AIDS Requires Food Security - S.G
by Jane Kagara & William Rutaremara, The New Times (Kigali), March 5, 2006
KIGALI-- The secretary general in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ben Karenzi, has urged relevant authorities to provide good nutrition and food security to victims of gender-based violence living with HIV/Aids.
He was responding to findings of a recent research carried out by an official from African Rights, Elizabeth Rugege, during a campaign dubbed: "Sixteen days of activism".
According to her findings, "for a large number of women living with HIV/Aids in Rwanda, the burden of the disease is made worse by the lack of adequate nutrition and healthcare. Taking drugs with no balanced diet or without food weakens the Aids patients,making them eventually leave their jobs, while others stop taking the drugs."
These findings were presented during a meeting held March 3 at Hotel Novotel Umubano, Kigali. It was attended by officials from the government and donor community.
While discussing the findings, Karenzi said, "Gender-based violence makes the victim traumatised. It can prevent a woman from being a full participant in her family, community and in the process of national development."
He called on the public and policy makers to strengthen laws against gender-based violence. He proposed that any person who intentionally transmits Aids to his or her unaffected spouse should be penalised.
The research was carried out around the former provinces of Butare, Gitarama and Kigali city.
Its target group includes people on anti-retroviral drugs. A sample of 45 women was taken from patients at Butare Hospital while five men were from Kicukiro Health Centre, Kigali city.Others interviewed are Lucie Ntiyitegeka and Laetittia Umutoni in Kigoma, Gitarama.
One of the participants, Dr Mpfizi from Kicukiro Health Centre, said: "The centre used to provide food to pregnant women who tested HIV positive, but that supply was cut off as the rate of pregnancy increased beyond our capacity."
The participants agreed that humanitarian organisations and other stakeholders should address the problem of poverty and food security among people living with Aids. They were also encouraged to sensitise women especially at grass roots level to engage in income-generating activities.
Source: Pronut-HIV eForum
KIGALI-- The secretary general in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ben Karenzi, has urged relevant authorities to provide good nutrition and food security to victims of gender-based violence living with HIV/Aids.
He was responding to findings of a recent research carried out by an official from African Rights, Elizabeth Rugege, during a campaign dubbed: "Sixteen days of activism".
According to her findings, "for a large number of women living with HIV/Aids in Rwanda, the burden of the disease is made worse by the lack of adequate nutrition and healthcare. Taking drugs with no balanced diet or without food weakens the Aids patients,making them eventually leave their jobs, while others stop taking the drugs."
These findings were presented during a meeting held March 3 at Hotel Novotel Umubano, Kigali. It was attended by officials from the government and donor community.
While discussing the findings, Karenzi said, "Gender-based violence makes the victim traumatised. It can prevent a woman from being a full participant in her family, community and in the process of national development."
He called on the public and policy makers to strengthen laws against gender-based violence. He proposed that any person who intentionally transmits Aids to his or her unaffected spouse should be penalised.
The research was carried out around the former provinces of Butare, Gitarama and Kigali city.
Its target group includes people on anti-retroviral drugs. A sample of 45 women was taken from patients at Butare Hospital while five men were from Kicukiro Health Centre, Kigali city.Others interviewed are Lucie Ntiyitegeka and Laetittia Umutoni in Kigoma, Gitarama.
One of the participants, Dr Mpfizi from Kicukiro Health Centre, said: "The centre used to provide food to pregnant women who tested HIV positive, but that supply was cut off as the rate of pregnancy increased beyond our capacity."
The participants agreed that humanitarian organisations and other stakeholders should address the problem of poverty and food security among people living with Aids. They were also encouraged to sensitise women especially at grass roots level to engage in income-generating activities.
Source: Pronut-HIV eForum
posted by AIDS-Care-Watch at 8:33 am
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