UNICEF wants bigger NZ commitment to fight Aids in Pacific

UNICEF calls for greater NZ commitment to fight aids in pacific

The head of UNICEF's HIV/Aids programme, Peter McDermott, has urged New Zealand to boost its overseas assistance to fight the impending threat of an AIDS epidemic in Pacific nations.

Mr McDermott said New Zealand's overseas funding agency NZAID's new health programme was in a unique position to contribute to the smaller nations in the Pacific who had less capability to deal with the HIV/Aids threat.

He met NZAID officials in Wellington yesterday to discuss increasing New Zealand's aid to HIV/Aids programmes.

Mr McDermott said he found NZAID "open and consultative" and looking to do significantly more than it had in the past.

"One of the issues is that New Zealand has been at the low end of overseas assistance and with that, HIV/Aids has had a very, very low priority. We need significantly increased resources.

"New Zealand has been very clear over the years that it is a small country and it's had a geographic focus for aid, particularly for Pacific nations.

"We know that NZAID is developing a new health assistance programme for the region and it will be interesting to see how we can get HIV/Aids as a major part of that health strategy," Mr McDermott said.

"We need to make sure that the threat of HIV/Aids is taken more seriously, that we get the urgently needed prevention programmes in place, and look at the resources that are needed."

Mr McDermott attended the 15th international Aids conference in Bangkok last week, also attended by NZAID health advisor Tim Barnett.

New Zealand was criticised ahead of the conference by World Vision for its low contribution in fighting the disease.

Of the 22 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, New Zealand contributed least -- an average of just US$1.5 million ($2.37 million) per year between 2000 and 2002, outstripped by even tiny Luxembourg with a population of less than half a million, giving US$6.9 million ($10.90 million) a year.

World Vision analyst Simon Duffy had welcomed the Government's recent small increases in spending for the Pacific region, but said they were not likely to have "lifted us off the bottom of the OECD table".

Since the first known case of HIV/Aids was reported in the Pacific in 1982, the total number of known HIV cases has risen to over 10,000.

Papua New Guinea had the highest recorded incidence in the region, and was already experiencing an epidemic with 9000 reported cases. Of those, 500 children under 14 years are HIV/Aids infected, and 4000 have been orphaned by AIDS.

NZAID spokesman Peter Adams said the organi sation was already contributing to Pacific Islands health programmes and NZAID's new health strategy included provision for HIV/Aids.

"We've only been up and running for two years -- and the health strategy is still at the draft stage -- but HIV/Aids is definitely part of it.

"PNG has lost control of the problem and we are aware there's a significant threat of an increase in infection in other nations and territories."

Mr McDermott said the Asia-Pacific region had not yet experienced the scale of HIV/Aids epidemic that has decimated African countries, as the epidemics started later.

"But given the population intensity in China and India, even an increase in infection of 1 to 2 per cent would dwarf the problem in southern Africa," he warned.

Following World Vision's criticism, Aid Minister Marian Hobbs defended government spending on HIV/Aids, saying NZAID was a key player in encouraging the UN AIDS programme to refocus its attention on the Pacific this year.

New Zealand had committed $6 million to fight HIV/Aids in the Pacific and earlier this month contributed another $3 million.

NZAID health advisor Dr Helen Leslie warned the Public Health Association Conference in Christchurch on July 1 that infection rates are on the increase in Micronesia and French Polynesia, with high rates of infection in both men and women.

"This crisis threatens many of the recent social, health and economic gains made by many Pacific nations," she said.

Dr Leslie said some Pacific government, traditional and church lea ders had publicly called for more action to stem the spread of HIV/Aids but widespread denial, misinformation and stigma were barriers to effective prevention.

- NZPA