IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 280
Africa
21 April 2006


NEWS:

LIBERIA: HIV/AIDS infection rising rapidly
BOTSWANA: More funds needed to curb HIV/AIDS-related child deaths
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Fudging the UNGASS report card
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Migrants find sex trade a dead end street
SWAZILAND: Comprehensive OVC policy unveiled
MOZAMBIQUE: The road across the border doesn't go to the promised land
SUDAN: Grannies step in to care for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS

LINKS

1. Women and HIV/AIDS

VACANCIES

1. Programme Officer, Panos Southern Africa HIV/AIDS Programme - Lusaka, 
Zambia



NEWS


LIBERIA: HIV/ AIDS infection rate rising rapidly

Liberia's new government is alarmed at the rapidly rising rate of HIV 
and AIDS infections, which are now a "serious problem", according to 
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

"HIV/AIDS is now a serious problem in Liberia. The problem has been 
increasing very rapidly. Now we are talking an average infection rate of 
12 percent; the rate of infection for women and children is higher," 
said Sirleaf at the recent launch of a new HIV/AIDS public awareness 
campaign in collaboration with the World Health Organisation and the 
African Union.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5876


BOTSWANA: More funds needed to curb HIV/AIDS-related child deaths

More resources could help curb the increasing number of children dying 
of HIV/AIDS-related illnesses in Botswana, according to the UN 
Children's Fund (UNICEF).

"If Botswana had more HIV testing facilities for children aged below 18 
months we would have been able to put more children on treatment as soon 
as possible, which would have helped to reduce infant mortality," said 
Kutloano Leshomo, UNICEF's spokeswoman in the capital, Gaborone.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5880


SOUTHERN AFRICA: Fudging the UNGASS report card

As high-level negotiations get underway in preparation for the UN 
General Assembly's Special Session on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS), civil society 
organisations in Southern Africa are struggling to make their voices 
heard ...

In South Africa, media coverage has been dominated by whether the 
government would retreat from blocking UNGASS accreditation for the 
Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and its affiliate, the AIDS Law Project 
(ALP), over concerns that they would use UNGASS as a platform to 
criticise the allegedly tardy official response to the HIV/AIDS 
epidemic.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5878


SOUTHERN AFRICA: Migrants find sex trade a dead end street

Last March Janet (not her real name) took a hard look at her prospects 
and made a drastic decision. Equipped with little more than a friend's 
phone number, she joined the growing number of Zimbabweans who cross 
illegally into South Africa every day, looking for a better life.

She felt she knew all about living in South Africa because a friend came 
home regularly from Johannesburg with gifts for everyone and stories of 
how well she was doing, and had suggested Janet join her.

Her friend seemed surprised when Janet called to say she had arrived. 
She said she could not meet her, but directed Janet to a hotel in the 
city where she could get a job. The hotel's bar was populated by women 
in skimpy clothing, but Janet did not immediately grasp the situation. 
"I had never done that kind of work before," said the shy 23-year-old. 
"It was my first time."

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5874


SWAZILAND: Comprehensive OVC policy unveiled

Swaziland has launched a comprehensive policy to deal with its rapidly 
expanding population of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).

The US $234.7 million National Plan of Action (NPA) seeks to address the 
health and education needs of OVC and coordinate the efforts of NGOs and 
government agencies, to prioritise resources and prevent duplication.

"We seek a nation fit for children; we are committed to that vision," 
said Prime Minister Themba Dlamini when the plan was launched recently 
in the capital, Mbabane.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5873


MOZAMBIQUE: The road across the border doesn't go to the promised land

"I want to forget the past and now try to improve my life," said Sonia, 
examining with satisfaction her new home, a small one-bedroomed brick 
house without electricity or water on the outskirts of the Mozambican 
capital, Maputo.

It is being built for her by Rede Came, a local NGO formed to help 
people overcome the trauma of trafficking and sexual abuse. When the 
electricity is connected, Sonia will be able to use her home as a base 
for her small business.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=5872


SUDAN: Grannies step in to care for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS

"My father died when I was young and my mother died in 2000," said 
Yomima, 14, one of 250 children known to be orphaned by HIV/AIDS in 
Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

She and her three younger siblings live with their 60-year-old 
grandmother, Catherine, in her mud hut, its corrugated iron roof lined 
with empty food sacks donated by the American government.

Until last year Catherine was unable to cope with the added financial 
load of school fees and clothing, but then Help Age International, an 
NGO, offered financial assistance through the Southern Sudan Older 
People's Organisation (SSOPO), which received a US $36,000 grant in 2005 
from the British annual fundraising event, Comic Relief, to support 
elderly people caring for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSReport.ASP?ReportID=5869



LINKS

1. Women and HIV/AIDS

Although HIV/AIDS has had a devastating affect on the lives of millions 
of women across the globe, women with HIV are slowly beginning to live 
longer and stronger lives as a result of access to appropriate 
information about the pandemic.

The National Women's Health Information Centre provides information to 
women and links to helpful resources.

Access the site: http://www.4woman.gov/hiv



VACANCIES

The Panos Institute Southern Africa (PSAF), based in Lusaka, Zambia, is 
looking to recruit a Programme Officer to work closely with the PSAF 
HIV/AIDS Programme Manager to ensure effective implementation of the 
regional HIV/AIDS Programme.

If interested, please send a letter of application with a detailed CV 
to:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
PANOS SOUTHERN AFRICA
PO BOX 30163
PLOT32A LEOPARDS HILL ROAD
WOODLANDS
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA

TEL: + 260 1 263 258
FAX: + 260 1 261 039
EMAIL: parkie@panos.org.zm
Copied to: caroline@panos.org.zm


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


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