Region to Have Common HIV Policy. 27/11/10

Harmonising existing policies, protocols, plans, strategies and legislation

The East African Community (EAC) is harmonising existing policies, protocols, plans, strategies and legislation in partner states on the prevention, treatment, care and management of HIV/Aids.

The EAC deputy secretary general (Productive and Social Sectors) Mr Jean Claude Nsengiyumva, says the aim is to attain an HIV/Aids free population. He explains that the HIV/Aids challenge is cross-cutting and multi-sectoral in character, and hence needs concerted efforts by all key stakeholders.

Mr Nsengiyumva explains that the EAC Treaty puts strong emphasis on joint regional strategies and interventions for the prevention and control of HIV/Aids in EAC partner states.

He says the EAC plays a coordination role for activities within the partner states in support of the existing national policies on the pandemic. He reveals that partner states were currently undertaking joint action towards the prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases. They include HIV/Aids that endangers the overall health and welfare of citizens of EAC member countries.

He notes that HIV/Aids poses a serious threat to sustainable development in the region and the integration agenda. "The focus is on the prevention of HIV/Aids, care and the mitigation of its impact in order to ensure sustainable human development within partner states," said Mr Nsengiyumva.

The EAC official noted that the disease affects everyone, irrespective of the status in society. Generally governments cannot undertake this initiative of fighting the pandemic alone, and thus arises the need to seek private sector partnerships. In this regard, he says the EAC, being people-centred and private sector driven, is partnering with private sectors through the East African Business Council to promote and achieve an HIV/Aids free population.

In an effort to stimulate corporate response to HIV pandemic, Mr. Nsengiyumva says the East African Business Council organized a regional CEO Testing Day on November 11, 2010.

The event was simultaneously carried out in each of the five capital cities across East Africa. The aim of CEOs testing for HIV/Aids was to ensure that the CEOs lead by example and also help reduce the stigmatization that is associated with HIV/AIDS, especially at workplaces.

It also aimed at making HIV/Aids testing a routine activity to reduce the spread of the disease. It involved full service with pre- and post-test counseling. The World AIDS Day kicked off in 1988 for the purpose of increasing awareness, raising funds, fighting prejudice and improving HIV/Aids education.