From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org


ACNS3556 Tanzania and Burundi scale up HIV/AIDS response


From "Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>
Date Wed, 20 Aug 2003 17:06:02 +0100

ACNS 3556   |	TANZANIA / BURUNDI   |	 20 AUGUST 2003 

Tanzania and Burundi scale up HIV/AIDS response

[ACNS sources: CAPA and EEB] The Anglican Church of Tanzania (ACT) last
month held its four-year Health and HIV/AIDS Strategic planning in Dar
es Salaam. A five-day workshop developed plans in partnership with
USAID, Futures Group, Christian Aid (UK) and Churches in the Anglican
Provinces of Africa (CAPA).

The church has been actively involved in HIV/AIDS care and prevention,
but intends to scale up its activities. Provincial HIV/AIDS
Co-ordinator, Mrs Neema Majule, expressed satisfaction with the planning
process saying what was left was implementation, some of which was
already going on.

ACT runs 12 hospitals and over 40 dispensaries and clinics all over
Tanzania. The church is also engaged in health, consumers' rights,
advocacy, malaria control, maternal health care and youth reproductive
health programmes. Recently, the church in partnership with the
Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT) launched a youth HIV/AIDS education
campaign known as Kivuko (stepping-stone) which has attracted the
participation of many young people.

The strategic planning was attended by representatives of all the 19
dioceses and the provincial co-ordinating team. Dean of the Province,
Bishop Philip Baji, closed the workshop with a call for intensified
action against HIV/AIDS and other diseases affecting the people.

The Eglise Episcopale du Burundi (EEB) is also planning strategically to
make an appropriate response to the HIV/AIDS crisis. "It is important to
influence leaders but also to make an impact at grass roots where the
silence about AIDS and sexuality needs to be broken," an Anglican source
said. "Workshops have already taken place in prisons, schools, military
camps, and in camps for displaced people. 

"Emphasis is placed on training trainers, for example, pastors and their
wives so that they are able to teach others and minister effectively in
their parishes. Chaplains in schools are also assisted so that they can
organise regular teaching on HIV/AIDS in order to reduce the sexual
behaviour that causes risk.

[A photo is available at:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/35/50/acns3556.html]

___________________________________________________________________
ACNSlist, published by Anglican Communion News Service, London, is
distributed to more than 6,000 journalists and other readers around
the world.  For subscription information please go to:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/acnslist.html


Browse month . . . Browse month (sort by Source) . . . Advanced Search & Browse . . . WFN Home