African summit to tackle AIDS crisis

By Charlayne Hunter-Gault
CNN

ABUJA, Nigeria -- African heads of state are joining health experts and UN officials for a two-day AIDS summit in the Nigerian capital.

Against a backdrop of fear, stigma, silence, denial and a relentless rise in AIDS-related deaths and illness, Nigeria's Vice President Atiku Abubakar said the summit was crucial.

"It represents the beginning of our collective response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic," said Abubakar. "Literally, it is the fight for survival."

MESSAGE BOARD Discuss AIDS prevention    RESOURCES Costs of AIDS drugs in Africa and U.S.     CNNfyi.com Lesson plan: AIDS in Africa

About 26 million people in Africa are infected with the HIV-virus -- 2.6 million in Nigeria.

With few exceptions, African leaders have been criticised for not taking a more pro-active stance in dealing with the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Conservative African culture, homophobia, and a lack of resources are among the reasons frequently cited, and the price of anti-retroviral drugs remains way beyond the capacity of most Africans.

In recent days, major pharmaceutical companies withdrew a case against the South African government challenging its power to import and manufacture cheaper drugs, including those for HIV-AIDS.

But while most AIDS activist heralded the action as a victory for the continent as a whole, the South African government remains opposed to the use of the drugs.

Speakers at the gathering, organised by the Organisation of African Unity, The Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS, and the Nigerian government, are expected to include U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and former U. S. President Bill Clinton.

The summit will focus not only on HIV/AIDS, but tuberculosis and other related infectious diseases.

Study: HIV drug combo cuts mother-baby transmission
April 25, 2001
Drug companies discount AIDS drugs, worry about profits
April 22, 2001
S. Africa AIDS case -- a hollow victory?
April 20, 2001
AIDS drug court battle dropped
April 19, 2001

UNAIDS
Organisation of African Unity
Nigerian Government

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.