Zambia

Here’s a powerful post from noted Zambian AIDS activist Princess Kasune Zulu, part of our World AIDS Day blog series this week.

Twelve years ago when Dr Tembo gave me the news that I was HIV positive, he gave me only six months to live. While Time magazine’s Man of the Year—Dr. David Ho—had created a cocktail of drugs that could suppress HIV, it would be years before treatment made its way to the poor hospital in Luanshya, Zambia where I lived.

Even five years later, only eight thousand people in Africa had access to these drugs—but millions had died. At the time, few people knew or admitted what had claimed their lives. We called the disease “Slim” or “Kalawe Noko,” which means ‘go and say goodbye to your mother.’ It had no respect of person—it took the young and the strong, leaving behind the weak and the frail.

Proudly today, I have witnessed a great increase in the number of people accessing treatment. Given the “perfect storm” of conditions that allowed AIDS to march across Africa, the fact that the tide is now turning is both remarkable and inspirational. Millions of deaths have been averted. Children can now sleep at night with their parents watching over them.

But I caution to add—our task is far from over. In 2008, for every two people who started taking antiretroviral drugs, another five become newly infected. Access to treatment is a long way from being universal.

We need to maintain the pressure on our elected leaders, our places of worship and our broader communities to march forward.

Twelve years ago, I was given six months to live. I am still fighting, and God willing, I will continue to do so. I will continue to fight until all who require treatment, regardless of where we were born and how we contracted the virus, have access not only to HIV/AIDS treatment, but to all health services. That to me is universal access—and that is a basic human right.

-Princess Kasune Zulu

UNICEF USA’s Fieldnotes Blog has a great report from a rural health clinic in Zambia– specifically post-natal and prevention of mother-to-child treatment (PMTCT) care.

The whole piece is worth a read. Excerpts below:

Rolina is HIV positive and is enrolled in the clinic’s PMTCT program. She and her husband Terrance married in 2002 and they have three children; Terrance is also HIV positive. Both Rolina and Terrance are doing everything in their power to ensure that little Brenda stays safe and healthy which is not the case for Brenda’s older sister Constance. Constance is 4 years old and HIV positive. Constance is on pediatric treatment which is keeping her strong. Their older brother Clayton does what he can at 7 years old to look after his two younger sisters.

Mother to child transmission (children from HIV positive mothers being infected during pregnancy or delivery) in Zambia is the second most important factor of transmission. PMTCT provides parents with hope but more importantly if the treatment is followed correctly it provides parents with a healthy child.

Terrance and Rolina are leaders in their community. They are open about their status in hopes of making a difference in other people lives. Terrance runs an HIV/AIDS couples support group in Keemba and sees 20-25 couples each week. Rolina adhering to the PMTCT program stopped breastfeeding Brenda at 6 months despite the statement this makes to the community. Mothers who bottle feed their child are questioned and sometimes frowned upon. But Rolina does not get discouraged because she knows that breastfeeding past 6 months increases the risk of her child becoming infected.

In Zambia, a rainy season has raised fears of a cholera outbreak. To help prevent a cholera outbreak, UNICEF and its partners have launched a new advocacy campaign called “Your Life is in Your Hands.”

The key to the campaign’s effectiveness, according to UNICEF, is that it relies on peer-to-peer advocacy, meaning that children and young people become effective ambassadors in spreading the importance of good hygiene to their peers. The campaign is being rolled out “through town–hall meetings for school children, follow-up events in schools, radio public service announcements and a UNICEF cartoon character named SOPO.”

You can read more about “Your Life is in Your Hands” here.

The Swedish and Dutch governments announced today that they will suspend $33 million in aid to Zambia following reports about embezzlement in the Ministry of Health. Reports indicate the civil society was calling for the Ministry of Health to publish expenditures, but former President Mwanawasa cancelled the spending reports, which may have led some officials to siphon funds for their own use. In response to concerns that the lack of funding will affect the delivery of health services, the Minister of Finance Musokotwane stated that the Zambian government will develop a plan to fill the gap and investigate the corruption charges.

The transparent publication of spending by donors and governments is a critical component of ensuring money for development is used as effectively as possible. Like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria, the Swedish and Dutch governments’ response to reports of embezzlement in the health sector suggests their support for the idea that well-governed programs are critical to successful development and that aid can help to encourage transparency and accountability.

-Lisa Fleisher

Two of my colleagues were in Rwanda last week for a conference of African Ministers on climate change and whilst there they caught up with Catherine Namugala, the Zambian Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources.

She did a little video for ONE, talking about climate change in Zambia. She says that the adverse effects of climate change are definitely being felt in Zambia, most notably for subsistence farmers and others living off the land. Changing rainfall patterns as part of climate change are leading to increased flooding and drought for example.

Namugala goes on to say that even though her country does not contribute significantly to climate change, Zambia is focussing on raising awareness amongst the general population and also looking at ways to adapt to the effects of climate change. Emphasising that it’s a question of morality, Namugala concludes with a call to developed countries to do their bit as the major contributors of global warming.

-Jessica Gomez-Duran

This week a very special guest came to visit Minnesota from the other side of the globe. Pastor Lawrence Temfwe, the Executive Director of Jubilee Centre in Zambia, along with Jason Filleta of Micah Challenge came to Minnesota to speak out for those who are struggling against global poverty and preventable disease.

The trip started with a meeting, along with 5 other local ONE members, at Congressman Jim Ramstad’s office with Heather Renner, the Director of Communications and Relations. We had lunch with some local members in Minneapolis to answer questions and encourage action. We then had a meeting with Rev. Nancy Maeker of the Minnesota Council of Churches and Acting Director of A Minnesota Without Poverty. Following, a meeting with Kathy Stinchfield, Development Director, Mike Llyod, Executive Director, and Richard Proudfit, Founder, of Kids Against Hunger in New Hope. He also attended a prayer supper in Saint Paul with local faith leaders educate and motivate attendees to practice what they preach, as he has said with local church leaders in Zambia. Jason Filleta talked about Micah Challenge and the resources that they and ONE have including ONE Sunday material, to use to engage their congregation to participate.

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We got this email from superstar ONE volunteer Elaine Van Cleave this morning. My favorite part: “If I ever in the past for just one second thought advocacy was useless, I can never have that thought again.”

I am back from Zambia. What a long trip home that was!! We awoke Sunday a.m. and rode in a jeep, a ferry, a bus, and 3 airplanes. You could even say we rode on a train if you count the rail in the Atlanta airport that gets you between terminals.

The experience was incredible. The extremes we encountered were mind numbing – from the incredible wild life in Botswana’s Chobe National Park to a dusty, barefooted orphan in tattered clothing beaming at you and asking you to be his friend.

One day, I tagged along on a trip to an outreach clinic 65 km into the bush. The trip was 2 hours each way on the worst sandy, bumpy road I have ever ridden on. There were 11 of us in a Land Rover provided to Mwandi Mission Hosptial by Catholic Relief Services with money from PEPFAR (US funds for AIDS relief)! The “clinic” was a two room mud hut (about 8 x 12) with a thatched roof – no electricity or running water. The clinic ended at dusk because the medical personnel could no longer see to examine patients and fill prescriptions. I mostly observed and got to see how PEPFAR money is providing medical care and drugs to people in remote rural areas who would die without it. The nurse practioner from Mwandi who goes on these weekly outreach trips into the bush told me that these clinics would not be possible without money from PEPFAR.

I also learned that Kandiana, the “old folks home” at Mwandi Mission, receives $600 a month from the Zambian government – money that is available because of debt relief. These funds also provide students at Mwandi Mission’s school with free examination books.

It is a trip I have been needing to take for a long time. I really can’t adequately put into words how powerful the experience was.

If I ever in the past for just one second thought advocacy was useless, I can never have that thought again.

If you want to read the daily blog written by Rev. Susan Clayton who lead our trip, go to www.ipc-usa.org. There are about 7 brief entries with pictures. I haven’t read them all myself and am looking forward to doing just that and to reflecting on our trip.

–Elaine Van Cleave, ONEBirmingham

Last week, fellow ONE field organizer Kim Smith and I traveled with FORGE to the Meheba Refugee Camp in northern Zambia.

In addition to building the world’s largest library in a refugee camp, schools, a women’s center, and assistance for refugees, FORGE, also has a micro-finance project that works to empower refugees and help with business skills.

Recently, the FORGE Microfinance Institute helped invest in agricultural loans to select farming refugees and provided much needed and expensive fertilizer for corn crops. Already is has proven to be a huge success as the farmers that received the fertilizer loan are having record corn growth.

We also paid a visit to another loan recipient, Bobo, a refugee turned baker. The first day we stopped in at his bakery, Bobo was not there and we were told that he closed his shop to travel around and stock up on corn and flour. The next day we returned and we spoke with him about his business.

Originally Bobo received a small loan to start his business. He did very well and when his rent went up in the market, he applied for another loan to build his own free standing bakery that allowed him to be profitable, pay back his loans, and provide for his wife and daughter. When we asked about the global food crisis and rising prices, Bobo took out all of his receipts and showed us the dramatic increase in the price of corn and flour. Being a successful baker and businessman, Bobo was fortunate enough to be able to stock up on his ingredients as prices continue to rise.

-Matthew Bartlett, ONE Field Organizer

At the conclusion of our recent trip to Mozambique and Zambia, I traveled with fellow field organizer Kim Smith to northern Zambia to Meheba Refugee Camp with FORGE, an organization that works hand-in-hand with refugees.

Meheba Refugee Camp has been in existence for over 30 years. It is about 700 square kilometers and has about 14,000 refugees, mostly from Angola, Congo, and Rwanda. Sadly there is no running water, no electricity, and no doctors.

A youth orientated organization, FORGE partners with refugees on a host of projects such as micro-finance, nursery schools, a women’s center, and has helped to build the world’s largest library in a refugee camp.

We stopped in at the FORGE Health Service center that was set up to aid in basic health care. Mr. Burton, the refugee that works there, told us how he helps to facilitate health care for people that are suffering from burns, insect bites, malnutrition and dehydration, and malaria.

We also stopped in at Kunachi Nursery School for refugee children that FORGE set up and operates. All the children were very eager to try out there English with us and sang a few songs.

Sadly, I noticed that during lunch, many of the children had nothing to eat, as food security is major issue in Meheba that is now being compounded by the global food crisis.

Many of the refugees in Meheba have fled their home countries due to wars and violence, and have seen horrific tragedies in their lives. Yet through it all, they are overcoming hardships and poverty and with the help and resources from FORGE, combined with more attention and better policies from the outside world, we can help to create a better partnership between our country and some of the most neglected and marginalized people on Earth.

-Matthew Bartlett

Yesterday morning, I traveled with fellow ONE staff to several health-focused development programs in Lusaka, Zambia. (The country is gorgeous and we’ve taken incredible photos, but because of some technical issues I’ll have to wait until next week to post a few here.)

A couple of today’s highlights were visiting with the Matero Refferal Clinic – a health center in Lusaka that is heavily supported by the Center for Infectious Disease Research – and a meeting with the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative and the Zambia Minister of Health. All of the healthcare workers at the Matero Refferal Clinic were wonderful as they showed us around their extremely busy and well-organized clinic. They showed us a new wing they’re building for HIV/AIDS and general health, but they did let us know that they need more medical supplies and staff. There were two doctors at the facility who, combined, see 200 patients each day.

Of note, we learned that patients receiving AIDS treatment at the clinic also receive “nutritional portions” from the World Food Programme. Food is vital to the fight against AIDS. For people infected with HIV, proper nutrition can slow the progression of the virus to full-blown AIDS and improve the effectiveness of antiretrovirals. Unfortunately, at the Matero Refferal Clinic, the size of food portions has decreased from 45 kilograms 5 years ago to just 12 kilograms today. On top of this, many people receiving these small, individually-sized portions will also share the food with their full families.

The meeting with officials from the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI) and the Zambia Ministry of Health was extremely informative as well. A main take-away: the government’s decision to focus its attention on children with HIV – combined with the government’s collaboration with NGOs and funding from international programs like PEPFAR – has more than doubled the number of children receiving life-saving AIDS-treatment in the country.

Throughout the day, the need for more trained healthcare workers was repeated by doctors, nurses and officials. This is a need that is echoed across Africa: Africa bears 25% of the global disease burden and has 14% of the world’s population- but just 1.3% of the world’s health care workforce. This deficit in capacity means that countries like Zambia face enormous obstacles in improving basic health care for children and scaling-up access to vital health interventions, such as HIV/AIDS treatment.

-Virginia Simmons