Although they consider that political leadership compromises political will, civil society organizations engaged in this fight admit that there are political orientations in Angola that occur through one activity or another
The president of the Angolan Network of AIDS Service Organizations (ANASO), António Coelho, highlighted political leadership, among the three causes that, for his organization, limit the fight against AIDS, having asserted that the lack of definition of functions of the commission and institute dedicated to combating this evil is the basis of all the obstructions.
“The first major reason for limiting the fight against AIDS has to do with political leadership, as we have serious problems with it and, in this particular, what we recommend is that the role of the National Commission for the Fight against AIDS be better defined. AIDS and that of the National Institute for the Fight against AIDS (INLS), in order to avoid major mistakes in the issue of coordination.
He added that the current framework presented by the country does not offer good indications for people to understand what is the responsibility of the commission and what is the responsibility of the institute.
António Coelho recalled that the National Commission for the Fight against AIDS is a body led by the Vice-President of the Republic and the INLS is part of the Ministry of Health (MINSA), which also ends up being a support body for the State.
“I feel that the commission does not work and that, sometimes, the institute wants to cover the role of the commission, doing it poorly, which I consider wrong, because the commission is a political coordination body and the institute is a coordination technician”, explained the president of ANASO, who refers to the fact that this is already stated in official documents.
In fact, António Coelho highlighted that his organization’s recommendation comes in this sense, from the definition of roles, as there is a regiment that creates the commission and another that creates the institute.
“We have to say that this cannot be achieved, because it is a space that is empty, that of political leadership, which is why we argue that one of the problems in the fight against AIDS is that of political leadership”, argued the interviewee.
Although we consider that political leadership compromises political will, if we said that there is no political guidance in Angola, we would also be lying, because, sometimes, one movement or another happens, just not as sustainable.
“What we intend is for it to be a continued action, which is why we continue to say that political leadership is limited and it must be reinforced with the functioning of the National Commission to Fight AIDS and the definition of the roles that we have already mentioned” , he stressed.
Worrying distribution of antiretrovirals
The second cause of the limitation advanced by ANASO has to do with data. According to the OPAÍS interlocutor, what is available in the country is underestimated data and does not offer a real picture of Angola, in addition to not having the quality that is required.
“If this is the case, these data do not help in defining the progress of the epidemic, nor in defining national policies and strategies”, highlighted the president of ANASO.
The deficiency in the distribution of antiretrovirals and access to monitoring and treatment for people living with HIV were combined with the third reason for the limitation in the fight against the disease.
Regarding the AIDS situation in Angola, ANASO and other civil society organizations are concerned, because, according to António Coelho, the situation is also worrying.
He and his partners believe that, if urgent measures are not taken, it could develop into an alarming reality.