WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2911/97 by Johanna MAIJ-WEGGEN to the Commission. Children with AIDS in Africa
Date: 1997-09-17
Institutions: European Parliament, MAIJ-WEGGEN
Subjects: AIDS, Africa, EU aid, Unicef, child, dissemination of information, health education, mortality, public awareness campaign, sexually transmitted disease













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91997E2911

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2911/97 by Johanna MAIJ-WEGGEN to the Commission. Children with AIDS in Africa  


Official Journal C 102 , 03/04/1998 P. 0144 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-2911/97 by Johanna Maij-Weggen (PPE) to the Commission (17 September 1997)Subject: Children with AIDS in AfricaAccording to Unicef, 1000 children per day are now dying of AIDS in 15 African countries south of the Sahara, while in 1996 alone 400 000 children are said to have been infected with the AIDS virus.Unicef estimates that after the year 2000 average life expectancy in the affected countries will fall by more than 11 years, partly as a result of this infection.Can the Commission state what action it is taking, together with the African countries affected, to counteract HIV infection?What amounts is the European Union spending in support of AIDS prevention in the African countries affected?Answer given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission (15 October 1997)In 1986 the international community initiated its response to the threat posed by the human immunodeficiency virus acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) epidemic. It was in the light of this concerted international action that the Community launched its own programme in mid 1987, initially as part of its co-operation with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, and subsequently extending it to all the developing countries with the creation of a new budget line in 1988 (B7-6211). From 1987 to mid-1997, the Community committed approximately MECU 170 to the support of HIV/AIDS activities in developing countries. A major part of these funds are used to prevent transmission of the virus on the African continent where the problem is very widespread.Specific activities related to HIV among children have been initiated and supported by the Community through counselling, education and information among young women in order to limit the perinatal transmission of the virus from mother to child. Special attention is also given by the programme to support initiatives related to school education and youth mobilisation in order to prevent the young from acquiring HIV. Development of care strategies for infants and children with HIV have also been supported. General information on the programmes' activities is continuously disseminated and discussed in different institutional fora.On 7 January 1994, the Commission presented a communication to the Council and the Parliament on the policy principles and strategic priorities governing the HIV/AIDS activities of the Community and the Member States in the developing countries ((COM(93) 479. )) These were adopted in a Resolution (No 6449/94) dated 6 May 1994.An activity report on the implementation of the Community HIV/AIDS programme established by the Commission was forwarded to the development committee of the Parliament in March 1997 (Implementation of the Community programme on HIV/AIDS in developing countries).