Health – and the fight against HIV/AIDS in particular – is one of the South African Government’s biggest priorities, alongside education, employment and combating poverty.
Southern Africa, and South Africa in particular, has one of the highest Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) rates in the world. The virus is notably prevalent among women in disadvantaged population groups, principally African. “In particular, an estimated 50 per cent of pregnant women are infected with the HIV virus”, explains Jean-François Aguilera, head of the HIV Task Force set up by the European Commission in 2008 in Johannesburg. The aim is to give the European delegations from 10 Southern African countries advice on preventing the epidemic from propagating through development projects financed by the European Union. The medical knowledge of the Task Force members – Jean-François Aguilera is a doctor with a Master’s in public health – helps make up for the lack of expertise on the part of certain health delegations. “These delegations can then in turn advise the governments of their respective countries”, continues Aguilera.
A guide to ‘good practices’
Studies are also being carried out to assess human resources in the health field – as is the case in Swaziland and South Africa – as well as the health policies implemented at the work place. “In most cases the human resources are clearly insufficient”, explains the Task Force official.
But one of the priorities is to compile a guide to ‘good practices’ in the field. “Take the case of Malawi”, explains Aguilera, “where the EU is financing road building projects. The mobility of the workers employed by these projects is a risk factor in HIV dissemination. The driver of a mechanical digger who is away from home will have sexual relations, often with prostitutes, at his place of work. If you train women to replace the men, you will reduce the risk. Other measures are also being taken, such as prevention campaigns aimed at the local population. If there are prostitutes then their health should be monitored, treatment possibly given, and condoms distributed”.
The same is true of rural development projects. “Women, especially agricultural workers, are often victims of rape and consequently HIV. It is vital to take into account this vulnerability particular to women, and in the case of agricultural projects this can be done by providing separate accommodation and latrines that are not placed 500 metres into the forest.
This guide has also been adapted for projects carried out directly by governments where aid is essentially in the form of budgetary assistance, as in the case of South Africa. “This budgetary assistance is linked to certain conditions and we could add the condition that direct account must be taken of the HIV problem.”
While Aguilera acknowledges that measures have been taken in the countries concerned, they fall far short of the effort required. “We have drawn up a document that should enable the European Commission to show that funds granted to the Global Fund against AIDS in the field of prevention are insufficient.”