Media / Public Statement, 31 July 2012.
from Media-Africa Public Health media@africapublichealth.org
As the 19th International AIDS Conference ends in Washington DC, Africa Public Health Alliance welcomes highlighting of "treatment as prevention" strategy, and emphasises importance of a dual strategy with basic 'preventive' prevention.
IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS AFRICA PUBLIC HEALTH PRESS RELEASE:
"Underlining the need for special investment in women's health - There are more HIV positive women in Nigeria and South Africa (about 5 million HIV positive women) with a combined population of just about 200 million"
"We welcome the "treatment as prevention" highlight of the 19th AIDS conference, but believe that for this to be effective, it is equally necessary to stress the importance of improved investment in the fundamentals of basic 'preventive' prevention which is more cost effective in resource challenged settings.
"Even worse, in as many as 18 African countries, including Central African Republic, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Uganda and others between 10% and 36% of girl children are 'married' off before or by their 15th birthday. By our estimates that is roughly 11.4 million girl children 15years and younger 'given' into domestic sexual slavery and work in just 18 countries alone. If millions of adult women have difficulty negotiating and accessing reproductive, sexual and maternal care, it is not unreasonable to say girl children held in hostage 'marriages' have little or no hope of doing so.
"Aside from the psychological, physical and health damage, girls of 15 years of age should be in school getting the education required to help fulfill their potential, and contribution to African development.
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