Back to Index

MDC calls on strong political leadership on HIV/Aids
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
December 01, 2009

The MDC today joins the rest of the world and the country in commemorating World Aids Day.

HIV/Aids remains one of the biggest threats to development in Southern Africa, especially in Zimbabwe where high costs of drugs and food shortages over the years have connived to exacerbate the condition of those living with HIV/Aids.

The MDC urges the inclusive government to urgently address the issue of this menace to development through awareness programmes and by making ARVs available and affordable.

Zimbabwe is one of the countries with the highest prevalence in the world where about 5 000 Aids-related deaths occur every week. The country is losing its most productive and economic population to this pandemic. Its most disturbing long-term feature is its impact on life expectancy, now 34 years for women and 37 years for men.

While we are aware of what the inclusive government has done to address the collapsed health delivery system in the country, the only option is to prioritise and engage in preventive rather than curative measures to prevent further spread of the disease, to minimise its impact and to mitigate effects by providing a caring and compassionate environment for those infected through the provision of ARVs.

The MDC urges the inclusive government to face the realities of this pandemic head-on and to differentiate clearly between the myths that hold us back as a nation and proven practices and knowledge that will help in mitigating the disease.

As a party, we urge Zimbabweans to remove the stigma of Aids. People must be tested so that they know their status. This will enable them to make safe choices that will make them live long. We must as a nation de-stigmatise and unmask the disease.

The MDC is a party of excellence. We strive to deliver real change to the people through the provision of hope, security, freedom, dignity and prosperity. HIV/ Aids thrives in communities such as those in Zimbabwe, where there is a huge inequality between the rich and the poor, between men and women; where people lack adequate and secure housing, food and health care; where there is employment insecurity; where families are split and where there is political instability and a breakdown in the rule of law.

The inclusive government must urgently deal with the challenge of this pandemic in order to provide affected people with hope. Real change can only be delivered to the people when they have a caring government which provides them with adequate and compassionate care.

Together to the end, marching to a new Zimbabwe.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP