Project HIV/AIDS prevention in Central Africa
Project region CEMAC: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo
Project partner Organisation de Coordination pour la lutte contre les Endémies en Afrique Centrale (OCEAC)
Project term January 2009 to December 2012 (ongoing phase)
Budget EUR 23 million (ongoing phase)
Context
The socioeconomic situation in Central Africa contrasts sharply with its immense natural resource wealth. That is the paradox in this region of Africa, which has remarkable potential and yet rising levels of poverty among a rapidly growing population. In the Central African Republic and Chad, more than half the popula- tion survives on one US dollar a day or less. Economic growth in most of the region’s countries is scarcely higher than the rate of population growth, which is the fastest in the world; a threefold increase in the population by the year 2050 is currently predicted for the region. Indicators of human and social development for the CEMAC region are unsatisfactory. Large sections of the population are illiterate, have no access to safe drinking water and are affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The United Nations estimates that the HIV prevalence rates in the individual countries ranged from 3.4% (Equatorial Guinea) to 6.3% (Central African Republic) in 2007. Although these rates are still low in comparison with Southern Africa, they cannot conceal the fact that overall, the rate of infection among the CEMAC region’s 31.5 million inhabitants is increasing.
The increase in transnational activities means that AIDS is spreading fast. National disease control programmes are not enough. A more effective approach is to region- alise the social marketing programmes introduced at national level, which aim to stem the HIV/AIDS epidemic
and the spread of other sexually transmitted diseases through the distribution of condoms at subsidised prices by the formal and informal private sector, flanked by information and awareness-raising campaigns. The project is also aligned with the current initiatives of the governments of the CEMAC countries which aim to coordinate their HIV/AIDS prevention programmes so that regional institutions can cooperate more effectively. Integrating the national programmes into a regional structure facilitates joint procurement of products and the shared use of information resources, thus saving costs and effort. Exchanging information on strategic and technical issues and introducing a harmonised moni- toring and evaluation system offer further advantages.
Project
At the regional level, the programme is coordinated by OCEAC, which receives support within the framework of German financial cooperation.
The initial step in the first project phase was to integrate the previous bilateral social marketing programmes in Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Chad into the regional approach. A regional centre in Yaoundé directs the activities, carries out monitoring and quality assurance, coordinates campaigns and ensures financial control. A further aim is to harmonise prices and brands. The various national social marketing organisations operate on the basis of a regional strategy and carry out
As at: June 2011 F A C T S H E E T : O T H E R R E G I O N A L P R O M O T I O N M E A S U R E S Photos: KfW photo archives | photo
agency: photothek.net
awareness-raising and marketing campaigns. These also include regional activities which target itinerant workers, migrants, military personnel, prostitutes and long-distance truck drivers.
The main objective of the project is to implement awareness-raising and advertising campaigns that are adapted to the individual target groups and are designed to increase their knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention and contraception, promote behavioural changes and boost demand for contraceptives. The campaigns are based on modern concepts of behavioural and advertising psychology which involve influential role models and take account of the behaviour and attitudes of youth culture. In this context, the regional centre is developing a database and an information and materials pool with the purpose of developing and exchanging best practice advertising materials and media between national projects.
Results
With this project, Germany aims to reduce the HIV infection rate and the transmission of other sexually transmitted diseases and curb the stigmatisation and social exclusion of people living with HIV. Permanent changes in behaviour and condom use will curb the spread of the AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. The project target group is the sexually active poor popula- tion, particularly high-risk groups and adolescents who at present lack adequate access to AIDS education and contraceptives. Improved knowledge of infection risks and prevention methods is intended to reduce the stigmatisation and social exclusion of people infected and suffering from AIDS. The project also enhances regional cooperation among the participating states. Positive outcomes of the project can already be observed, particularly with regard to behavioural changes and condom availability.
Contact
HIV/AIDS prevention in Central Africa KfW Entwicklungsbank
Palmengartenstraße 5 - 9
60325 Frankfurt am Main | Germany Contact person Hubert Eisele
T +49 69 7431-4688
F +49 69 7431-3748
I www.kfw-entwicklungsbank.de | www.oceac.org
| Jointly produced advertising and education materials save time and money
| West Africa has also been hit by the feminisation of AIDS that can be seen around the globe. Education work is indispensable
| AIDS prevention through the sale of condoms and contraceptives at heavily subsidised prices