IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 143
Africa
22 August 2003


NEWS:

SOUTH AFRICA: Special Report on AIDS treatment programme
SOUTH AFRICA: Chronology of HIV/AIDS treatment access debate
SOUTH AFRICA: Factbox on antiretroviral therapy
MALAWI: Demand for ARVs gives rise to grey market
BOTSWANA: AIDS vaccine volunteers need protection, rights group
SOUTHERN AFRICA: SADC summit to tackle AIDS, trade and food security
UGANDA: AIDS campaigners lukewarm over new government policy

LINKS

1. HIV/AIDS and Sex Work
2. HIV - Women and Youth
3. World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action

CONFERENCES/EVENTS/RESEARCH RESOURCES

1. Reproductive Health from Disaster to Development
2. Faith-based organisations in pre-ICASA forum
3. Traditional Healing and HIV/AIDS conference
4. Centre for the Study of AIDS seminar
5. Conference on TB vaccines
6. International Orphan Care conference

VACANCIES

1. Programme Manager
2. HIV/AIDS Publications Advisor

NEWS

SOUTH AFRICA: Special Report on AIDS treatment programme

The long-awaited announcement this month by the South African government
that it would introduce a publicly funded national HIV/AIDS treatment plan
was greeted with much celebration.

With an estimated five million HIV-positive people, South Africa's
treatment programme will be the world's largest. But while activists have
lobbied long and hard for the rollout of a comprehensive HIV/AIDS
initiative, health care professionals warn that significant challenges
remain over its implementation.

An ARV rollout on the scale envisaged for South Africa has implications in
terms of both the expectations of HIV-positive people, and the impact on
the health care system and health professionals who will administer the
programme.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2399

Chronology of HIV/AIDS treatment access debate

The South African cabinet finally approved the provision of AIDS drugs to
HIV-positive citizens through the public health system on 8 August. It
instructed the health ministry to act "with urgency".

This announcement came after months of a bitter row between South Africa's
AIDS activists and the department of health, over the delay in
implementing a treatment policy. PlusNews compiled a chronology of events
in the treatment access debate, from December 2001 through to the
government's decision this month to introduce a treatment plan.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2401

Factbox on antiretroviral therapy

Antiretroviral drugs are the primary treatment for HIV/AIDS. These drugs
work by suppressing the action of one or the other of two viral enzymes
essential for replication of the HI virus. Effective therapy has been
shown to reduce the number of new cells infected by HIV, and to minimise
the impact of HIV on the immune system.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2401

MALAWI: Demand for ARVs gives rise to grey market

The illegal sale of anti-AIDS drugs in Malawi was endangering the lives of
many HIV-positive citizens who were desperate to access affordable
treatment, a health official told PlusNews.

"Our major concern is that people are selling immune boosters and
multivitamins, and cheating [HIV] positive people by saying they are
antiretrovirals (ARVs)," Dr Bizwick Mwale, director of Malawi's national
AIDS commission, told PlusNews.

The provision of ARVs in the country is still done on a "small scale" and
only about 3,000 people are accessing the drugs in the public and private
sectors. This has led to a proliferation of fake drugs being sold in the
country's parallel market.

"People are desperate. It is very difficult to get ARVs in Malawi, so if
someone sells them drugs at half the price... what can they do?" he asked.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2412

BOTSWANA: AIDS vaccine volunteers need protection, says rights group

The Botswana human rights group, Ditshwanelo, has criticised the
government for not passing legislation to protect individuals taking part
in HIV/AIDS vaccine trials.

Botswana is one of three sites (the other two are in the United States)
conducting phase 1 trials of a vaccine developed by the US drug company,
Epimmune. In Botswana, the trials are being run by Harvard University,
among a small group of volunteers at Princess Marina Hospital in the
capital, Gaborone.

But according to Ditshwanelo director, Alice Mogwe, there is very little
legal protection for people participating in the Botswana vaccine
programme.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2407

SOUTHERN AFRICA: SADC summit to tackle AIDS, trade and food security

HIV/AIDS, trade-distorting subsidies and regional food security will
feature high on the agenda of the upcoming meetings of the Southern
African Development Community (SADC) in the Tanzanian commercial capital,
Dar es Salaam, SADC Executive Secretary Dr Prega Ramsamy said on Tuesday.

Briefing journalists on the imminent Council of Ministers meeting, and the
subsequent summit from 25 to 26 August, Ramsamy said these issues had to
be tackled by the region, with or without the support of the rest of the
world.

Following an SADC HIV/AIDS summit held in Lesotho from 2 to 4 July, where
regional leaders approved a revised SADC strategic framework for tackling
HIV/AIDS, Ramsamy said the pandemic had to be addressed immediately.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2406

UGANDA: AIDS campaigners lukewarm over new government policy

The Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS) - a loose
group of organisations spearheading the campaign for free access to
antiretroviral (ARV) treatment in Uganda – has said it has grave doubts
about a new Ugandan government draft policy on ARVs.

According to the draft policy, formulated by the health ministry, the
government of Uganda wants half the country’s AIDS patients to receive
free antiretroviral treatment by 2005, using money procured from the
Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS.

The ministry has said it will use the US $9m it expects from the Global
Fund to buy antiretroviral drugs from one or more of the big
pharmaceutical companies currently holding patents on them. The money will
be used to provide combination drug therapy, as well as counselling, to
about 40,000 people over the next three years.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=2413


LINKS

1. Women's Health, Education and Development (WHED) is an NGO providing
services to female sex workers and their clients in the areas of
reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and gender issues in Nigeria.

WHED's objectives are to provide people with risky behaviour with
HIV/AIDS/STIs information, education and opportunities for prevention and
control; to improve the reproductive health of deprived and marginalized
women and raise their awareness on the benefits of family planning; and to
establish functional literacy and economic development programmes for
female sex workers, with the aim of providing livelihood alternatives for
them.

WHED has just launched its website, which provides practical information
that demystifies the subject of sex work and the issues surrounding it.
The website is expected to become "a melting pot" for reports on research,
lectures, seminars, the real-life experiences of sex workers, and the
activities and achievements of human rights activists.
www.whednigeria.org

2. Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada (PPFC) has developed an
interactive website that places HIV/AIDS in the context of sexual and
reproductive health. Innovative in approach, this accessible and
easy-to-use resource is a must for service providers who work with women
and youth. The site provides information on how HIV is transmitted and
prevented. You can also test your knowledge of sexual and reproductive
health and HIV/AIDS.
http://www.ppfc.ca/HIV/

3. World Alliance for Breast-feeding Action (WABA) is a global network
that aims to protect and promote the right of breast-feeding for all
children and mothers. Through information-sharing and advocacy, WABA
fosters cooperation at community, regional, national, and international
levels between supporters of breast-feeding (grassroots groups and
individuals, UN agencies, governments, and NGOs). WABA provides
information through documents and articles on the WABA site.
http://www.waba.org.br/wwaba.htm


CONFERENCES/EVENTS/RESEARCH RESOURCES

1. The Reproductive Health from Disaster to Development conference will be
held in Brussels, Belgium, from 7 to 8 October 2002. This is a reminder
that the closing date for conference registration is 20 September 2003.
Online registration can be done at: www.rhrc.org.

More than 100 abstracts have been received on providing reproductive
health care to conflict-affected populations.

Conference Topics:
- Applied research and programme findings on men and adolescents affected
by armed conflict; family planning; STI/HIV/AIDS; and gender-based
violence and safe motherhood among women.
- Evidence of successful models of service delivery in the emergency
phase; in stable settings; in post-conflict re-development efforts.
- Collection and use of data for needs assessments; programme monitoring
and evaluation; and programme management.

The registration fee is US $175. There are a number of payment options.
Contact info@rhrc.org for further details. The conference is organised by
the Reproductive Health for Refugees Consortium.

2. Faith-based organisations (FBOs) and their role in the fight against
HIV/AIDS fall under the spotlight in the final part of AF-AIDS's ICASA
pre-conference structured discussion forum.

The discussion forum will focus on the following questions:- According to
what you’ve seen in your community, have FBOs been part of the solution or
part of the problem?
- What partnerships and interventions are required to invigorate or
further strengthen or scale up the effective responses of FBOs to
HIV/AIDS?
- The existence of HIV/AIDS has exposed 'fault lines' in the basic
thinking and practices of many religions, in particular around issues of
sex, sexuality, and moral judgment. How - if at all - are FBOs addressing
these issues or re-defining new approaches to take HIV/AIDS into
consideration?

AF-AIDS would also like to receive short examples of successful
experiences where FBOs have individually or collectively taken initiatives
to address HIV/AIDS and stigma.

To join, send a blank message to join-af-aids@healthdev.net. To read the
previous themes of the ICASA pre-conference discussion go to:
http://archives.healthdev.net/af-aids

3. The Association for the Promotion of Traditional Medicine International
(PROMETRA) will host the fourth international conference and exhibition on
traditional medicine under the theme: "Traditional Healing and HIV/AIDS"
at Le Merdien President, Dakar, Senegal, on 19 to 21 July 2004.

This is a plenary international conference of health administrators and
representatives from UN agencies, as well as local and international NGOs.
http://www.africa-first.com/4thictm.asp

4. The Centre for the Study of AIDS at the University of Pretoria, South
Africa, will be hosting a seminar on 4 September 2003. This seminar will
reflect on, discuss and debate issues from the country's first AIDS
conference, held earlier this month in Durban. A range of speakers will
address topics from the five conference tracks.

The seminar will be held at the Sanlam Auditorium at the University of
Pretoria from 10h00 to 15h00. Seating is limited. For more information
contact Natasja Brummer on:

Tel: +27 12 420 4391
Fax: +27 12 420 4935
Email: nbrummer@ccnet.up.ac.za

5. The first international conference on tuberculosis (TB) vaccines for
the world (TBV 2003) will be held in Montreal, Canada, from 17 to 19
September 2003.

TBV 2003 will focus attention on international vaccine issues related to
TB. TB vaccines are a developing area of activity and TBV 2003 will allow
researchers to come together to discuss the latest findings and trends
associated with the research and development of TB vaccines, including
science, policy, strategy, delivery, and economics. The TBV Scientific
Advisory Panel invite the submission of late abstracts for consideration
for inclusion in the TBV 2003 poster programme.
http://www.meetingsmanagement.com/tbv_2003/index.htm

6. Preceding the ICASA Conference in Nairobi, an international orphan care
conference will be held in Nairobi from 18 to 19 September 2003. The theme
for the conference is: Family-based Care for Orphans. The meeting will be
held at Ufungamano House, on State House Road next to Nairobi University.

To register and for more information: www.orphancare.info


VACANCIES

1. The International HIV/AIDS Alliance is looking for a Programme Officer:
West and North Africa - to be based in Brighton, UK.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The incumbent will be responsible for programme development in West and
North Africa, coordinating and providing technical support and monitoring
ongoing programmes with primary responsibility for Nigeria. The candidate
should have strong experience of community-based HIV/AIDS programming, NGO
support or community development in the region or elsewhere in Africa, and
technical skills in HIV/AIDS prevention, care and impact mitigation.

REQUIREMENTS:

- An experienced programme manager with the right mix of skills and
experience in programme development and management, donor liaison, and
developing and maintaining good relations with other stakeholders,
including government.
- Creative and entrepreneurial, and able to position the Alliance
vis-a-vis funding opportunities.
- Excellent written, oral and presentation skills in English.
- Strong French language skills will be a distinct advantage.

Qualified people living with HIV/AIDS are particularly encouraged to
apply.

For further details and how to apply, see the 'What's New' section of the
Alliance website: www.aidsalliance.org.
Ref: FP/134. Application deadline: 1 September 2003.

2. The International Cooperation for Development (ICD) is looking to
recruit an HIV/AIDS Publications Advisor to work with the Southern Africa
HIV/AIDS Information and Dissemination Service (SAFAIDS). The incumbent
will provide in-house training and mentoring to staff in writing, editing,
materials production and communication skills, and also contribute to
developing information strategies.

REQUIREMENTS:

- A minimum of 3 years' direct work experience in writing, editing,
assessing information needs, repackaging, publishing and targeting
materials for a diverse audience.
- Solid knowledge of gender and HIV/AIDS as development issues and
experience in training or mentoring are essential. Experience in working
with AIDS service organisations at NGO or National Council level is
desirable. ICD is looking to recruit a person from Africa, Asia or Latin
America.

Only completed ICD application forms will be considered. Please do not
send CVs only. Job description and application form can be downloaded from
http://www.ciir.org or email ricardo@ciir.org specifying the title of the
post.


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

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