PLANetWIRE.org

Untitled Document

Tuesday, July 17, 2001
African Scientists Urged to Involve in Int'l AIDS Research Work
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Xinhua

Xinhua via NewsEdge Corporation -- DAR ES SALAAM, Jul 16, 2001 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Amani Karume, president of Tanzania's semi-autonomous Zanzibar, Monday said that African scientists should involve in their international counterparts to do research on a possible HIV/AIDS vaccine.

Opening here a three-day national workshop on HIV/AIDS strategic plan, the president said by involving its scientists, Africa, the most hard-hit continent by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, will boost its chances to develop accessible and affordable HIV/AIDS vaccine.

Karume noted that on top of other obvious merits, the involvement of African scientists will act as capacity building for Africa in its war against the epidemic.

Tanzania, which is one of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa, heavily affected by HIV/AIDS, yearns for an effective and affordable HIV/AIDS intervention technology different from those under current use.

"To date the only HIV/AIDS intervention which can bring hope to millions of people is safe, effective, affordable and accessible preventive vaccine," Karume added.

He expressed his satisfaction with the United Nations move to recognize the epidemic as a global crisis that requires national, regional and global action to set up a world HIV/AIDS fund to be known as the global health fund.

He said setting up the fund is expected to accelerate the continent's efforts in developing an effective, affordable and accessible HIV/AIDS vaccine relevant to Africa through the African AIDS Vaccine Program.

The workshop has involved renowned scientists from Sweden, Germany, the United States, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as well as officials with the World Health Organization and the joint U.N. program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Latest official statistics say about 2 million Tanzanians, or 6 percent of the total population, are infected with the HIV virus. The UNAIDS estimates that about 8 percent of Tanzanian teenagers and adults aged between 15 and 49 are infected with HIV.

-0-