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afrol News, 1 November - The densely trafficked West African highway between Lagos and Abidjan not only promotes regional trade and contacts. It also promotes the spread of HIV and AIDS, especially due to the large number of sex workers. Now, the governments of Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire are working to turn the tide. In 1992 in Togo, 33 percent of the truck drivers and 80 percent of commercial sex workers in Lomé were reported to be infected with HIV. These statistics, although very old compared to the rapid spread of HIV, are in sharp contrast to the 1999 UNAIDS estimations of HIV among the Togolese population at large; 5.98 percent. The newest statistics of prevalence rates for commercial sex workers are 63 percent in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire, 1990), 74 percent in Accra (Ghana, 1997), 85 percent in Cotonou (Benin, 1996) and 30 percent in Lagos (Nigeria, 1993). The Abidjan-Lagos corridor, connecting the five coastal countries by a good-quality highway, is seen as West Africa's main diffusion line of the pandemic. Closing the highway - or even regulating the free movement of nationals from West African countries - is out of the question, though. The highway is a key to regional integration; important for trade and for maintaining private contacts along the artificial borders, cutting through traditional societies. It has long been recognised that specific institutional arrangements would have to be put in place in view of the regional dimensions of HIV/AIDS along the Abidjan-Lagos transport corridor. Therefore, an interstate coordinating body, located in Benin, is now being established, in order to help fight HIV/AIDS along the transport corridor. The main objective of the new body will be to increase access to HIV/AIDS prevention, basic treatment, and support and care services by underserved vulnerable groups along the transport corridor. "Particular attention is to be given to the transport sector workers, the migrant population and the local populations living in the corridor with whom they interact," according to the project's description. In particular, this is to include "the social marketing of condoms in the 8 geographic border communities and along the entire corridor." Information, education and communication with vulnerable groups was given importance. "While condoms are an effective prevention tool to fight HIV/AIDS, populations frequently need to be assisted to develop a culture of using them," an internal document notes. Also HIV/AIDS treatment, care and support services for the targeted population were an aim for the regional body. This in particular included a "strengthening of public and private health care facilities identified along the corridor." The funding of this "evolving project" is currently being discussed at World Bank offices in Washington. The government of Benin, on behalf of the five cooperating countries, has requested a credit of US$ 15 million to finance the establishment of the regional body. An answer could be expected by 30 January 2003, the Bank informed this week. Sources: Based on World Bank and afrol archives
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