IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 75
Africa
19 April 2002


NEWS:

AFRICA: Acute measles suppresses AIDS virus - study
SOUTH AFRICA: Providing AIDS drugs to rape survivors
AFRICA: New test could cut costs in developing world
KENYA: Drug shortages jeopardise patients - NGOs
ETHIOPIA: Mobile units help in HIV/AIDS prevention
WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA: Orphans in the spotlight

LINKS:

1. The Hopkins HIV Report
2. DramAidE
3. Face to Face

CONFERENCES/RESEARCH:

1. The 23rd African Health Sciences Congress
2. 15th World Congress of Epidemiology
3. Call for Proposals: HIV and Mobile Populations in SADC

JOB OPPORTUNITIES:

1. HIV/AIDS Programme Manager and Gender-Based Violence Programme
Manager - OXFAM



AFRICA: Acute measles suppresses AIDS virus - study

Children newly infected and ill with measles get a temporary respite from
the AIDS virus, a new study has found.

A study of HIV-infected children living in Zambia found that HIV levels in
the blood were significantly lower while the children had measles,
compared to HIV-infected children who did not have measles.

"We were surprised by these findings because we expected to see HIV
replication increase, not decrease with measles," Dr. William Moss, who
led the study, said in a statement this week.

"Measles is a very immunosuppressive virus. It results in many secondary
infections and is a major cause of death among children. Our findings show
that measles also triggers intense immune system activation that
temporarily suppresses HIV," Moss said.

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health studied
93 children infected with both measles and HIV at the University Teaching
Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia.

The children's HIV levels were measured from blood samples taken when they
were admitted to the hospital for measles treatment. More samples were
taken when the children were discharged from the hospital, and again one
month later.

They were compared with samples taken from HIV-infected children who did
not have measles or other illnesses, and with samples from children with
measles, but not HIV.

The researchers noticed that the CD8 T-cell level, which is an indicator
of immune system response, was elevated in the children with both measles
and HIV when compared to children in the control groups. The increase in
the CD8 level occurred during the same time as the suppression of HIV
levels.

"More research will be needed with a larger study group to fully
understand how measles suppresses HIV and activates the immune system, but
our findings may provide clues to understanding both HIV pathogenesis and
immunity," said Dr. Diane Griffin, a microbiologist who also worked on the
study.

For more information on the study "Suppression of Human Immunodeficiency
Virus Replication during Acute Measles":
http://ww3.jhsph.edu/Press_Room/Press_Releases/Measles%20HIV%20load.html

SOUTH AFRICA: Providing AIDS drugs to rape survivors

The Sunninghill Rape Crisis Clinic in Johannesburg is one of a few
institutions in the country that provides antiretrovirals to women who
have been raped. It has been doing so since 1998.

Following the government's announcement on Wednesday that rape survivors
were to be provided with AIDS drugs at public health institutions as soon
as possible, the director of the clinic spoke of the challenges involved
in providing this service.

High levels of sexual violence in the country have been compounded by the
growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. According to the South African Police Service,
37,711 rape cases were reported to the police between January and
September last year. According to a study by the University of South
Africa (UNISA), one million women and children are raped annually.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=1275

AFRICA: New test could cut costs in developing world

A new scientific breakthrough promises to make treatment more affordable
in developing countries.

A South African doctor has discovered a cheaper and more accurate method
of CD4 testing, which cuts the cost of CD4 tests by almost a third. "With
the new test, state hospitals can monitor three times as many patients,"
Dr. Debbie Glencross of South Africa's National Health Laboratory Service
(NHLS), told PlusNews on Monday.

According to Glencross, the haemotologist who discovered the new method,
the new test is much quicker and easier to use. "The conception was that
because it is so simple, the quality would be poorer, but it is actually
of a much better quality," she said.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=1269

KENYA: Drug shortages jeopardise patients - NGOs

The cost of certain HIV/AIDS drugs has dropped in recent months, but
shortages are placing many patients at risk, says a coalition of NGOs.

Many pharmaceutical companies reduced their prices last year by between 50
and 98 percent for governments, international agencies and NGOs fighting
HIV/AIDS in Africa.

However, the Kenya Coalition for Access to Essential Medicines, which
groups together several NGOs, has accused the drug companies of "giving
with one hand and taking with the other".

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=1271

ETHIOPIA: Mobile units help in HIV/AIDS prevention

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has launched a
programme to bring HIV/AIDS prevention, counselling and testing to migrant
populations in Ethiopia.

These mobile units provide information on HIV/AIDS, distribute male and
female condoms, offer voluntary counselling and testing, and provide
treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) to those most at
risk, the IOM said. These include truck drivers, commercial sex workers,
itinerant labourers, refugees and internally displaced people.

The units operate in the evenings to adapt to the truck drivers' working
hours. So far, more than 2,000 flyers and leaflets have been distributed
to drivers in trucking companies, petrol stations and stopover areas, the
IOM added.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=1272

WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA: Orphans in the spotlight

AIDS orphans are better off with their families than in institutions, says
USAID.

In a document presented in Cote d'Ivoire last week, at an international
week-long workshop to share experiences, USAID said: "Children benefit
greatly from the care, personal attention and social relations that
families and their communities can provide. Children raised in orphanages
often have difficulties integrating into society after becoming adults,
and many of them are ill-equipped to cope."

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=1270


LINKS:

1. The Hopkins HIV Report is a bi-monthly newsletter for practitioners
caring for patients with HIV/AIDS. All articles are written by faculty
staff of The Schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing who practice
in The Johns Hopkins AIDS Service.
http://www.hopkins-aids.edu/publications/report/report_toc.html

2. DramAidE is an educational programme which uses drama to educate South
African youth about HIV/AIDS, life-skills and sexuality. DramAidE draws on
a range of familiar cultural activities, including the performace of song,
dance, poetry and plays, theatre-in-education, forum theatre and arts
workshops.
http://www.und.ac.za/und/dramaide/default.htm

3. Face to Face is an international campaign for the health, rights and
equality of all women. This month, Face to Face International focuses its
Campaign Update on HIV/AIDS.
http://www.facecampaign.org/main.html


CONFERENCES/RESEARCH:

1. The 23rd African Health Sciences Congress 22 - 26 April 2002

The 23rd African Health Sciences Congress is organised by the Faculty of
Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, in collaboration with The
African Forum for Health Sciences (AFHES) and the Kenya Medical Research
Institute (KEMRI). The Congress will be held at the Fairway Hotel,
Kampala, Uganda.

Theme: Challenges and Strategies for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious
Diseases Facing Africa in the 21st Century.

For more information: http://www.100megsfree.com/makerere/home2.htm

2. 15th World Congress of Epidemiology 18 - 22 August 2002

The International Epidemiology Association will be hosting the World
Congress of Epidemiology. Formerly known as the International Scientific
Meeting of the International Epidemiological Association (IEA), the World
Congress of Epidemiology is the main event of the IEA.

The congress will showcase the results from substantive and methodological
research on the traditional disease-based topics and other themes.

For more information:

IEA 2002 Congress Secretariat
c/o Events International Meeting Planners
759 Victoria Square, Suite 300
Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2Y 2J7
Tel: +1-514-286-0855
Fax: +1-514-288-7945
e-mail: iea2002@eventsintl.com
http://www.iea2002.com/index_frame.html

3. Call for Proposals: HIV and Mobile Populations in SADC (Southern
African Development Community) - The Regional Office for Southern Africa
of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is requesting
proposals for the following three research components of IOM's regional
project: "Research for action on HIV/AIDS and Mobile Populations in the
SADC region", which is envisioned to be completed by the end of August
2002.

The research components cover the following SADC Countries: Botswana,
Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and
Zimbabwe.

1) An analytical assessment on the impact of migration and mobility on the
spread of HIV/AIDS, and the impact of HIV/AIDS on migration and mobility
in the SADC region. Different mobile populations will have to be
identified and analysed on their specific vulnerability to HIV infection.

2) A compilation and analysis of relevant laws, protocols and policies
from governments, unions and the private sector pertaining to mobile
populations and HIV/AIDS in the SADC region. One of the outputs will be an
advocacy document containing policy options to reduce vulnerability of
mobile populations to HIV/AIDS in the SADC region.

3) A mapping of the different mobile populations in the SADC region in
order to provide a basis for country specific and/or regional HIV project
interventions.

For terms of reference and application form please contact the IOM Office
in Pretoria, South Africa, at brijks@iom.int or sropretoria@iom.int
Website: www.iom.int
Closing date for applications: 1 May 2002


JOB OPPORTUNITIES:

1. HIV/AIDS Programme Manager and Gender-Based Violence Programme Manager

Oxfam GB intends to make substantive responses to address the impact of
HIV/AIDS and Gender-based Violence in South Africa. Based in
Pietermaritzburg, the two post-holders would lead the development and
implementation of complementary programmes that would seek to change
attitudes and beliefs, policy and practice, locally and provincially
within KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, as well as at national level,
and contribute to Oxfam’s global programme.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Programme development
- Programme management
- Knowledge management
- Campaigning, representation, ensuring that the impact of HIV/AIDS is
factored into all Oxfam GB work

REQUIREMENTS:

- Education to B Hons-degree or equivalent
- At least 5 years’ relevant experience
- Specialised knowledge of either appropriate health interventions to
address HIV/AIDS and issues affecting the price and availability of drugs,
or appropriate responses to gender-based violence
- High level numerical and computing skills
- Excellent written communication skills in English
- Full driving licence
- Be able and willing to travel extensively.

A competitive package to attract and retain high quality candidates,
including non-contributory medical aid and pension contribution.
Applications will only be accepted in electronic form on an official
application form.
For application pack, contact Lindo Ngubane or Janine Ward: tel. +27 33
342 1666; e-mail: jward@oxfam.org.za
Closing date: 09:00 Monday 6 May 2002. Interviews: Probably Thursday and
Friday 16 and 17 May 2002.

Re-advertisement: previous applications need not re-apply.


IRIN-SA
Tel: +27 11 880-4633
Fax: +27 11 447-5472
Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za

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