IRIN PlusNews Weekly Issue 225, 18 March 2005

[Guest guest]

AFRICA: IRIN PlusNews Weekly Issue 225, 18 March 2005

NEWS

ZIMBABWE: UNICEF appeals to donors to look beyond politics

ZAMBIA: Govt scales up TB programme

SWAZILAND: Elderly bear burden of orphan crisis

SOUTHERN AFRICA: New thinking needed on impact of HIV/AIDS on agriculture

TOGO: Fighting to keep ARV drugs within population's grasp

ETHIOPIA: Nationwide HIV/AIDS hotline launched

COTE D IVOIRE: Doctor concerned by high HIV prevalence rate in forgotten

northeast

AFRICA: Youth meet to discuss ways of fighting HIV/AIDS

CONFERENCES/ EVENTS/ RESEARCH/ RESOURCES

1. Discussion forum on Sexuality and Religion

2. Global Fund Call for Proposals

3. ICASA - Call for Abstracts

4. 2005 YouthNet Internship Programme

VACANCIES

1. Provincial Project Manager, Zambia

NEWS

ZIMBABWE: UNICEF appeals to donors to look beyond politics

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has called on the global community to

" differentiate between the politics and the people of Zimbabwe " .

" Every day children in Zimbabwe are dying of HIV/AIDS; every day children are

becoming infected, orphaned and forced to leave school to care for sick parents.

The global generosity towards tsunami victims was inspiring, but it has dried up

for Zimbabwean children, who are facing a deadly crisis every day of their

lives, " said UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy in Johannesburg on

Thursday.

Despite having the world's fourth highest rate of HIV infection, and the

greatest rise in child mortality in any nation, Zimbabweans were receiving just

a fraction of donor funding compared to other countries in the region, UNICEF

noted.

More details:

http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4602

ZAMBIA: Govt scales up TB programme

The Zambian government aims to scale up the country's tuberculosis (TB) control

programme to achieve a cure rate of 80 percent.

" We have exceeded the 70 percent WHO [World Health Organisation cure rate]

target. We are being realistic in targeting 80 percent, " Health Minister

Chituwo told PlusNews. " The TB cure rate in Zambia has improved from 64 percent

to 73 percent in the past year. "

In 2004 Zambia had 58,000 diagnosed cases of TB. Chituwo linked the increase in

the number of TB patients, from 12,000 cases in 1986, to the prevalence of HIV.

Lusaka, the capital, the Copperbelt region and Southern province accounted for

80 percent of the country's TB cases.

More details:

http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4601

SWAZILAND: Elderly bear burden of orphan crisis

Ninety percent blind in both eyes, Babe (Father in SiSwati) Simelane, who

estimates he is 72 years old, could make out only the roughest outline of his

son's face when he died from an AIDS related illness last year, leaving two

young sons.

His age and poor eyesight have made it difficult for Simelane, a widower, to

support his grandchildren.

" Mandla took care of me; he brought in the harvests. Now he is dead. The boys -

at least they get fed at school, " said Simelane. He lives in the mountainous

northern Hhohho region, where ample rainfall and a network of flowing rivers

make the lush area vastly different to the drought-affected south and east.

More details:

http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4600 & SelectRegion=Southern_Afric\

a & SelectCountry=SWAZILAND

SOUTHERN AFRICA: New thinking needed on impact of HIV/AIDS on agriculture

The impact of HIV/AIDS on agriculture in Southern Africa is now well recognised.

But a new report is calling for a rethink of current views on the effects of the

epidemic, with more concrete and specific regional responses.

Despite current thinking on the effects of the epidemic on farming, which has

mainly been based on qualitative methods, the study found that most quantitative

household-level studies gave " a less catastrophic assessment of the impacts of

rising AIDS-related mortality on the agricultural sector " .

According to the report, to be presented next month at an international

conference on 'HIV/AIDS and Food and Nutrition Security' in South Africa, it has

been generally accepted that the loss of productive family members would have an

adverse impact on household agricultural production.

More details:

http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4591 & SelectRegion=Southern_Afric\

a & SelectCountry=SOUTHERN_AFRICA

TOGO: Fighting to keep ARV drugs within population's grasp

Augustin Dokla has been at the forefront of the fight against HIV/AIDS ever

since he was diagnosed as HIV-positive 10 years ago. Now he is setting his

sights on keeping the supply of cheap antiretroviral drugs (ARV) in Togo from

drying up.

India, the world's fourth-largest pharmaceutical manufacturer and a key producer

and exporter of generic ARV drugs, has proposed amendments to its patent laws,

which would stop it providing affordable life-prolonging drugs to people living

with AIDS in developing countries, including Togo.

The Indian parliament is trying to tackle implementation of the World Trade

Organisation's (WTO) agreement regulating patents on medicines. But according to

AIDS activists, 50 percent of Indians and 30 percent of Africans who are

HIV-positive use the cheaper versions of branded ARVs, made and marketed by the

world's biggest democracy.

More details:

http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4598

ETHIOPIA: Nationwide HIV/AIDS hotline launched

A new HIV/AIDS hotline was launched in Ethiopia on Thursday to provide accurate

information, counselling and free referrals to callers from across the country.

" We are now receiving 1,800 calls on average every day since the hotline became

available nationwide on 10 March, " Gashaw Mengistu, the coordinator of the

facility, told PlusNews from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

He said a campaign would be launched to promote the hotline on radio and

television, which would hopefully encourage many more people to use the service.

More details:

http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4583

COTE D IVOIRE: Doctor concerned by high HIV prevalence rate in forgotten

northeast

Olivier Oura is the only trained doctor available to Ivorians living with

HIV/AIDS around Bondoukou, and he's worried that poor security and communication

in this northeastern corner of Cote d'Ivoire may have landed it with the

country's highest HIV prevalence rate.

" Look - in 2002, Bondoukou region had a prevalence rate of 11 percent - that's

the second highest in the country and substantially higher than the capital,

Abidjan, which was 7.4 percent, " Oura told PlusNews, flicking on a computer and

pulling up a screen of data.

More details:

http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4585

AFRICA: Youth meet to discuss ways of fighting HIV/AIDS

An Africa-wide youth organisation is holding a five-day conference in the

Rwandan capital, Kigali, to draw up a plan of action for the continent's youth

to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS.

" Our mission is to initiate, consolidate and strengthen the capacity and

response of African youth to effectively confront HIV/AIDS, " Karangwa,

executive secretary of the Pan-African Youth Organisation Against HIV/AIDS

(PAYA), said when the conference opened on Monday.

Participants from at least 20 African nations are taking part in the conference,

which hopes to rally support from key donors for its programmes.

More details:

http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=4586

CONFERENCES/ EVENTS/ RESEARCH/ RESOURCES

1. The Africa Regional Sexuality Resource Centre (ARSRC) is currently holding a

moderated electronic discussion forum on Sexuality and Religion, which started

on 7 March and will finish at the end of April 2005.

This discussion seeks to explain the interconnection between religion and the

forms and expression of human sexuality, and will also highlight the extent to

which religion influences beliefs and shapes human sexual behaviour, and examine

how individuals attempt to influence religious approaches to sexuality. It is

also an attempt to critically address the relationship between various beliefs

and human sexuality.

Weekly discussions will explore the following areas:

- Sexuality and Spirituality: Is sex spiritual?

- Sexual Expression and Religion

- Religion and Sexuality Education: Does religion have a role to play in

sexuality education?

- Marriage, Sexuality and Reproduction

- Adolescent Sexuality and Religion

To participate, click on the link below and sign up, giving your name and the

country in which you work:

http://www.arsrc.org/en/resources/forum/forum.htm

2. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) issued a call on 17

March 2005 for proposals for Round 5. Application forms for this round should be

completed by countries before 10 June 2005, and will be reviewed by a panel of

experts before the approved grants are announced at the end of September 2005.

The Global Fund Board has underlined that collaboration between TB and HIV

programmes will be vital to this latest round of applications, especially for

countries where HIV/AIDS is driving the TB epidemic. Countries are requested to

include strategies for minimising the impact of TB among people living with

HIV/AIDS in their HIV/AIDS proposals. At the same time, TB proposals should be

streamlined to ensure prevention, testing and counselling for HIV/AIDS among TB

patients.

In development of the Round 5 applications, relative normative assistance will

be provided by WHO and technical partners, to enable countries to develop

single, combined proposals for integrated responses to TB and HIV.

For more information on TB/HIV proposals:

Rose Pray

STOP TB Partnership, WHO

Tel: +41 22 791 3472

Email: prayr@...

and Bilger, HIV/AIDS Department, WHO

Tel: + 41 22 791 1418

Email: bilgerc@...

http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/apply/call/

3. Organisers of the 14th International Conference on HIV/AIDS and STIs in

Africa (ICASA 2005) - to be held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 4 to 9 December 2005,

with the theme 'HIV/AIDS and the Family' - are calling for abstracts of original

contributions in the field of HIV/AIDS.

Abstracts could be in the areas of basic sciences, social sciences,

health-related issues, community-related topics, youths, gender, the family,

trials, human rights ethical issues, clinical issues, and care and support. All

submitted abstracts will be reviewed by panellists. When accepted, authors will

be notified and the abstracts will appear in their full form in the conference

abstract book and on the abstract CD-ROM.

To ensure that abstracts are considered, they should be submitted before the

deadline of 29 May 2005. The abstract guidelines, submission form and other

conference-related information, including sub-tracts/sub-themes,

non-abstract-driven sessions, plenary sessions and round table sessions, are

currently available on the conference website: www.icasa2005.com

4. The YouthNet programme of Family Health International (FHI) announces an

eleven-week internship programme designed to give current or recent

undergraduate and graduate university students from developing countries

experience in designing, implementing and evaluating youth reproductive health

(YRH) and HIV/AIDS programmes. A maximum of six positions, based in the

Washington, DC, area, is available. The internship programme will run from 30

May to 12 August 2005.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.fhi.org/en/Youth/YouthNet/ProgramsAreas/YouthInvolvement/internapplic\

ation.htm

VACANCIES:

1. Family Health International (FHI) runs a programme of research, education,

and services in HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment (PCT), reproductive

health and infectious diseases. They are looking for qualified candidates for

the following positions:

Provincial Project Managers, Zambia

The positions will operate from the following five provinces: Central;

Copperbelt; Northern; Northwestern and Luapula. The Provincial Project Manager

will coordinate all activities at the provincial level in the focus provinces.

This will include supervising field office staff, guiding the implementation and

operation for the PCT project HIV/AIDS programmes, managing and supporting

provincial level implementing partners. All positions require familiarity with

the operations of international and local NGOs, as well as international donor

organisations, especially those funded in Zambia.

REQUIREMENTS:

- MD/MBBS or MPH; Bachelor's degree in public health considered with additional

experience

- 8 to 10 years' experience managing programmes at the community level, with 3

to 5 years' experience in HIV/AIDS programme planning

- Experience with public and NGOs sector required

Please mention for which province you are applying. This is not an expatriate

assignment. No international relocation or expatriate benefits provided.

Interested candidates please submit cover letter and resume, including salary

requirements, online at www.fhi.org or email to: humanresources@.... Please

specify source in your application.

[ENDS]

We have sent this message from a no-reply address to avoid bounced messages into

our general email folder. Please do not hesitate to contact us at

Mail@... with any comments or questions you may have

IRIN-SA

Tel: +27 11 895-1900

Fax: +27 11 784-6759

Email: IRIN-SA@...

[This Item is Delivered to the " PlusNews " HIV/AIDS Service of the UN's IRIN

humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views

of the United Nations. For further information, free subscriptions, or

to change your keywords, contact e-mail: Plusnews@... or Web:

http://www.irinnews.org/aidsfp.asp . If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post

this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Reposting by commercial

sites requires written IRIN permission.]

Copyright © UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2005

To make changes to or cancel your subscription visit:

http://www.irinnews.org/subscriptions/AIDSsubslogin.asp

Subscriber: AIDS treatments

Keyword: Southern Africa