IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 161
Africa
26 December 2003


NEWS:

1. BURKINA FASO: Chiefs to support anti-AIDS drive
2. BURUNDI: HIV-positive civil servants to pay 20 percent for ARVs

LINKS:

1. The guiding principals of WHO's 3 by 5 initiative
2. The South African traditional medicines research unit
3. Discovery: The Story of HIV/AIDS

CONFERENCES/EVENTS/RESEARCH:

1. Pilot study in Uganda examining various public-private partnerships for
improving access to medicines
2. How does the organisation and management of health systems affect
access to ARVs in Southern Africa?

NEWS:

BURKINA FASO: Chiefs to support anti-AIDS drive

The 12 traditional chiefs of Burkina Faso's Sahel region have expressed
their commitment to spreading HIV/AIDS awareness among their people, the
UN Development Programme (UNDP) said in a statement this week.

At a gathering in the northeast provincial capital of Dori earlier this
month, the Emir of Liptako - the region's paramount chief - formally
received a translation into the local language, Fulfulde, of the National
Human Development Report 2001 on HIV/AIDS. Representatives of the National
AIDS Council and UNAIDS took part in the ceremony.

More details:
http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2874

BURUNDI: HIV-positive civil servants to pay 20 percent for ARVs

The Burundian health minister, Dr Jean Kamana, has authorised the civil
service insurance company "Mutuelle" to cover the cost of antiretroviral
drugs (ARVs) by 80 percent, in line with its policy on other medicines,
Radio Burundi announced on Friday.

Kamana signed an ordinance adding ARVs to the list of medicines the
company generally covers in response to a request from the health
insurer's general manager, Francois Nkengurutse, it said.

Nkengurutse told PlusNews on Monday: "The measure is in force since
Wednesday, and the list includes all antiretrovirals, as well as possible
combinations of two or three antiretrovirals."

More details:
http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2873


LINKS:

1. The guiding principals of WHO's 3 by 5 initiative

In 2001, partners within the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS) and other organisations along with scientists at the World Health
Organization (WHO) calculated that, under optimal conditions, 3 million
people living in developing countries could be provided with
antiretroviral therapy and access to medical services by the end of 2005.
In response, WHO and its partners launched the “Treat 3 Million by 2005”
(3 by 5) Initiative.

http://www.unaids.org/html/pub/Publications/External-Documents/WHO_3by5-Strategy_en_pdf.pdf

2. The South African traditional medicines research unit

The Medical Research Council Traditional Medicines Research Unit was
founded in 1997 and its principal objectives are:
to establish a research culture, and to introduce modern research
methodologies around the use and understanding of traditional medicines;
and to create an environment that will attract young scientists and
potential leaders in the field.

http://www.mrc.ac.za/traditionalmedicines/traditionalmedicines.htm

3. Discovery: The Story of HIV/AIDS

A four-part BBC radio documentary series on the story of HIV/AIDS
http://www0.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specials/1329_aids_season/page10.shtml


CONFERENCES/EVENTS/RESEARCH:

1. Pilot study in Uganda examining various public-private partnerships for
improving access to medicines

The UK Department for International Development funded the Initiative on
Public-Private Partnerships for Health to conduct a pilot study in Uganda
to assess the health and health systems impact of public-private
partnerships (PPPs) for improving access to pharmaceuticals. The specific
remit was to examine issues of ownership, integration, coordination,
implementation and impact, with a particular focus on the unique strengths
and problems of these PPPs as distinct from other comparable programmes
where drugs are competitively procured.

http://www.eldis.org/cf/search/disp/DocDisplay.cfm?Doc=DOC13727&Resource=f1hiv

2. How does the organisation and management of health systems affect
access to ARVs in Southern Africa?

All people with HIV/AIDS should have equal opportunity to access effective
and appropriate treatment. Factors affecting access to treatment include
existing social and health inequities, widespread poverty, high rates of
new HIV infections, famine and budgetary constraints. Increasing access to
HIV care and treatment must be organised in a manner that balances HIV
prevention and treatment efforts, HIV interventions and the broader
strengthening of the health system as a whole, and HIV care and treatment
with other public health and social needs.

http://www.eldis.org/cf/search/disp/DocDisplay.cfm?Doc=DOC12950&Resource=f1hiv


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