Statements and Webcast
Chad
H.E. Mr. Idriss Deby Itno, President
8 June 2011
- Statement: French (Check against delivery)
Statement Summary
IDRISS DEBY ITNO, President of Chad, said an HIV/AIDS vaccine had been sought for 30 years and the efforts to mobilize all players had shown there was reason for hope. 聽While such determination had brought leaders together today, the global economic crisis had also forced States to address other priorities. 聽HIV/AIDS had adversely impacted Chadians, with a 2005 study showing that the prevalence of infection was at 14 per cent of people aged 15 to 40 years old. 聽Against that backdrop, the Government had devised a strategy to counter HIV/AIDS, which outlined free medical care for HIV/AIDS sufferers. 聽In 2007, 747,000 people had benefited from that care, a number that doubled in 2008.
Combating the scourge was also outlined in Chad鈥檚 poverty reduction strategy, he continued. 聽A national institute had been created under the Prime Minister鈥檚 Office, while civil society had started workshops and created a watch dog institute to ensure human rights in the care of those suffering from HIV/AIDS. 聽Such efforts were in line with the international goals of achieving zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. 聽 Chad also supported the joint African Union position outlined in April 2011.
AIDS was also a development issue, he said, and the Government鈥檚 efforts had been incorporated into its development strategy and policies. 聽Also, oil revenues had been invested in education and health, as seen in the building of universities and health centres. 聽As a 鈥渃ross-roads鈥� country, Chad shared borders with six countries, with which it had shored up forces to combat HIV/AIDS. 聽Amid such efforts, international solidarity in resource mobilization was essential. In the 2009-2016 period, Chad aimed to achieve universal prevention, treatment, care and support for those suffering from HIV/AIDS and he encouraged rich countries to support programmes to achieve such goals.
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