As peace takes root, troubled CAR turns attention to fighting HIV/Aids

As politicians and rebel groups in the Central African Republic (CAR) grapple with how to end years of armed conflict that has torn the resource-rich nation apart, health workers in Bangui, the capital, are stepping up their efforts in a different kind of war: the war against HIV/Aids.

The country has the second-highest prevalence rate in central Africa, with 4% - behind only Equatorial Guinea, which has a rate of 6%. 

Estimates from the UN indicate that there are 110,000 people living with HIV/Aids in CAR, with about 6,000-8,000 new infections a year.

UNAIDS country director Patrick Eba told TimesLIVE that being HIV-positive in CAR was like a death sentence. "It’s important for people to realise that although CAR is faced with a political and military crisis and it's easy to dismiss issues like HIV/Aids and see them as minor, it is still and should be a priority," he said.

Of those living with HIV and Aids in the country, fewer than half have access to anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment. Health workers in the country have therefore had to roll out what they call a catch-up plan to increase the number of people receiving treatment.

Eba said there had been progress - from 20,000 people receiving treatment a few years ago to just over 40,000 today. However, this still falls short of the ambitious target of 50,000 that the health sector had set for itself.

"The challenge to health access mirrors the social, economic and infrastructure challenges that face the country," he said.

Armed conflict in CAR has resulted in the displacement of thousands of locals, with many seeking refuge across the country’s borders - and the data of many HIV/Aids patients invariably getting lost in the process.

A significant challenge that remains is the stigma associated with being HIV-positive, which has resulted in many patients not seeking ARV treatment.

Because of this, a national partnership against the stigma of HIV/Aids was launched at  the weekend by the UN Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS), supported by the government of President Faustin-Archange Touadéra. The partnership brings together various stakeholders, including from the religious and diplomatic communities.

The programme will provide extensive training for health-care workers on how to deal with stigma and also set up a hotline for patients to report cases of ill-treatment. 

Boniswa Ramabelana, South Africa's ambassador to CAR, was at the launch of the programme, which he said was important for changing attitudes towards HIV/Aids.

Meanwhile, Touadéra announced a new cabinet on Sunday that includes members of armed groups. Their inclusion is part of a peace agreement signed last month in Khartoum, Sudan, between Touadéra's administration and 14 armed groups.

The resource-rich country is trying to rebuild its economy after years of conflict. It holds vast deposits of diamonds, gold and oil.

On Monday, Noureddine Adam, head of the Popular Front for the Renaissance of CAR, said authorities had shown "bad faith, amateurism and incompetence" by keeping all the key ministries under their control.

Virginie Mbaikoua, the country's minister of social affairs and national reconciliation, on Monday promised to continue with peace efforts in the country. She called for an increase in the number of "peace committees", made up of conscientious citizens throughout the country.