GGML to raise 2.6bn/- for HIV/AIDS fight

KILIMANJARO: GEITA Gold Mining Limited (GGML) is targeting to raise 1.0 million US dollars (2.6bn/-) through its Kili Challenge campaign this year to combat HIV/AIDS.

The Kili Challenge involves the scaling of Mount Kilimanjaro by 60 climbers and cyclists. The trekking takes almost seven days.

The campaign which brings together the government, through the Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS) and other stakeholders, is targeting the amount from stakeholders which will be distributed to HIV-related organisations to boost fighting against AIDS.

Anglo-Gold Ashanti’s Vice President Mr Simon Shayo said the estimated fund will help in archiving a set target of eliminating the killer disease by 2030.

GGML is one of AngloGold Ashanti’s flagship mines. “Our goal is to ensure that we are getting rid of this killer disease and its infections in the country and to achieve this, more support from stakeholders is needed,” said Mr Shayo yesterday during the campaign launch over the weekend. He said the targets are to have zero new infections, zero stigmas, and zero deaths caused by this killer disease by that year.

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Tanzania HIV Impact Survey (THIS) report for 2022/23 showed prevalence of HIV among adults was 4.4 per cent corresponding to approximately 1,548,000 of adult living with HIV.

The prevalence of women was higher by 5.6 per cent compared to 3.0 per cent of men. Additionally, annual new HIV infections among adults aged 15 years and above have declined by 16.7 per cent to 60,000 victims in 2022/23 from 72,000 recorded in 2016/17.

Unfortunately, HIV incidence has doubled among young girls aged 15-24 years and but declined among girls aged 15 years and among men of all ages.

GGML initiatives to fight against AIDS have made some strides since its inception where it managed to reach out to more than 20 private organisations while helping some of the special group members including people with disabilities and orphans.

With the stakeholders’ support, the campaign has made strides that to date, more than 13bn/- have been collected and distributed to the organisation dealing with HIV/AIDS in the country.

GGML’s Managing Director Mr Duan Archery said this year, GGML is supporting 60 candidates where 42 are mountain climbers and 18 are cyclists.

“Two of these candidates are young children, a boy and a girl from Geita’s Moyo wa Huruma Orphanage,” he said.

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The US Ambassador to Tanzania Mr Michael Battle said that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has been a cornerstone in the global fight against HIV/AIDS for more than 20 years.

Since its inception in 2003, PEPFAR has invested significantly in the country, supporting numerous initiatives to control the epidemic and contributing over 7.0 billion US dollars.

“In that time, we made significant gains with more than one million and five hundred thousand people now on life-saving antiretroviral treatment,” said Amb Battle.

TACAIDS Director of Advocacy and Information Mr Jumanne Issango said despite dedicating the raised funds to organisations, the money will also foot the costs of scaling Mount Kilimanjaro.