allAfrica.com: Africa: Daily HIV/Aids Report (Page 1 of 3)

Advocates Call for Creation of National Strategy To Fight HIV/AIDS in U.S.

[May 21, 2008]

Advocates at a congressional briefing on Tuesday called for a comprehensive strategy to address HIV/AIDS in the U.S., CQ HealthBeat reports. According to the advocates, the plan should focus on boosting coordination between stakeholders, targeting high-risk populations -- such as blacks, Hispanics and men who have sex with men -- and reducing HIV/AIDS-related stigma. Some of the advocates suggested that the plan follow the framework of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

Terrell Halaska, a consultant who has served as a health and education adviser for Congress and the Bush administration, attributed much of PEPFAR's success to its multipronged approach. Halaska added that an effective domestic strategy would require guidelines for antiretroviral treatment, HIV testing and prevention, as well as "connecting the dots" among existing programs. Halaska also said that such a plan would need bipartisan support and the ability to engage partners in the business, education and philanthropy sectors.

Halaska said that U.S. HIV/AIDS efforts overseas have been more effective than domestic programs, adding that domestic efforts are a "Byzantine maze of programs." Halaska said, "We have to take the same approach here that we did overseas."

Majorie Hill, CEO of the Gay Men's Health Crisis, said an effective domestic strategy would require significant efforts among lawmakers. "A national AIDS strategy will require presidential leadership," she said, noting that Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.) have pledged to develop plans if elected. Advocates also have sought a similar commitment from presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), according to Hill. Congress also "clearly has a crucial role" in allocating domestic HIV/AIDS funding and holding the next administration accountable, Hill added.

In addition, Kathie Hiers, CEO of AIDS Alabama, voiced disappointment in a shortage of CDC funding for HIV/AIDS prevention and surveillance programs. She said that the Alabama Department of Public Health receives $2 million in CDC funding annually and that $500,000 of the money goes to HIV/AIDS programs. Hiers said she and her colleagues sometimes joke about applying for PEPFAR funding because HIV/AIDS cases in Alabama "rival those of Africa." She noted that 70% of HIV cases occur among blacks, even though the group accounts for 23% of the state's population (Cooley, CQ HealthBeat, 5/20).

Link to this story.

Global Challenges

Archbishop Tutu Calls on Governments To Address Health Issues in Africa, Including HIV/AIDS

[May 21, 2008]

South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Tuesday at the World Health Assembly in Geneva called on governments to increase their efforts to fight diseases -- including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria -- in Africa, the Associated Press reports. "We cannot lose Africa," Tutu said, adding that the "cradle of humankind" is threatened by "disease, conflict and destruction." According to Tutu, many diseases would be preventable if governments had the political will to increase their health spending. He said that African leaders should fulfill pledges made in 2001 to allocate at least 15% of their national budgets to health, adding that this could prevent eight million unnecessary deaths on the continent.

In addition, Tutu said that children in Africa are dying from "easily preventable diseases if they could but get the inexpensive vaccination inoculations." According to Tutu, many medicines and vaccines are ineffective in parts of Africa where electricity is not available to keep them refrigerated.

Tutu noted that many WHA delegates are "particularly aware of the devastation caused by disease" -- including TB, malaria, HIV/AIDS, river blindness, polio, cholera, infant mortality and maternal illnesses. He also said that the World Health Organization has a "tenacious commitment" to global health issues and praised WHO Director-General Margaret Chan for her efforts to address the "monumental health concerns of Africa and the health of women and girls" (Associated Press, 5/20).

Link to this story.

Ugandan Group Launches No-Cost HIV Testing Campaign Aimed at Children, Urges Parents To Test Children

[May 21, 2008]

The Joint Clinical Research Centre in Kampala, Uganda, recently launched a no-cost HIV testing campaign aimed at children born to parents living with HIV/AIDS and those orphaned by the disease, the New Vision/AllAfrica.com reports. The campaign has tested at least 1,500 children in the Ugandan divisions of Central, Kawempe, Makindye, Nakawa and Rubaga, according to the New Vision/AllAfrica.com.

web allafrica.com	Enter your search terms	Submit search form
OR subscribers use AllAfrica's premium search engine


Use our pull-down menus to find more stories

Today's Most Active Stories