16th International AIDS Conference


Toronto, Canada - August 13 - 18, 2006

PROTECTING AFRICA'S WILDLIFE AND PARKS: THE IMPACT OF AIDS ON THE ZAMBIA WILDLIFE AUTHORITY

Int Conf AIDS. 2006 Aug 13-18;16 Abstract No. ThAd0104

Rosen S.1, Hamazakaza P.2, Long L.3
1 Boston University, Center for International Health and Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2 Farming Systems Association of Zambia, Chilanga, Zambia, 3 University of the Witwatersrand, Health Economics Research Office, Johannesburg, South Africa

BACKGROUND: Unlike for private sector firms, little evidence has been published on the impact of AIDS on governments' capacity to deliver services. The high level of AIDS-related mortality in Zambia has raised concerns about the impact of AIDS on the capacity of the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) to carry out its mission of protecting the country's parks and reserves, which is essential to the success of Zambia's tourism industry.

METHODS: Data were collected from ZAWA on workforce characteristics, recent mortality, and the number of days spent on patrol per month by a random sample of 238 wildlife police officers, including 12 who died in service of AIDS or suspected AIDS. An estimate was made of the impact of AIDS on service delivery capacity and cost.

RESULTS: Wildlife police officers (WPOs) still in the workforce spent an average of 223 days/year on patrol. WPOs who died of AIDS spent 84 days on patrol in their last 12 months of service (62% decrease) and 133 days on patrol in their last 13 – 24 months of service (40% decrease). Funeral attendance by co-workers and long vacancies before replacements were hired increased the productivity loss per death. The total productivity loss per death was equal to 1.4 person-years. Annual AIDS-related mortality was estimated at 3.1%, accounting for roughly 80% of all employee attrition. As a result, ZAWA's overall capacity to patrol the parks was reduced by 4.5%. In addition, each AIDS-related death of a WPO imposed a budgetary cost equal to 3.3 years' annual compensation, leading to an overall increase in labor costs of 8%.

CONCLUSIONS: AIDS is constraining ZAWA's ability to protect Zambia's wildlife and parks. Despite the logistical challenges of treating patients in remote locations, even at a cost of $1,000/patient/year, antiretroviral therapy would result in net budgetary savings to the organization and greatly increase its patrol capacity.

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2006-08-13
ThAd0104

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