servants the way they treat their own
children, respect and value them and give them better wages.
Govt to cooperate with private
hospitals
By Sebastian Gabunga, Mwanza
The government has said that it will continue to cooperate with
private hospitals including those owned by religious bodies, to improve the
health services.
Addressing a public rally at Bugando Day celebrations recently, the Deputy
Minister for Health, Dr. Hussein Mwinyi said the government will continue
providing subventions for these hospitals.
The Ministry of Health, he said, will do all within its power to ensure that
money is set aside in its budget, to help revitalize hospitals, especially the
referral ones.
In similar vein, Dr. Mwinyi went on saying that, next year his Ministry will set
aside a certain amount of money to assist refurbishment of Bugando Referral
Hospital.
He directed the Bugando Hospital management to convey to the Ministry the list
of their requirements early, so that they are included in the next financial
year.
Concerning treatment for pregnant mothers, children and the elderly over 60
years and beyond, the Deputy Minister said these groups will continue receiving
free treatment.
If there are hospitals which do not offer free treatment to these groups, he
added, the hospital boards should communicate with the Ministry of Health for a
solution.
Concerning shortages of doctors, he said this was a national problem, but the
government is continuing its efforts of reducing the problem by training more
doctors and employing some more from abroad.
While China has started to dispatch its experts to come and assist the present
doctors, Cuba has promised to send 70 doctors, who will now arrive any time,
after all preparations have been completed.
Reading an official statement to the guest of honour, Bugando Referral Hospital
Director General, Dr. Charles Majinge said the hospital faces a shortage of
doctors.
He requested the Ministry of Health to assist the hospital which is owned by the
Catholic Church, to increase the number of doctors, especially expert doctors
for children and people with mental deficiencies, as some of the doctors have
gone abroad for further training.
Despite these problems the hospital faces, it provides free food for the
patients, has enlarged the intensive care unit, has rehabilitated all wards and
has improved the hospital environment generally.
Education needed for ARVs
By Emmauel Lazaro, Mwanza
The government has been advised to make sure HIV/AIDS affected
victims are educated on the right use of anti retroviral drugs (ARVs), before
the drugs are dispensed.
The caution was sounded by students from various colleges in the City of Mwanza
when contributing to topics presented at a one-day AIDS symposium organised by
ISHI Campaign in the city.
The symposium, which was held at St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT)
campus, incorporated students from SAUT, College of Wildlife, Fisheries and the
Vocational and Education Training Authority (VETA).
The students reiterated that education on the right use of anti-retrovirals was
necessary and should be given priority, to avoid deaths which have started to
occur after AIDS patients have been supplied with the drugs.
These effects will make AIDS patients believe the drugs not efficient, instead
of prolonging their lives; thus creating fear in the society.
The students also advised that precautions should be taken to avoid the drugs to
fall in the hands of unscrupulous dispensers who will sell the drugs to AIDS
patients, instead of dispensing them free of charge as per the government
directive.
Dr. Kajulu from Bugando Referal Hospital, when presenting his paper at the
symposium, cautioned the AIDS victims not to use the drugs before testing and
being advised by doctors.
‘Use traditional plants as
alternative’
Nestory Ngwega, Tanga
Residents of Tanga Region have been urged to use local traditional
insecticides in the fight against malaria.
The call was made this week by the chairperson of the Non-Government
Organization Tanga Inter-African Committee (TIAC), Imelda Hyera as she was
teaching parents on the best ways to combat malaria in families.
She said the problem of malaria is alarming, making it the number one killer
disease in the country especially for children under five and pregnant mothers.
She said the prevalence of malaria is attributed to many problems including the
lack of enough education as well as poverty and added that the most affected
people are rural dwellers.
Although many organizations and government institutions are stressing the use of
insecticide treated nets, she said, yet some families cannot afford to buy them.
Therefore, she said, for such poor families the best way for them to combat
malaria is to apply local traditional medicines which are found wild in many
rural areas in the country.
She said there is a kind of wild plant which is known as nunganunga. Its leaves
have a sharp smell and when put indoors at night, it kills all mosquitoes.
KCM graduation on Saturday
By Heckton Chuwa, Moshi
A total of 53 graduates of the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College
(KCM) will be given their diplomas and degrees at a graduation ceremony to be
held on Saturday.
According to a press release, the KCM College Professor Egbert Kessi said the
ceremony will feature the graduation of students for the programmes of Diploma
in Occupational Therapy, Bachelor of Science in Nursing and the Bachelor of
Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics.
He named other programmes as those of Doctor of Medicine, Master of Science in
Anatomy and Embryology, Master of Public Health and Master of Medicine in
various disciplines.
The College’s 5th graduation is expected to be attended by guests from East
Africa and abroad.
The Chancellor of the Tumaini University, Rev. Bishop Dr. Samson Mshemba will
award the Degrees and Diplomas to the graduates.
KCM College is the constituent College of the Tumaini University.