IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 138
Africa
18 July 2003


NEWS:

AFRICA: Global AIDS fund faces serious shortfall
MALAWI: Mapping out a treatment programme
ETHIOPIA: Government ready to distribute HIV/AIDS drugs
TANZANIA: Call to focus on youth in fight against HIV/AIDS
ANGOLA: Project launched to educate NGOs

LINKS:

1. The Stigma-AIDS eForum
2. The Kidzpositive Family Fund
3. Women, Children and HIV/AIDS
4. Ian Hogson's HIV/AIDS Information Link
5. HIV/AIDS Conferences Worldwide

CONFERENCES/EVENTS/RESEARCH:

1. HIV/AIDS Workplace Studies in Africa and Asia
2. New Resource for Preventing HIV in those Who Can't Read
3. Scaling-up the Response of the Private Sector in the Fight Against
HIV/AIDS

VACANCIES:

1. Resident Technical Advisor (RTA)
2. Research Trainee Position at African Population and Health Research
Centre

AFRICA: Global AIDS fund faces serious shortfall

The cash-strapped Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and
Malaria fell under the spotlight on Wednesday, when ministers from 14
countries met in Paris, France, to address the fund's financial woes.

The fund, which has committed US $1.5 billion to programmes in 92
countries in the last 18 months, faces a lack of money for proposals
waiting to be funded in October.

The shortfall is estimated to be at least $500 million for 2003, and a
further $3 billion is needed to cover grants through the end of 2004.

The "International Meeting to Support the Global Fund" was attended by
ministers and senior officials from donor governments, parliamentarians,
corporate representatives, leaders of foundations and NGOs, and
representatives of grant recipients.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2276&SelectRegion=Southern_Africa&SelectCountry=AFRICA

MALAWI: Mapping out a treatment programme

The World Health Organisation (WHO) presented a challenge to African
countries last year by setting a target of three million HIV-positive
Africans to be on antiretroviral (ARV) HIV/AIDS therapy by 2005.

Almost a year later, a workshop on scaling up access to care and treatment
for people living with HIV/AIDS (PWAs) in 17 East and Southern African
countries has been held to assist them in reaching that goal.

HIV/AIDS programme managers and health officials from the 17 countries
emerged with country-specific "road maps" to guide them in expanding their
treatment programmes.

The road maps outline the process each country should follow in
developing, updating and finalising its national plan and programme for
comprehensive care and treatment for PWAs, and describe how this will be
translated into action, WHO Regional Office for Africa spokesman, Sam
Ajibola told PlusNews.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2272&SelectRegion=Southern_Africa&SelectCountry=MALAWI

ETHIOPIA: Government ready to distribute HIV/AIDS drugs

Ethiopia is on the brink of distributing the country’s first ever
anti-retroviral drugs for treating HIV/AIDS - but only to people who can
afford them.

The life-saving drugs - which have been imported from India - will sell
for around US $40 per person per month, according to the government’s
anti-AIDS task force on Tuesday.

Negatu Mereke, who heads the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office
(HAPCO), told a news conference that the drugs would be distributed "in a
very short period of time."

Some 300 healthcare workers have been trained to deliver the
anti-retroviral drugs, which have now been imported, and sites identified
for distribution.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2266&SelectRegion=Horn_of_Africa&SelectCountry=ETHIOPIA

TANZANIA: Call to focus on youth in fight against HIV/AIDS

Radical changes in approach to the youth are needed if Tanzania is to curb
the spread of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, an official of
the international NGO Africa Medical and Relief Foundation (AMREF) told
PlusNews on Friday.

The official, Michael Mochaku, a specialist on adolescent sexual
reproductive health, said the government and international organisations
also needed to step up their efforts to reach the majority of youth, who
live in the countryside.

"We need to change the mentality of seeing youth [people aged between 10
and 24] as children," he said. "This has meant that instead of providing
the youth with the information they had the right to, we are blaming them
for the health problems they have."

Mochaku was speaking at an event to mark World Population Day, whose theme
this year was "One billion adolescents: the right to health, information
and services".

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2264&SelectRegion=East_Africa,%20Great_Lakes&SelectCountry=TANZANIA

ANGOLA: Project launched to educate NGOs

A campaign to educate international and national NGOs on HIV/AIDS
prevention kicked off this week in Angola, a country slowly waking up to
the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO) project, to be
implemented by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), will help NGOs mainstream
HIV/AIDS into their existing activities to ensure that communities receive
adequate knowledge of the disease.

The training will instruct NGOs on the facts of HIV/AIDS: how it is
prevented, transmitted, strategies for preventing infection, and the
epidemiological characteristics in Angola. The NGOs will also design
interventions using theatre, debate, radio and music.

After 27 years of civil war, infection rates in Angola are estimated at
5.5 percent, compared to rates of 20 percent and upwards in neighbouring
countries. The challenge will be to stop AIDS before it reaches
catastrophic proportions.

The year 2003 could provide "a rare window of opportunity for Angola to
avoid the disaster witnessed in nearby countries, but that window is
closing," a UNICEF statement said.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2263&SelectRegion=Southern_Africa&SelectCountry=ANGOLA


LINKS:

1. The Stigma-AIDS eForum
This is a reactivated global discussion which hopes to build on the
informative structured discussion held on Stigma-AIDS in 2001. The forum
will focus on bringing local, national and regional experiences of
HIV-related stigma to the forefront.
To join this forum, send an email to: join-stigma-aids@healthdev.net
or visit the website at: http://www.hdnet.org

2. The Kidzpositive Family Fund
The Fund is dedicated to improving the health of HIV-positive children in
Southern Africa by generating funds for the grassroots support of mothers
and children affected by HIV/AIDS. It also aims to become a regional
source of financial support for organisations providing care for
significant numbers of affected families.

For more information: www.Kidzpositive.org

3. Women, Children and HIV/AIDS
The site is the result of a collaboration between the Francois-Xavier
Bagnoud (FXB) Centre at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New
Jersey (UMDNJ) and the Centre for HIV Information (CHI) at the University
of California San Francisco aims to disseminate information on a number of
HIV/AIDS topics.

For more information: http://www.womenchildrenhiv.org/

4. Ian Hogson's HIV/AIDS Information Link
Ian Hogson and the University of Bradford's HIV/AIDS information link
provides international HIV/AIDS personal sites, research, statistics, and
news.

For more information: http://www.brad.ac.uk/staff/ijhodgson/hivlinks.htm

5. HIV/AIDS Conferences Worldwide
An easy to use site offering a variety of upcoming events in HIV/AIDS,
immunology and related fields.

For more information:
http://www.conferencealerts.com/aids.htm


CONFERENCES/EVENTS/RESEARCH:

1. HIV/AIDS Workplace Studies in Africa and Asia

The June 2003 biannual newsletter of the Horizons Program, highlights
findings from HIV/AIDS operations research studies conducted in workplaces
in South Africa, Vietnam, and Thailand. Study themes include how to
mobilise management to support workplace programs and develop
non-discriminatory policies, and the effectiveness of peer education in
the workplace.

To access study themes:
http://www.popcouncil.org/horizons/newsletter/horizons(6).html


2. New Resource for Preventing HIV in those Who Can't Read

Recognising that many concepts in HIV/AIDS are difficult to convey to
low-literate or non-literate audiences, Family Health International has
made available "Designing Materials on HIV/AIDS/STIs for Low-Literate
Audiences". The 155-page guide relies heavily on illustrations, is printed
in a larger-than-usual typeface, and features clear, easy-to-understand
explanations. It is available free of charge users in developing
countries.

To request a copy, please send your complete address to:



3. Scaling-up the Response of the Private Sector in the Fight Against
HIV/AIDS

The conference is structured as a consultative meeting with participants
coming together to unveil the West Africa Private Sector AIDS Network and
explores how groups operating in the Economic Community Of West African
States (ECOWAS) can form linkages to promote dialogue, exchange of
information and protocols and expand access to treatment in the sub
region.

For more information and registration: http://www.a5coalition.org/


VACANCIES:

1. Resident Technical Advisor (RTA)

The Margaret Sanger Centre International, South Africa, is currently
recruiting a Resident Technical Advisor (RTA) for placement in Namibia.
This position will work closely the Margaret Sanger Centre International
of Planned Parenthood, New York City, USA.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Inform comprehensive mapping component by collecting materials, training
resources and interventions from Namibia and other Anglophone countries
throughout the region
- Organize sub-regional meetings to enrich mapping component findings
- Consult with stakeholders, including UNFPA country level personnel, to
define "critical components" of an exemplary project - Network and
negotiate with all relevant stakeholders including UNFPA personnel, key
agencies involved in the country's HIV/AIDS strategy, and a wide range of
local NGOs and government agencies
- Select in-country project(s) to be scaled-up
- Work closely with SRH service agencies to involve them in
project-related activities
- Assess training, technical assistance (TA) and funding needs for scaling
up in conjunction with selected project personnel
- Develop and supervise MOU between MSCI and country project(s)
- Organize and facilitate Stakeholder Advisory Council
- Develop and field-test training materials, tools and methodologies
- Provide training and/or TA or arrange for such services to be provided
by MSCI staff and/or consultants
- Support timely implementation of planned activities under the project
- Ensure adequate M&E of selected project enhancement, replication or
up-scaling
- Supervise documentation of up-scaling process
- Select and liaison with local communications expert to ensure external
documentation of the process through which each project is up-scaled
- Function as spokesperson for the Project at the local and regional
levels
- Submit quarterly progress/financial reports of the project based on data
collected from lower level operations

REQUIREMENTS:

Requires minimum five years professional experience working in the field
of sexual and reproductive health and/or HIV/AIDS prevention. Must have
demonstrated ability to provide skills-based training and high quality
technical assistance to a wide range of governmental and non-governmental
programmes. A solid understanding of comprehensive sexuality education and
gender equity promotion is required along with demonstrated competence in
program planning. Experience developing and/or evaluating educational
materials and familiarity with HIV prevention programs in Africa are
necessary for this post.  Language proficiency in English and a local
language is essential. Excellent public relations and negotiation skills
are a must as is familiarity with cultural and political contexts of HIV
prevention programs in Namibia.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Requires an ability equal to that usually derived from satisfactory
completion of courses required for graduation from an accredited college
or university with a postgraduate degree in health or social sciences
education and/or programme implementation.

Interested candidates should fax or e-mail their resume with cover letter
and salary requirement to:

The Director
Margaret Sanger Centre International, South Africa
Fax:  (+ 27 11) 726-1172
Or by E-mail: info@mscisa.org.za
No phone calls, please.

2. Research Trainee Position at African Population and Health Research
Centre

The Africa Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) invites
applications from qualified candidates for the position of Research
Trainee.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Under the guidance of a research staff, the trainee participates in the
design, implementation and dissemination of the Centre's research projects
- Assists research staff with the management and coordination of field
activities, data management, analysis and report writing
- May be responsible for supervision of field and data processing staff
- Other duties as assigned by the immediate supervisor and Executive
Director of the Centre.

REQUIREMENTS:

- Masters Degree in a relevant discipline (generally, demography,
economics, public health or sociology/anthropology);
- Familiarity and experience with social science/health research protocol,
willingness to learn, taking initiative, and strong motivation for
research excellence;
- Demonstrated promise and willingness to pursue doctoral studies in the
field of population, health and poverty following the tenure of the
fellowship;
- Ability and willingness to work within a collaborative framework, both
with individuals and institutions and within a multidisciplinary,
multicultural setting;
- Good computer literacy with experience using a variety of quantitative
and qualitative software packages; Knowledge of basic statistical concepts
is desirable;
- Fluency in written and spoken English; a knowledge of French is
desirable;
- Position should be taken up not later than three years upon completion
of the Masters degree.
- Age -30 and below

The Centre is accepting applications until 23 July 2003.

For more information:
Frederick Mugisha,
African Population and Health Research Centre
Nairobi, Kenya
Email: fmugisha@aphrc.org
http://www.aphrc.org


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

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