Zimbabwe's children are dying
12/04/2006 20:58  - (SA)  

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HIV/Aids Special Report  Latest HIV/Aids News

Angus Shaw

Harare - In Zimbabwe, one child dies of Aids and another is orphaned every 20 minutes, says the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef).

Unicef announced on Wednesday that it is embarking on an ambitious programme to improve the care, health, education and nutrition of vulnerable children in Zimbabwe.

The fund said it had received a British donation of £s;22m to "help children facing some of the worst hardships anywhere in the world, given the extent of the economic crisis".

The British funding, paid over the next four years, will also go towards increasing school enrolments for Aids affected children, and family and community support programmes as part of Zimbabwe's National Plan of Action - which enjoys the backing of the Zimbabwean government.

1.6m Aids orphans

Unicef executive director Ann Veneman said: "Almost one in three children in Zimbabwe - 1.6m - are now orphaned.

"HIV and Aids have dramatically increased children's vulnerability."

Unicef said three infants in Zimbabwe are infected with the Aids virus every hour, mainly from their mothers.

One in eight Zimbabwean children die before the age of five, said the fund.

According to Unicef, 3 000 people die in Zimbabwe from Aids related illnesses every week.

Zimbabweans lead by example

The Aids epidemic has lowered the average life expectancy of a Zimbabwean to below 40.

However, Unicef said that, despite the country's economic collapse, Zimbabweans still continued to lead by example in their care of vulnerable children.

The fund said more than 90% of orphans were absorbed into extended families, sometimes even distant relatives.

Two in five households in the poorest rural areas took in orphans and the vulnerable, adding to their burden of economic hardship.

Less than half of these households had received any form of aid or support in the past year, said the fund.

In November, Unaids reported a decline of Aids infections in the country - from 26 to 21% of the population.

- AP

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