At a press conference yesterday featuring Stephen Lewis, Paul Farmer of Partners in Health, and Robin Jackson of the World Food Programme, I was gripped by the compassion and urgency with which each person spoke, declaring it time to deliver more than drugs.
Farmer delivered the news, in case any were in doubt, that “the treatment for hunger is food,” and “although maybe a radical idea, children need food every day.” Tongue firmly in cheek, Stephen Lewis likened this statement to one found in a governmental report he witnessed while working in Canadian politics, which read, “the incidence of drowning increases near large bodies of water.”
Robin Jackson supported her colleagues, dispelling the myths that the inclusion of food in aid projects to do with HIV/AIDS are “rolls royce projects,” or in other words, optional. Studies have shown that the effectiveness of ARV treatment is critically enhanced by proper nutrition and among the 14 million people who need interventions in the next two years, some 6 million require food intervention.
Stephen Lewis, in response to the folks who refuse to recognize the importance of proper nutrition, suggested that perhaps abstinence programs should redirect money to nutrition. One journalist interjected that the South African Minister of Health greatly promotes and supports the idea of proper nutrition; however, Lewis made it clear that his tactics of suggesting certain foods such as beet root, garlic, and sweet potato as replacements for ARVs are completely unacceptable.
As if all of this wasn’t convincing enough, Dr. Farmer called attention to Joseph, a young man from Haiti who stood as living proof of the effectiveness of proper nutrition in combination with ARVs. Using before and after photos over the span of six months to prove to the audience that nutritious food is essential, we saw Joseph’s transformation from emaciated to healthy. From knocking on death’s door to embracing his life ahead, there was no clearer illustration of the power of food than Joseph, who sat among us.
I’m enthralled by the concept of holistic health, which extends to the idea of spiritual, emotional, as well as physical nourishment. By being able to provide food along with HIV/AIDS treatment regimens, the World Food Programme is succeeding in sending a message that the whole person is valued; their life is not just worth hanging on to, but enhancing. With proper nutrition in combination with ARV treatment, people living with HIV/AIDS can make a positive contribution to their societies, engage with their families, and create the life that they want for themselves.
For more information about the World Food Programme’s initiatives, check out www.wfp.org
