IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 169
Africa
20 February 2004


NEWS:

SOUTH AFRICA: Budget boost for AIDS spending
GABON: Youth is more afraid of unemployment than AIDS
ZIMBABWE: Free ARVs available from next month
BURUNDI: Germany gives E7.5 million for water, refugees, HIV/AIDS control
AFRICA: First ladies vow to fight mother-to-child HIV/AIDS infection
SOUTH AFRICA: Health system "shambles" delaying ARV rollout
KENYA: Focus on primary schools coping with HIV-positive pupils

LINKS

1. Women Alive
2. YouthAIDS
3. Lebone Land

CONFERENCES/EVENTS/RESEARCH/RESOURCES

1. TreatHIV.com
2. 14th Annual Clinical Care Options for HIV Symposium
3. 2nd African Conference on Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research

VACANCIES

1. HIV/AIDS Prevention Coordinator - Guinea


NEWS

SOUTH AFRICA: Budget boost for AIDS spending

South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel announced on Wednesday that a
further R2.1 billion (US $305 million) will be allocated to fighting
HIV/AIDS over the next three years.

Manuel said in his 2004 budget speech to parliament that this amount
included provision for provincially administered antiretroviral (ARV)
treatment programmes.

The increase in spending will also cover the implementation of new rural
and scarce skills allowances, aimed at improving health services in remote
areas and retaining highly skilled professions in the health service. Also
planned over the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) is the upgrade
or replacement of 27 hospitals.

The additional R2.1 billion will bring the total spending on fighting AIDS
provincially and nationally to R12.4 billion (US $1.2 billion) over the
three years of the MTEF.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=3046


GABON: Youth is more afraid of unemployment than AIDS

In Gabon, where government spending is falling and unemployment is growing
as the oil starts to run out, young people are more worried about getting
a job than the risk of HIV/AIDS.

That doesn't help efforts to fight the disease in this relatively affluent
country of 1.2 million people where six percent of the population is HIV
positive.

President Omar Bongo, Africa's longest serving head of state, has declared
the fight against AIDS a "national priority".

But the first outpatient treatment centre for people living with AIDS was
only established in Libreville in 2001, antiretroviral drugs are difficult
to obtain and there is a widespread view that government efforts to combat
the pandemic are hampered by rampant corruption.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=3036


ZIMBABWE: Free ARVs available from next month

Government hospitals in Zimbabwe's two major urban centres, Harare and
Bulawayo, will start providing free antiretroviral (ARV) drugs next month,
in partnership with UNAIDS, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the
local health ministry.

The programme, unveiled last week, is part of WHO's "Three by Five" vision
of providing three million people globally with access to ARVs by 2005.

"The Three by Five programme is part of our efforts in assisting the
Zimbabwean government with the provision of antiretrovirals," WHO country
representative to Zimbabwe, Everisto Njelesani, was quoted as saying.

He added that health personnel were already being trained in the
administration of ARVs, and the drugs would be rolled out to other parts
of Zimbabwe as the scheme expanded.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=3035


BURUNDI: Germany gives E7.5 million for water, refugees, HIV/AIDS control

Germany and Burundi have signed a cooperation agreement, under which
Germany will provide E7.5 million (US $9.5 million) for a water supply
project, the rehabilitation of refugees and internally displaced people,
and HIV/AIDS control.

Burundian Foreign Minister Terence Sinunguruza and the German ambassador
to Burundi, Bernd Brown, signed the agreement on Friday in the capital,
Bujumbura.

Many areas in Burundi experience acute water shortages, particularly the
northern province of Kirundo and several communes of the northwestern
provinces of Bubanza and Cibitoke, which are prone to frequent cholera
outbreaks.

However, Sinunguruza did not disclose the specific regions that would
benefit from the aid.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=3034


AFRICA: First ladies vow to fight mother-to-child HIV/AIDS infection

Five African first ladies and representatives from four other countries
have vowed to redouble their efforts to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS on
the continent and, in particular, to prevent mother-to-child infections.

"The first ladies emphasised the need for urgent action in scaling up both
HIV prevention and care services," said a communiqué issued on Monday in
the Rwandan capital, Kigali, after a two-day conference of the first
ladies.

The conference, facilitated by UNAIDS, the UN World Health Organization
and the UN Children's Fund, ended on Saturday. It was attended by the
first ladies of Gabon, Kenya, Rwanda, the Republic of Congo and Senegal.
Those from Ghana, Mali, Mauritania and Uganda sent representatives.

The first ladies and officials of two pharmaceutical companies - Abbott
Laboratories and Boehringer-Ingelheim - agreed to increase cooperation in
expanding access to prevention of mother-to-child treatment (PMTCT)
services for greater numbers of HIV positive mothers and their children.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=3033


SOUTH AFRICA: Health system "shambles" delaying ARV rollout

South Africa's health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang vehemently
defended the pace of the government's rollout of HIV/AIDS drugs at a
weekend rally marking the start of national Sexually Transmitted Infection
and Condom Week.

Speaking at Humansdorp in the Eastern Cape province, Tshabalala-Msimang
said she would not allow drugs to be dispensed until the "shambles" in the
health department was resolved. Currently only 2,000 out of 20,000 state
doctors are reportedly able to administer and manage antiretroviral (ARV)
drug treatment.

"The health care system is in shambles, and it would be irresponsible to
begin dishing out antiretroviral drugs before we are ready," she
reportedly told the crowd.

The minister's speech came a week after the AIDS activist group, Treatment
Action Campaign (TAC), voiced their alarm over the lack of progress in the
provision of ARVs through the public health system, which was agreed by
the cabinet in November last year.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=3032


KENYA: Focus on primary schools coping with HIV-positive pupils

Mary Waweru, a kindergarten teacher in Nairobi's sprawling Kawangware
slums, has noticed that some of her pupils are increasingly absent from
school due to ill health. Some of the young children have already been
orphaned and are being supported by charity organisations.

Waweru has begun to suspect that these frequently absent pupils could be
suffering from AIDS, which she thinks may have been passed on to them by
their parents before they were born.
Such children are usually very thin, and subject to skin rashes, frequent
fevers and endless coughs, she explains.

Her 46 pupils, Waweru says, include 12 orphans under the care of local
charities. "It is hard to tell if a child has HIV unless you see the
obvious signs," she told PlusNews recently. "You can only start suspecting
if the child is constantly ill."

Waweru recalled one serious case of a seven-year-old girl, who had left
the kindergarten this year to join primary school. "I don't know if she is
still alive," Waweru said. "She was always ill and slow in class. But, as
a teacher, you try not to frustrate the child - you try to give the child
as much love as you can."

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=3028


LINKS

1. Women Alive

This is a treatment-focused, non-profit organisation by and for women
living with HIV/AIDS. It aims to make HIV/AIDS information more reachable
and understandable to all woman throughout the world.

For more information: http://www.women-alive.org/


2. YouthAIDS

A growing global initiative that generates funding and awareness to help
fight the spread of HIV among the world's youth. YouthAIDS programmes are
designed to educate young people and protect them from a life of HIV/AIDS.
Through mass media, theatre, music, fashion and sport, YouthAIDS promotes
abstinence, decreased sexual activity and safer sex among 15 to 24
year-olds, the generation most likely to be infected.

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


3. Lebone Land

This is a faith-based, holistic care centre in South Africa's Free State
Province. It includes a centre for children living with or affected by
HIV/AIDS and embraces, affirms and adheres to all aspects of their
constitutional rights. Lebone also offers an education centre providing
skills development, training and poverty alleviation activities, and a
community-based orphan care programme.

For more information: http://lebonehouse.com/


CONFERENCES/EVENTS/RESEARCH/RESOURCES

1. TreatHIV.com

This is an HIV/AIDS resource centre offering information on research,
programmes, and products for all people living with HIV/AIDS and their
loved ones.

For more information: http://www.treathiv.com/


2. 14th Annual Clinical Care Options for HIV Symposium

The symposium runs from 29 April to 2 May 2004 in South Beach, Miami,
Florida, and is intended for, and limited to, experienced frontline
primary HIV care physicians, clinical researchers, and other advanced
frontline clinicians actively treating HIV infected individuals. The aim
is for participants to "synthesise" the advancements of the previous year
and explore state-of-the-art treatment strategies with leading experts and
colleagues.

For more information: http://www.clinicaloptions.com/hiv/conf/cco2004/


3. 2nd African Conference on Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research

Running from 9 to 12 May 2004 in Cape Town, South Africa, the conference,
"Social Aspects of Access to Care and Treatment", will bring together
stakeholders interested in the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research in
Africa, across all institutions, networks and alliances.

For more information, contact:
Dr Olive Shisana, Executive Director, Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and
Health, Human Sciences Research Council
Private Bag X9182, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
Tel: +27-12-3022860,
email: mrousseau-maree@hsrc.ac.za


VACANCIES

1. HIV/AIDS Prevention Coordinator - Guinea

The American Refugee Committee (ARC), invites applications from competent,
qualified, dynamic and committed individuals for the position of HIV/AIDS
Prevention Coordinator in Guinea.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Manage coordination of the HIV/AIDS prevention programme in the
Nzerekore region of Guinea
- Develop strategies for multi-sectoral community-based HIV/AIDS
prevention to address the needs of refugee and host communities
- Lead the HIV/AIDS team in identifying innovative models to help improve
services and information for high risk groups, including commercial sex
workers, adolescents, women, health workers, and transport workers
- Utilise Information Education Coordination (IEC) activities, condom
distribution, quality STI treatment, reproductive health literacy and
income generation to achieve objectives

QUALIFICATIONS:

- Bachelor's degree required, master's degree in public health or nursing
degree with advanced diploma in health education strongly preferred
- Three years' experience with HIV/AIDS prevention
- At least two years experience in IEC, public health or health education
in developing countries required
- Refugee situations preferred, and two years' management experience
required
- Strong computer skills, including word processing, excel and epi-stats
- Excellent writing and communication skills and valid driver's license
with ability to drive standard

Interested applicants should submit a formal resume and cover letter to:
Lauren Panetta at archq@archq.org

Please list the name of the position you are applying for in the subject
line of your email.


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

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Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2004


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