As the
world will look on his battle with a lung infection ,pneumonia, prostate cancer
and abdominal pains, The Health Guardian will focus on the health legacy that
he left behind. He will be remembered centuries on as being an AIDS campaigner
after realizing the dangers of HIV.Regarding the disease he was quoted saying
''We are facing a silent and invisible enemy that is threatening the very
fabric of our society''.
His
release from prison in 1990 at a time when there was an ongoing and unending
debate on Aids by the African National Congress(ANC),Thabo Mbeki even
questioning the cause of the very disease and South Africans not talking about
it public.Mr.Mandela campaigned for more research on HIV/Aids after leaving
office in 1999.
Un
reports that South Africa has one of the highest HIV rates in the world with
6.1 million living with the disease and
the percentage rising from less than 1% to about 17.9% by 2012.A fact that the
late Mandela tried to change by encouraging the ABC policy in the fight against
the disease in the face of governmental hesitance to fund ARVs in South Africa.
Through
the Nelson Mandela Foundation, he launched 46664 Aids fundraising foundation,
after his prison number on Robben Island. The launch was world acclaimed by
billions in 2003 in Cape Town and propelled by international celebrities:
Beyoncé, Youssou N'Dour and Dave Stewart. The financial gains of most of
Mandela's initiatives has seen numerous research projects funded and South
Africans living with the disease aided.
Mr.
Mandela compared the fight against HIV/Aids with apartheid and constantly urged
people to talk about HIV/Aids "to make it appear like a normal
illness" thus placing South Africa as the pace setter in Aids response.
As
being the integral figure in the anti-Aids movement,Mr.Mandela was key in
setting a firm ground in creating a an Aids free country and influencing many
on a global scale to act and change and save billions.
Other Contributions in Health:
- Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights.
- Under his 'golden age of hope' as SA's president: free healthcare for children under 6 and pregnant women(1994),free healthcare in public health centers(1996) and 500 clinics upgraded.
- Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital.
Other Facts:
- Lost his two sons through a car accident and Aids respectively.
- The Current cinematorial depiction of him is a 2013 film,Mandela:Long Walk to Freedom. Released before he died.
R.I.P
Nelson Mandela…
Margaret
Tanui
Health writer
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