IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 247
Africa
26 August 2005


NEWS:

UGANDA: Global fund suspends anti-AIDS grants
SWAZILAND: Traditional chastity vow may have lowered teenage HIV rates
NAMIBIA: US $30.7 million Global Fund grant to benefit recipients


CONFERENCES/ EVENTS/ RESEARCH/ RESOURCES

1. Online Auction to Benefit YouthAIDS 2. WHO assessment of the UN 
Millennium Development Goals

LINKS

1. Tracking the Monster: Ashley Judd and India.Arie Confront AIDS in 
Africa

VACANCIES

1. NGO Director - Kenya, Nairobi





NEWS

UGANDA: Global fund suspends anti-AIDS grants

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced a 
suspension of all its grants to Uganda on Wednesday due to "evidence of 
serious mismanagement" of the funds.

Ugandan health minister Jim Muhwezi said the suspension would disrupt 
the country's hitherto successful anti-AIDS campaign.

"I have got that communication," Muhwezi told IRIN on Wednesday. "They 
are concerned about certain issues that they want clarified, and so they 
have suspended grants to us."

He added: "It is a disruption of the anti-AIDS programme, but we hope 
that we can be able to sort out what they want in a short time."

More details:
http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5165


SWAZILAND: Traditional chastity vow may have lowered teenage HIV rates

As a generation of young Swazi women end a five-year vow of chastity in 
a traditional ceremony this week, health officials are debating the 
impact of the custom on reducing the risk of HIV infection.

"We have loads of anecdotal evidence that girls are using the 'sex ban' 
as a way to avoid unwanted intercourse with demanding boyfriends and 
even older men. That is proof enough that some good has occurred - no 
one expected the custom to eliminate premarital sex entirely," said 
Goodness Simelane, an HIV councillor in the central commercial town of 
Manzini.

The custom is known as "umcwasho", after the tasselled woollen headgear 
worn by young women for five years: powder blue and yellow for teenagers 
from puberty up to 18 years old; red and yellow for women aged 19 to 24.

It was re-introduced in 2001 as the government tried to rise to the 
challenge of AIDS in a country where an estimated 40 percent of adults 
are HIV-positive - the highest infection rate in the world.

More details:
http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5163


NAMIBIA: US $30.7 million Global Fund grant to benefit recipients

HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria initiatives in Namibia are set 
to benefit from the US $30.7 million granted to the country nearly 10 
months ago by the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and 
Malaria.

The health ministry last week distributed the second tranche of US $6.4 
million in financial aid from the Geneva-based Fund to NGOs and 
government ministries.

"This is one of the largest distributions of funds to stakeholders in 
Namibia, and I call on you all to adhere to transparency, accountability 
and sound management," health minister Dr Richard Kamwi urged on Friday.

Although Namibia's grant was approved during the Global Fund's second 
call for funding proposals in 2003, an agreement to disburse the funds 
was only signed in November last year.

More details:
http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5156



CONFERENCES/ EVENTS/ RESEARCH/ RESOURCES

1. The popular US-based department store, Macy's, is currently hosting 
its first-ever celebrity fashion auction.

The charity auction will benefit YouthAIDS, the global initiative that 
raises awareness and funds for HIV/AIDS prevention and education in 
high-risk youth.

Denim divas of all ages will be able to begin bidding on eBay, "The 
World's Online Marketplace", for 21 one-of-a-kind women's and men's 
jeans, denim jackets and accessories designed by today's hottest 
celebrities and fashion designers, including Jennifer Lopez, P. Diddy, 
Donna Karan, and Kenneth Cole.

Bidding closes on 31 August, with 90 percent of the proceeds raised 
being donated to YouthAIDS.

Preview auction items on: www.thisit.com/auction
Place bids on:
http://clothing.search.ebay.com/_Clothing-Shoes-Accessories


2. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released its first-ever 
assessment of how countries are faring in terms of meeting the UN 
Millennium Development Goals for HIV/AIDS, child mortality and maternal 
health.

Titled 'Health in the Millennium Development Goals', the report warned 
that most developing nations would not meet the MDGs by the 2015 
deadline.

The document said that without rapid movement to establish health 
systems, large numbers of people would continue to die every year from 
mostly preventable diseases.

Deaths included almost 11 million children under five, about one million 
people succumbing to malaria and more than 500,000 women passing away 
during pregnancy and childbirth. The AIDS pandemic claimed three million 
lives each year.

Access the complete report: 
http://www.who.int/mdg/publications/MDG_Report_08_2005.pdf


LINKS

1. This is a link to the 90-minute documentary, airing on 29 August 2005 
on VH1, which chronicles two emotional journeys to Africa by Golden 
Globe nominee Ashley Judd and Grammy winner India.Arie as they travel to 
the front lines of the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

Through their eyes and in their own words, Judd and India.Arie tell the 
stories of lives forever changed by the pandemic, and witness how the 
disease is decimating communities in Kenya and Madagascar.

Their week of volunteer work was in association with local projects 
funded by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

View the film and photo gallery online at: 
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/vh1_news_presents/93916/episode.jhtml



VACANCIES

1. NGO Director - Lesotho, Southern Africa.

The Liverpool Voluntary Counselling and Testing and Care Kenya (LVCT), 
is seeking a competent individual to lead the organisation in the field 
of HIV voluntary counselling and testing, and also offer specialist HIV 
care including antiretrovirals.

LVCT's focus is on the scale-up of quality-assured HIV testing and care 
services. To do this the NGO supplies short- and long-term technical 
assistance to the Kenyan Ministry of Health, to NGOs and to partners in 
the region.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Understand the international evolving response to HIV/AIDS
- Write proposals and generate new vision and business for LVCT
- Maintain excellent working relationships with key stakeholders
- Oversee the management of the organisation (staff, finance, log
   frame, reporting etc.)


QUALIFICATIONS:

- A collaborative and diplomatic working style
- A sound understanding of current issues in HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan
   Africa
- A track record of influencing policy and decision-making in a country
   such as Kenya
- experience of working in a large donor-funded programme


Please send 3-page CV and covering letter explaining in one page why you 
are the right person for the job to irene@liverpoolvct.org

Reference Code: RW_75441E

Closing date: 16 September 2005


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

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2005


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