IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 149: 03-Oct-03
IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 149
Africa
3 October 2003
NEWS:
AFRICA: US assistance to alleviate impact of HIV/AIDS on education
DRC: MSF introduces ARV treatment in Bukavu
COTE D'IVOIRE: Global Fund offers $18 m to fight HIV/AIDS
SOUTH AFRICA: Govt clarifies Mbeki's statement on HIV/AIDS
LINKS
1. HIV/AIDS: Positive Stories
2. Alive and Well AIDS Alternatives
3. Virus Myth
4. Mothers Opposing Mandatory Medicine (MOMM)
CONFERENCES/EVENTS/RESEARCH
1. 5th African HIV Research Forum Seminar Day - Community Participation in
Research
2. 6th International Conference on Home and Community Based Care for
People Living with HIV/AIDS
3. Opportunities for Research Training
VACANCIES
1. UNAIDS Country Coordinator - Lusaka, Zambia
2. Senior Writer, Communication and Public Information - Geneva,
Switzerland
NEWS
AFRICA: US assistance to alleviate impact of HIV/AIDS on education
African educators met in Swaziland this week to discuss strategies for
teachers and pupils to cope with the impact of HIV/AIDS, signalling a
shift from thinking of the disease as being only a health concern.
"HIV/AIDS is a cross-theme issue - it affects all areas of education in
Africa. What is encouraging is the response from communities, civil
society and governments," said Dr. Sarah Moten, Division Chief for
Education Programmes for the African Bureau of the US Agency for
International Development (USAID), which convened the conference in
Ezulwini, Swaziland.
Moten added: "The impact on the teaching profession has been profound. Our
emphasis now is on training - throughout Africa, the teaching institutions
are not producing teachers to replace those who die of AIDS."
Two hundred and fifty delegates from 23 African countries and the United
States met primarily to assess what effect the Education and Democracy
Development Initiative (EDDI), launched by the administration of former US
president Bill Clinton, has had on HIV/AIDS in African education, and to
plan for EDDI's replacement, the Bush Administration's African Education
Initiative (AEI).
More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2583&SelectRegion=Africa&SelectCountry=AFRICA
DRC: MSF introduces ARV treatment in Bukavu
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has begun providing free treatment with
life-prolonging antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to HIV/AIDS patients in
Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the international
relief NGO reported on Wednesday.
The programme began with an initial enrolment of seven patients, but is
expected to add about 10 patients per month, ultimately including 150
patients on ARV treatment by January 2005. Hilary Bower, deputy head of
mission MSF-Holland in Goma, told PlusNews that MSF had made a five-year
commitment to the programme, after which its sustainability and local
capacity would be re-evaluated.
"A lot could change in five years," Bower said, adding that she hoped ARVs
would become far more affordable by then.
As for capacity building, Bower said MSF was working closely with local
health authorities and personnel, in a concerted effort to show local
residents and international donors that it was possible to have people
taking ARVs safely in an unstable setting.
The seven individuals were selected from over 180 patients. Selection
criteria included the need for each patient to have the support of one
other individual to whom they have revealed their status; residence in
Bukavu; and a demonstrated ability to adhere to clinic appointments and
prophylactic medications.
More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2579&SelectRegion=Great_Lakes&SelectCountry=DRC
COTE D'IVOIRE: Global Fund offers $18 m to fight HIV/AIDS
The Global Fund to Fight Aids, Malaria and Tuberculosis is to provide US
$18 million to NGOs and other groups in Cote d'Ivoire for activities in
the field of HIV/AIDS, under an agreement between the fund and the Ivorian
government health ministry.
The money will be disbursed over a two-year period, according to Anidie
Laure, information officer at the Ministry of Health. Depending on the
Global Fund's assessment of activities carried out in the first two years,
another $37 million is to be disbursed over the next three years,
according to the agreement, signed on Friday.
"Everyone is on the lookout to make sure the money reaches the targeted
beneficiaries," said Christine Oussou, chairperson of the Ivorian Network
of People Living with HIV/AIDS.
She said access to antiretroviral drugs was a key issue for the network.
More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2578&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=COTE_D_IVOIRE
SOUTH AFRICA: Govt clarifies Mbeki's statement on HIV/AIDS
The South African government has moved to diffuse the controversy sparked
by comments President Thabo Mbeki reportedly made to the Washington Post
that he knew nobody who had died of AIDS, nor anyone who was HIV positive.
The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) released a
statement on behalf of the presidency in a bid to "clarify" Mbeki's
comments and "put the record straight".
GCIS said that at the end of a recent interview with the Washington Post,
"the president agreed to being asked a personal question, which was
whether he knew of anyone in his family or amongst his close associates
who had died of AIDS or was infected by HIV".
Mbeki's response was that he did not. The published article caused a storm
in South Africa, where Mbeki's views on HIV/AIDS have been hotly debated.
GCIS pointed out, however, that "it was these questions, specifically
about people close to him, that the president answered and his negative
replies do not support any broader interpretation that some media have
given them".
More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2574&SelectRegion=Southern_Africa&SelectCountry=SOUTH_AFRICA
LINKS
1. HIV/AIDS: Positive Stories
This site allows the user the opportunity of browsing through a collection
of hundreds of stories and feedback from people around the world, affected
by or living with HIV/AIDS. Users can also send messages to the HIV/AIDS
message board, visit the questions page and contribute to the site.
For more information:
http://www.healingwell.com/resources.asp?ID=2800&Category=AIDS_HIV/Personal_Experiences
2. Alive & Well AIDS Alternatives
The site was set up by HIV-positive men and women who have learned to live
in health without HIV/AIDS drugs or fear of illness. It presents
information that raises questions about the accuracy of HIV tests, the
safety and effectiveness of AIDS drug treatments, and the validity of most
common assumptions about HIV and AIDS.
For more information: http://aliveandwell.org/
3. Virus Myth
A constantly updated and comprehensive source for studies, containing
international news, science journal articles, commentary and more.
It also has biographies and collected works of many internationally known
scientists who question common beliefs about HIV and AIDS.
For more information: http://www.virusmyth.net/aids/
4. Mothers Opposing Mandatory Medicine (MOMM)
The group provides information and peer support to current and expectant
mothers with concerns about HIV testing and pharmaceutical AIDS
treatments, and offers facts on healthy childbirth, breast-feeding and
non-toxic immune therapy, with the goal of enabling mothers to make truly
informed choices about these important issues.
For more information: http://www.informedmomm.com/
CONFERENCES/EVENTS/RESEARCH
1. 5th African HIV Research Forum Seminar Day - Community Participation in
Research.
The African HIV Research Forum (AHRF) is a meeting place for those
interested in HIV/AIDS research, with particular relevance to the issues
around the African epidemic. At present the forum consists of twice-yearly
seminar days, which are open to all interested parties.
For more information: http://www.ahrf.org.uk/
2. 6th International Conference on Home and Community Based Care for
People Living with HIV/AIDS.
Taking place on 8 December 2003 in Dakar, Senegal, the conference aims to
develop community experiences and allow for their capitalisation, while
strengthening cooperation between community services, and formal, social
and health services in the areas of HIV/AIDS care provision and
prevention.
For more information and registration: http://www.dakarvih2003.sn/
3. Opportunities for Research Training.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) of South Africa is offering a number of
bursaries and scholarships for full-time post-graduate research training
in the area bio-informatics, bio- statistics, epidemiology, demography,
behavioural sciences, environmental sciences, health economics, health
law, health promotion, health systems, health policy and health ethics.
For more information and registration:
http://www.mrc.co.za/researchdevelopment/opportunity.htm
VACANCIES
1. UNAIDS Country Coordinator - Lusaka, Zambia
JOB DESCRIPTION
The UNAIDS Country Coordinator supports, promotes and documents the role
of UNAIDS as the leading advocate for an urgent, coordinated and
comprehensive response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Working primarily with
and through co-sponsors and Secretariat staff, the incumbent will provide
leadership and coordination, urge rapid political, social and resource
mobilisation, and provide high-quality strategic information in the
pursuit of these objectives.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Support collaborative programming on HIV/AIDS among co-sponsors and
other relevant UN system agencies.
- Promote and support national coordination mechanisms for an effective
multisectoral response.
- Assist with the mobilisation of high-level leadership through the
development and implementation of a coherent political advocacy agenda.
- Support strategic planning at national and sub-national levels, as
appropriate.
- Collate and distil information on the country's HIV/AIDS situation and
the response for national, regional and global advocacy.
EDUCATION:
Advanced (post-graduate) degree in development economics, social or
physical sciences, public health, public administration, management, or
similar academic preparation.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
At least 12 years' experience in managing and implementing development
cooperation and/or HIV/AIDS programmes, including in the region where the
post is located.
APPLICATION DEADLINE:
28 October 2003
Applicants will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration.
A UN system Personal History Form is available online at www.unaids.org Or
address a comprehensive curriculum vitae to: Human Resources Management,
E-mail: HRM@UNAIDS.ORG or Fax: (+41 22) 791 4784.
2. Senior Writer, Communication and Public Information - Geneva,
Switzerland
JOB DESCRIPTION
UNAIDS invites applications from qualified candidates to develop content
for, write and/or supervise writing by consultants, and coordinate
preparation of flagship UNAIDS publications and materials - including the
biennial Report on the Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic and the annual AIDS
Epidemic Update - as well as prepare accompanying materials.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Prepare and write briefing documents for UNAIDS secretariat and
co-sponsors' staff on specific topics.
- Develop content for, write and/or provide, other appropriate support for
special outside publications and joint publications with co-sponsors.
- Write and develop content for materials and agendas related to
international conferences and special events.
- Provide guidance and support for regional/country advocacy/communication
strategies and activities.
- Research and make available, in the form of electronic and hard copy, a
library of materials with appropriate information for advocacy and policy
purposes.
EDUCATION:
Post-graduate university degree in journalism, communication,
international relations, political or social sciences, or comparable
professional experience.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
At least eight years experience in advocacy and public information. Proven
record as writer/journalist on international/health issues.
APPLICATION DEADLINE:
8 October 2003
Applicants will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration.
A UN Personal History Form (available online at www.unaids.org) or a
comprehensive curriculum vitae should be forwarded to: Manager, Human
Resources Management UNAIDS, 20 Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27,
Switzerland or Fax: (+41 22) 791 4784
Email: HRM-ST@UNAIDS.ORG
IRIN-SA
Tel: +27 11 880-4633
Fax: +27 11 447-5472
Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za
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