During my visit to Zambia I witnessed at first hand the appalling consequences which these grim statistics do not fully convey. It is difficult to encapsulate in a few words the scale of the human tragedy which I saw at first hand at an AIDS hospice in northern Zambia. One of the most troubling consequences of the HIV/AIDS epidemic is its impact on children. Between 15% and 35% of babies born to HIV positive mothers will be infected with the disease. Most will die by the age of five. Many others are affected through the loss of one or both parents. There are more than 4 million orphans in the six Ireland Aid programme countries, almost equivalent to the population of Ireland. While in Zambia, I visited an orphanage for children who have lost their parents to the virus. This experience will always remain with me.