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Fight AIDS by forming a partnership with government
Thandeka Teyise. Issued by Health-E News Service. 31 October 2003. Natal Witness. Republished courtesy of the Natal Witness.
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On her recent visit to Cape Town as a UN goodwill ambassador, African diva and queen of funk Angelique Kidjo urged young women to refuse unprotected sex.
"Children should look after themselves and protect themselves from contracting HIV," says diva Angelique Kidjo. "African leaders can do better if they show commitment in fighting the pandemic around the contient. If leaders are determined and show political will, things will work out differently."
Kidjo says her involvement is to talk to the children about protection because, in the case of HIV, there is no vaccine and the only way to preserve their lives is, especially for girls, to refuse to have unprotected sex.
"The greatest challenge that Africans have to face today is HIV/AIDS, which has its roots in poverty. Why should poverty have such a high toll in Africa?" Kidjo asks. "Africa's governments do not dispatch enough wealth to ensure that every citizen has a plate of food each day. If you have food, you're not that poor, you're not going to be tempted to have unprotected sex with a sugar-daddy."
She adds that some countries in Africa are rich with raw resources and can meet needs. "Where are those resources going? All the mines we have - diamond, gold, uranium - where [do the resources go] and who has the money? If sick people do not get treated, it means that the entire society will be full of unhealthy people who will die from the disease. Political will from the governments is therefore important in fighting AIDS," Kidjo emphasises.
"We're talking about a partnership with the governments. We can't do anything without political commitment. Simply put, who decides to build a hospital? The order has to come from a political person about building that hospital and hiring doctors and nurses."
"If everybody dies, who are you going to exchange anything with? Who grows the food we eat? If the people are not healthy, the country will collapse. If the economy collapses, that means the outcome will be the same for everyone. Africa has overcome many obstacles and has a painful history. With HIV/AIDS, there can be a change, not just in Africa but also throughout the world."
Kidjo says she sometimes feels overwhelmed [being a goodwill ambassador] because there are so many things to do, but she does not feel discouraged. "I'm very optimistic because I believe in the power of people. Togetherness, unity, is the key. I've met with lots of children. All the children in the world are my priority, from Africa to America - not only in Benin, my West African home. What affects us here is going to affect Europe and America, wherever human beings are, so every child on this planet is a priority."
"I was born in Africa and I've seen all the the challenges and all the problems we have to face and we're still standing. If there weren't any hope, we wouldn't be standing," she adds. |
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