It starts with a catchy title of Amanpour: World fails to save Africa’s AIDS orphans. First off, ending the “stigma” of AIDS is lumped in with prevention and finding a cure:
We have watched the efforts to find a vaccine, to find drugs to control the disease, to educate people about preventive measures, and to end the stigma of AIDS.
Then a little blame game with an emphasis on Capitalism:
We asked Dr. Chris Ouma, UNICEF’s AIDS specialist in Kenya, why children have gotten such a raw deal.
“I think it’s everybody’s fault really,” he said. “We were slow on the science. We did not speak out for them. Companies did not see the incentive to invest in drugs for children as there’s no one to pay. And all this has now resulted in an unacceptable death [rate].”
The solution to the problem? Bring in British dirt bikers to haul doctors around and have the whole thing financed by private philanthropists.
The outreach project is the brainchild of two British dirt bikers, Barry and Andrea Coleman, who realized that a transport network was the missing link.
“The entire continent of Africa is more or less grounded when it comes to health outreach. Which is a pretty big problem when you think of the effort that goes into sending drugs, sending health care expertise and it all doesn’t reach the people who need it,” said Barry Coleman.
Without any government help, they’ve sent hundreds of motor bikes to Africa’s wildest places with money they’ve raised at bike rallies in England. They have also trained the local health workers how to drive and maintain them.
I guess since everything else is failing (except getting loads of money) you have to be imaginative.
Eric Anderson at 12:43 am
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