Guest guest Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 In the USA, the greatest advances in access to treatment information have come from 1) the plethora of specialty publications distributed free of charge to people living with hiv/aids, and 2) widely available free-of-charge access to the internet, where the patient can look up information for him/herself, as well as participate in internet forum or support group dialogues....or groups like this one. Aids service organizations increasingly are installing computer rooms with multiple terminals for clients to use, and offering free classes and instruction in how to use computers and software. This produces a more educated and informed population. An informed patient is going to be a healthier patient. The Boston Living Center offers a room with approximately 12 internet-connected computers, and gives away hundreds of copies of POZ Magazine, Test Positive Aware, BETA, A & U, and several other aids magazines. The Boston Public Library, run by the city government, has 29 separate neighborhood locations, each offering 6 or more internet-connected computers for public use. In other nations, apparently internet access is much more limited. And the distribution of free aids informational journals is much more limited. A friend from Zimbabwe, currently a refugee living in England, reports to me that the only internet connected computer available to him is at a library that charges a fee for its use, which is a severe stretch for his limited budget, and he was surprised to hear that almost every public library here in Boston has multiple internet-connected computers that the public may use free of charge. Aside from all of the business and management functions (e.g. writing a proposal for funding) that a computer would facilitate, I think one of the most important features is introducing people living with hiv/aids to the internet. Could someone comment about the problem I have heard regarding supply: problems with shipping donated used equipment from the USA to nations in Africa vs. problems purchasing new equipment within Africa with cash grants? Boston, Massachusetts, USA >From: " J Mark " <j.mark.adams@...> >Reply-AIDS treatments ><AIDS treatments > >Subject: RE: RE COMPUTERS >Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2004 03:25:22 +0200 > >If I may ask. What is your need for computers? > >What the specifications and software requirements for these computers you >need? > >Are your staff trained to use them? _________________________________________________________________ Store more e-mails with MSN Hotmail Extra Storage – 4 plans to choose from! http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200362ave/direct/01/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 Dear , dear all, Your posting on computers , reminded me of a question I often ask: How can we get more HIV+ organisations in the North to support the ones in the South? The lack of global solidarity is painful, and we all need to make stronger efforts to reduce that lack and eventually get rid of it. I only know about NAPWA US working internationally, I hope I am very un-informed, and would like to know of other HIV+ organisations collaborating North/South. All the best Calle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2004 Report Share Posted March 12, 2004 -----Original Message-----From: Almedal, Calle [mailto:almedalc@...]Sent: 11 March 2004 15:50AIDS treatments Subject: RE: RE COMPUTERS Dear , dear all,Your posting on computers , reminded me of a question I often ask:How can we get more HIV+ organisations in the North to support the onesin the South?The lack of global solidarity is painful, and we all need to makestronger efforts to reduce that lack and eventually get rid of it.I only know about NAPWA US working internationally, I hope I am veryun-informed, and would like to know of other HIV+ organisationscollaborating North/South.All the bestCalle Calle in many cases what is vitally needed is material support. Quite often the knowledge resources are available locally. It is therefore more about funding than anything else. It the funding stream flows through government barely a drip gets to the intended beneficiaries. Sadly with the Gachara scandal faith in the integrity of NGO's has been severely damaged. It is my honest opinion that a mechanism must be found whereby the donor community can fund small community projects without having to install a "middle-man" structure which will bleed the resources dry. Now if we as mankind is so clever that we can land a working unmanned craft on Mars then how come we can't figure this issue out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 We can land on Mars because we spend our money wrongly. ICAD has done a good job on twinning, which I think might work, please see www.icad-cisd.com -----Original Message-----From: J Mark [mailto:j.mark.adams@...] Sent: Saturday, 13 March, 2004 04:34AIDS treatments Subject: RE: RE COMPUTERS -----Original Message-----From: Almedal, Calle [mailto:almedalc@...]Sent: 11 March 2004 15:50AIDS treatments Subject: RE: RE COMPUTERS Dear , dear all,Your posting on computers , reminded me of a question I often ask:How can we get more HIV+ organisations in the North to support the onesin the South?The lack of global solidarity is painful, and we all need to makestronger efforts to reduce that lack and eventually get rid of it.I only know about NAPWA US working internationally, I hope I am veryun-informed, and would like to know of other HIV+ organisationscollaborating North/South.All the bestCalle Calle in many cases what is vitally needed is material support. Quite often the knowledge resources are available locally. It is therefore more about funding than anything else. It the funding stream flows through government barely a drip gets to the intended beneficiaries. Sadly with the Gachara scandal faith in the integrity of NGO's has been severely damaged. It is my honest opinion that a mechanism must be found whereby the donor community can fund small community projects without having to install a "middle-man" structure which will bleed the resources dry. Now if we as mankind is so clever that we can land a working unmanned craft on Mars then how come we can't figure this issue out? http://www./group/http://www./group/aids-africa (a group made up of Africans worldwide)Join Digital Africa- an information technology group that discusses IT in Africa at http://www./group/digafrica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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