IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 227
Africa
1 April 2005


NEWS:

SOUTH AFRICA: Interview with Dr Nomonde Xundu, head of govt's HIV/AIDS
   unit
BOTSWANA: Tenofovir trials to start soon - despite controversy
UGANDA: Rights group criticises emphasis on abstinence
ZIMBABWE: Insufficient provision for elderly and infirm voters
NIGERIA: Trial of tenofovir as a prophylactic against HIV suspended
SOUTH AFRICA: Positive Muslims 'buddies' offer emotional support
SWAZILAND: Construction workers' hostel not wanted in upmarket suburb


LINKS

1. GlobalHealthReporting.org

CONFERENCES/ EVENTS/ RESEARCH/ RESOURCES

1. AIDS Impact Conference
2. The Health of Our Educators: A focus on HIV/AIDS in South African public schools

VACANCIES

1. HIV Technical Advisor - Democratic Republic of Congo




NEWS


SOUTH AFRICA: Interview with Dr Nomonde Xundu, head of govt's HIV/AIDS 
unit

In November 2003 the South African government launched its 
much-anticipated HIV/AIDS treatment programme, committing itself to 
providing free antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to 53,000 HIV-positive people 
by March 2004. The figure is a fraction of South Africa's HIV positive 
population, estimated at over five million, but was nevertheless an 
ambitious beginning to what was to be the world's largest ARV rollout to 
date.

That target date has since been moved forward a year, to March 2005, but 
still seems unlikely to be met. PlusNews spoke to Dr Nomonde Xundu, 
chief director of the department of health's HIV/AIDS and TB unit about 
the challenges of rolling out the programme.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4649


BOTSWANA: Tenofovir trials to start soon - despite controversy

Botswana will soon be embarking on the clinical trials of the anti-AIDS 
drug, tenofovir, despite concerns over how the tests were conducted in 
Cameroon, Nigeria and Cambodia.

The antiretroviral drug, manufactured by US pharmaceutical company 
Gilead and sold under the brand name, 'Viread', will be tested as a 
possible prophylactic to prevent people becoming infected with the HI 
virus.

Similar HIV prevention trials of tenofovir, run by Family Health 
International, have been dogged by controversy. In March Nigeria became 
the third country after Cambodia and Cameroon to have the tests 
suspended, when doubts were raised about local trial procedures.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4648


UGANDA: Rights group criticises emphasis on abstinence

The policy shift towards "abstinence-only programmes" to curb the spread 
of HIV/AIDS could reverse significant gains made by Uganda in the fight 
against the pandemic, Human Rights Watch (HRW), warned on Wednesday.

In a new report, 'The Less They Know, the Better: Abstinence-Only 
HIV/AIDS Programmes in Uganda', HRW said the Ugandan government had 
removed critical HIV/AIDS information from primary school curricula, 
including information about condoms, safer sex, and the risks of HIV in 
marriage.

"These abstinence-only programmes leave Uganda's children at risk of 
HIV," Jonathan Cohen, an HRW researcher and co-author of the report, 
said in a press statement on Wednesday.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4647


ZIMBABWE: Insufficient provision for elderly and infirm voters

NGOs have lamented the lack of special arrangements for elderly and 
infirm voters ahead of Zimbabwe's legislative elections on 31 March.

Mary Madya, 25, a widow from Mufakose suburb in the capital, Harare, is 
one of many eligible voters living with AIDS who will be unable to vote 
on polling day. Eight months ago she was able to register as a voter, 
but after prolonged hospitalisation she is now bedridden and frail.

"I believe that my vote could make the difference. I was so happy when I 
voted in the 2000 parliamentary elections and the 2002 presidential 
elections, because it is my democratic right to choose a political 
leader of my own choice."

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4641


NIGERIA: Trial of tenofovir as a prophylactic against HIV suspended

Nigeria has become the third country to halt clinical trials of the 
antiretroviral (ARV) drug tenofovir as a prophylactic against HIV, after 
the US-based supervisor of the trials found that proper standards were 
not being observed.

"Regrettably, the tenofovir study in Nigeria will not be continuing, 
because FHI [Family Health International] has determined that the study 
team is not at this point able to comply with all of the standards that 
have been established for conducting this study," the organisation said 
in a statement earlier this month.

Tenofovir is widely used for treating people living with AIDS, but 
trials of the ARV drug as a prophylactic that might stop people 
contracting the virus have been dogged by controversy.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4640


SOUTH AFRICA: Positive Muslims 'buddies' offer emotional support

When Fatima Sayed (not her real name), an HIV-positive mother, is 
feeling down she knows she can pick up the phone and call her 'buddy', 
Amina Nordien, who signed up as a volunteer friend and mentor to Muslims 
living with the virus in Cape Town, South Africa.

Sayed's husband and little boy are also HIV-positive, but the young 
family fears the disapproval of the community and have decided not to 
disclose their status to friends and family.

Instead, two years ago they turned to Positive Muslims, an NGO offering 
education and support to Muslims living with HIV/AIDS.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4639


SWAZILAND: Construction workers' hostel not wanted in upmarket suburb

A Swazi construction firm and real estate developer have bowed to 
popular fears over the spread of HIV/AIDS by ending the use of on-site 
single-sex workers' hostels in a new upmarket development on the 
outskirts of the capital, Mbabane.

"The contractor shall ensure that workers do not camp on site. Only 
watchmen will be allowed to stay on site after working hours," said the 
Comprehensive Mitigation Plan for Ekuthuleni Township, which is about to 
be built in Ezulwini. The mitigation plan includes HIV/AIDS in its 
evaluation of the project's impact.

Swaziland is in its second decade of a public works construction boom, 
which has seen a tripling of the country's highway network and the 
building of dams and large-scale public works projects. The Ekuthuleni 
Township project is the first to ban workers' hostels.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSReport.ASP?ReportID=4633



LINKS

1. GlobalHealthReporting.org is a free new site operated by the Kaiser 
Family Foundation, with major support from the Bill Gates Foundation, 
which is updated daily with the latest information on HIV/AIDS, 
tuberculosis (TB), and malaria.

It offers journalists and others an easy and efficient way to stay on 
top of breaking news, new reports and data, and events from around the 
world.

Researchers, policy-makers, and NGOs will also benefit from information 
on the site.

Access the site: http://globalhealthreporting.org



CONFERENCES/ EVENTS/ RESEARCH/ RESOURCES

1. South Africa's Human Sciences Research Council, in partnership with 
AIDS Impact and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, are hosting the 7th 
International AIDS Impact Conference under the banner, 'The Moment is 
Now', from 4 to 7 April 2005 in Cape Town, South Africa.

The conference has been held since the early 1990s as an international 
gathering of those involved in the biological, psychological and social 
aspects of HIV/AIDS.

Delegates are drawn from a broad spectrum of people with multiple 
perspectives: academics, clinicians, policy-makers, health and social 
workers, and people living with HIV/AIDS. The conference is expected to 
attract approximately 800 delegates from more than 50 countries.

Conference topics will focus on:

- The impact of HIV/AIDS on different sectors of the economy
- The impact of AIDS on orphans, on life expectancy, and on child and
   adult mortality and population growth
- Access to treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS
- The side-effects of HIV/AIDS treatments
- HIV/AIDS prevention and care strategies
- Gender and HIV/AIDS
- Mental health and HIV/AIDS

To see the final programme: www.aidsimpact.net For more information:

Edwin Nichols - Communications Manager
AIDS IMPACT/WORLD AIDS CAMPAIGN
Tel: +31 20 616 9045
Cell: +31 6 131 98 161

Ina van der Linde - Media Communication
Human Sciences Research Council
Tel: +27 12 3022024
Cell: +27 82 3310614
Email: ivdlinde@hsrc.ac.za


2. 'The Health of Our Educators: A focus on HIV/AIDS in South African 
public schools', is the latest report by the Human Sciences Research 
Council on the impact of HIV/AIDS on schoolteachers.

The survey commissioned by the Education Labour Relations Council shows 
that in a nationally representative sample of 17,088 teachers at 1,700 
schools, close to 13 percent of the country's teachers are HIV-positive. 
It is estimated that the pandemic claims the lives of 11 teachers daily.

Access the full report: http://www.hsrcpress.ac.za



VACANCIES

1. HIV Technical Advisor - Democratic Republic of Congo

Population Services International (PSI), the world's leading non-profit 
social marketing organisation, seeks experienced, dynamic candidates for 
the position of HIV Technical Advisor for its Congo programme.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Manage growing HIV portfolio supported by multiple donors
- Supervise large local programme and technical staff in tandem with the
   HIV National Manager at offices throughout the country
- Manage HIV prevention programme that includes social marketing and
   targeted communication activities with high-risk groups
- Maintain excellent relationships with major local partners and donors
- Assure that all communications are targeted and appropriate for
   high-risk groups, notably commercial sex workers and their clients and
   regular partners, police, military, and truckers
- Reinforce the capacity of local personnel by serving as a mentor to
   one of the technical departments, setting high standards and helping
   staff realise their own capacity to meet these standards
- Oversee HIV prevention activities and business development in the
   Republic of Congo
- Seek future opportunities for HIV health impact with new and existing
   donors, partners and programmes.



QUALIFICATIONS:

- Master's degree or equivalent experience in relevant field
- Minimum two years' work experience in a developing country,
   preferably in Africa
- Strong financial and personnel management skills
- Strong interpersonal skills
- General HIV expertise
- General behaviour change communication expertise
- Proficiency in the French language (oral and written).

Apply online at www.psi.org.
Closing date for applications: 30 May 2005


IRIN-SA
Tel: +27 11 895-1900
Fax: +27 11 784-6759
Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za

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Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 
2005


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