[pronut-hiv] Scaling up ARVs and food insecurity

[<pronut-hiv@healthnet.org>]

>From another listserv
Scaling up ARVs and Food Insecurity

According to Mr Michael Kiwombojjo from  UNDP Botswana "Experts tell us that with ARVs the beneficiaries require good nutrition in order to build their weak immune system"

What are you doing in your country to ensure that people living with HIV/AIDS including those taking ARVs have good nutrition?
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My concern is the increasing food insecurity among our societies,
particularly the PLWH/As and their families. A call for scaling up ARVs
should not make us forget other critical issues in addressing the epidemic
in a holistic manner.  I know this is a challenge but it should be a
concern for everybody as we think about rolling out ARVs.  We cannot sit
on our laurels and ask for ARVs when the same people who would benefit are dying of hunger.  Needless to mention specific countries but the problem of  food security has been badly mismanaged as a response to the epidemic.
 Even where government subsidies exist, PLWA/H die before the food rations are provided.

Experts tell us that with ARVs the beneficiaries require good nutrition in
order to build their weak immune system.  Unfortunately, AIDS has eroded the capacity of our traditional subsistence peasants farmers in Sub
Saharan Africa to fend for themselves .  They are unable to till the land
either due to sickness or lack of technical support.  One can argue that
with ARVs the sick will get better and become more productive. 
Unfortunately in most African countries, the care and support programmes are not well integrated.  This is why we have few if any programmes which empowers families affected by the epidemic to become more productive and self sustaining as far as food security is concerned.

Instead, for the last ten years of the epidemic, sick people have
continued to be provided with processed foods and formulas whose
nutritional values to supplement their dietary requirement is
questionable. Such remedial measures in the short run are perfect but
after ten years in the struggle against the epidemic we need to be more
sensitive and address the problem in a more sustainable manner as we
advocate for rolling out or scaling up ARVs to benefit our people.

Therefore, the multi sectoral strategy advocated by Nduhura would partly
entail that the agriculture extension workers should work hand in hand
with affected families to reduce the problem of food insecurity.

Government, Civil Society and the private sector and any other local
commitment on HIV/AIDS should also address the problem of food security. Personally I would prefer a situation where we can lobby and  advocate for ARVs because they are outside our means in the developing countries but we need to empower our people to deal with food insecurity.
Michael Kiwombojjo
UNDP Botswana
Email: mkiwombojjo@mega.bw 
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