IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 278
Africa
7 April 2006


NEWS:

UGANDA: Global Fund probe reveals massive graft
UGANDA: Abstinence - the safest or most dangerous HIV strategy?
LESOTHO: Guidelines to help OVC caregivers
UGANDA: New policy keeps HIV-positive people out of armed forces
LESOTHO: 'Know your status' drive needs $12.5m and people's cooperation
NEPAL: Stronger HIV/AIDS awareness urgently needed

CONFERENCES/ EVENTS/ RESEARCH/ RESOURCES
1. MTV youth video project on AIDS

VACANCIES
1. HIV/AIDS health care professionals - Southern Africa




NEWS

UGANDA: Global Fund probe reveals massive graft

An ongoing probe into the misuse of money from the Global Fund on AIDS, 
Tuberculosis and Malaria in Uganda has unearthed a "pile of filth" in 
the running of affairs in the East African country, according to James 
Ogoola, head of the commission of inquiry.

Following the suspension in August 2005 of five grants worth US $367 
million, questions had arisen regarding the fund managers' integrity.

Although the Global Fund lifted its suspension in November 2005 - after 
agreeing with the government on ways to overhaul the management of the 
fund - President Yoweri Museveni ordered a judicial inquiry into the use 
of the money. Since the launch of the investigation, the commission has 
heard allegations of inflated expenses, false receipts and misallocation 
of money, leading Ogoola to dub the management of the funds "a pile of 
filth".

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5823


UGANDA: Abstinence - the safest or most dangerous HIV strategy?

Pumping his fists in the air, Pastor Martin Ssempa strides up and down 
the stage at one end of a swimming pool at Uganda's Makerere University, 
where thousands of students listen excitedly to the evangelist's simple 
message: HIV/AIDS kills - If you want to guarantee yourself 100 percent 
protection, abstain.

The occasion is 'Prime Time at the Pool', a weekly abstinence rally held 
at the country's largest and most prestigious university.

"Sex is something so sweet ... but the greatest sex can only be enjoyed 
in marriage," says Ssempa, insisting that abstinence has always played a 
greater role than condoms in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5828


LESOTHO: Guidelines to help OVC caregivers

A rapidly increasing population of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) 
in Lesotho has forced the government and NGOs to draw up guidelines for 
their care.

The 'Residential Care for Vulnerable Children and Youth Guidelines and 
Standards' was "critical" to ensuring the safety of OVC at the hands of 
their caregivers, said Bertrand Duemollins, the UN Children's Fund 
(UNICEF) resident representative in Lesotho.

"The roadmap is now set; we now envisage a strong coordination and 
increased support to ensure that all places of safety will be able to 
implement these new standards."

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5832


UGANDA: New policy keeps HIV-positive people out of armed forces

The Ugandan army will no longer recruit HIV-positive people, the 
spokesman for the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), Maj Felix 
Kuraije, said on Monday.

The UPDF's decision to stop recruiting HIV-positive individuals was made 
on "humanitarian grounds", because "we shall not recruit an HIV-positive 
person and expose him or her to the strenuous training that a person 
with such an ailment cannot manage", according to Kuraije.

"It is a requirement now that someone undergoes a thorough medical check 
before recruitment. We check for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis, 
heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes."

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5836


LESOTHO: 'Know your status' drive needs $12.5m and people's cooperation

The success of Lesotho's plan to increase access to HIV/AIDS treatment 
will depend on a national commitment to being tested for the virus and a 
R75 million (US $12.5 million) financial boost.

Motloheloa Phooko, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, said at a 
press conference on Wednesday that "the money needed will be used in the 
two years of the campaign to mobilise people to know their status - but 
getting the money alone will not make the campaign a success unless 
Basotho [Lesotho people] own up to the programme and get tested".

Lesotho's 'Know Your Status' campaign, the first of its kind worldwide, 
will offer confidential and voluntary HIV testing and counselling with 
the aim of reaching all households by the end of 2007.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5842



CONFERENCES/ EVENTS/ RESEARCH/ RESOURCES

MTV is calling on all youths aged 18 to 25 to submit short video footage 
of their stories about HIV/AIDS and how it has changed their lives, 
whether they are themselves HIV-positive or a close friend or family 
member of someone who is.

For submission guidelines and other information, visit: 
http://www.mtv.com/thinkmtv/features/sexual_health/HIV_25 or Email MTV 
at: positive@mtvstaff.com



VACANCIES

HIV/AIDS health care professionals - Southern Africa

The Nordic Secure the Future programme, a public-private collaboration 
to alleviate HIV/AIDS among women and children in sub-Saharan Africa, 
seeks the expertise of suitably trained healthcare professionals from 
the Nordic region to take various posts in either South Africa or 
Lesotho for a period of approximately three months.

For more information please contact:
Bristol-Myers Squibb,
Att: Tove Kotze,
P.O. Box 152 00, 167 15 Bromma,
Sweden
or e-mail: tove.kotze@bms.com

The closing date for applications is 31 May.


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


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