21:40 09.11.2008 | All news from "AIDS/HIV"

Tanzania: Step Up War On HIV

The reported upsurge in the HIV prevalence rate in one of the country's region should be a source of grave concern as it implies a setback in a campaign that appeared to be yielding results.

Whereas new figures released by the Tanzania Commission for Aids (Tacaids) show a reduction of the rate in various regions from an average of 7.5 per cent to just under two per cent, in Iringa the story is different.

A survey has revealed that the prevalence rate in the region rose from 13.4 per cent in 2003/04 to 15.7 per cent in 2007/08.

This calls for efforts to step up the campaign against HIV/Aids.

The drive must focus more on the collective reasons for behavioural patterns fostering HIV/Aids prevalence, rather than continue the old methods, since it is evident that the strategy isn't working in Iringa, Mara and, to some extent, Shinyanga and Lindi regions.

While more attention must be focused on the areas showing the negative trends, there must be no let-up in places such as the Kilimanjaro Region, where the prevalence rate dropped in 2004 from 7.3 per cent to 1.9 per cent.

Such gains must be consolidated.



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