HIV/AIDS management in Africa—new directions from the San Francisco Conference

Abstract

The international community can learn much from the experiences of Africa in developing integrated AIDS management programs. While short term tactical interventions are important AIDS control in Africa and global AIDS control will not be solved through vaccine or treatment. The keynote address of the San Francisco Conference given by Eunice Kiereini of Kenya acknowledged the influence of the community as the chief determinant of change. Other papers emphasizes the need to involve community leaders in facilitating community awareness and the need to train community outreach counsellors to support AIDS patients and their families. Home care programs were discussed with the emphasis on community prevention through home care. Other papers presented by representatives of African nations offered important contributions to the understanding of human and organizational resource development to the study of behaviors identified with a high risk of spread of HIV and to the study of the distribution and mortality rates associated with HIV. Elizabeth Ngugi of Kenya in the summary session emphasized the importance of offering people choices and basing programs within the community. Africa has more experience in developing integrated AIDS management programs in mobilizing the community to prevent the spread of AIDS and in normalizing AIDS. Africa needs to continue its participation in international conferences and the world community needs to learn from the experiences of the African continent in dealing with AIDS.