§ Tony BaldryTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the contribution to the crisis in Southern Africa of(a) HIV/AIDS, (b) sanitation and cquality and quantity of water; and how it is taking its findings into account in its approach to the emergency. 69476]
§ Clare ShortHIV/AIDS is both a contributor to and a likely consequence of current food shortages in Southern Africa. The burden of disease has contributed to families' inability to grow enough food or earn the money to buy it; and shortage of food is leading women to trade sex for survival, to family separations and to reduced access to medical care. In assessing vulnerability NGOs and international organisations through whom we are working are taking account of the need to provide AIDS-affected families with appropriate rations and to design delivery mechanisms which will reach them; and to prevent widespread hunger leading to large scale population movement.
We have made no specific assessment of the contribution of lack of access to water and sanitation to the current crisis, but expect needs in this sector to figure in forthcoming UN appeals.