HIV/AIDS in the fisheries communities of Lake Victoria: a strategic action plan 2006

Abstract

HIV/AIDS remains a serious challenge within East Africa, none more so than for the fishing communities of Lake Victoria. Despite HIV/AIDS being first confirmed in the region within the fishing communities of Lake Victoria, there has been no lake-wide coordinated effort to tackle HIV/AIDS in these communities. In fact, efforts specifically targeting fishing communities are very few and have reached only a small number of communities. The challenge is, therefore, considerable, with prevalence rates within fishing communities estimated at between 10 to 40%. Diverse and long-term impacts result from this high rate, both for the people affected and for the sustainability of the fisheries resources. This strategy and action plan (SAP) sets out the actions that are needed to reduce the prevalence and impact of HIV/AIDS within the fishing communities of Lake Victoria. The development of the SAP was led by the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO) working with partners within fisheries and within the HIV/AIDS sector. The development and implementation of the strategy is forging new linkages between organisations, bringing new hope to the fishing communities of Lake Victoria. The vision of the strategy is to see ‘Fishing communities free from HIV/AIDS’, while the purpose is ‘HIV prevalence reduced and impacts mitigated in fishing communities’.