Kaisernetwork.org (Washington, DC)
18 November 2008
(Page 2 of 2)
In an effort to address issues associated with pediatric HIV/AIDS, the commission will hold its fourth annual Pediatric Conference in the capital city of Kigali from Nov. 19 to 21. The conference, which is sponsored by UNICEF and other partners of the Rwandan government, will take place under the theme "Equity in financing services for HIV infected and affected children." The focus of the conference will be to generate concrete strategies to decrease the negative impact the virus has on children and achieve equity in financing pediatric HIV/AIDS services. More than 300 delegates are expected to attend the conference (Mugabe, New Times, 11/17).
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Media & Society
Tanzania Media Houses Launch HIV/AIDS Workplace Policies
[Nov 18, 2008]
Eighteen Tanzanian media houses on Sunday launched HIV/AIDS workplace policies in response to news from the Tanzania Health Index Survey that the country could lose 9% of its most economically productive population to the disease by 2020, the Tanzania Daily News reports. According to Fatima Mrisho, chair of the Tanzania Commission for AIDS, the policies will focus on prevention, treatment, care, support, and the reduction of stigma and discrimination.
Halima Shariff, country director for USAID's Health Policy Initiative, said that her organization over the past year has collaborated with the AIDS Business Coalition of Tanzania and the Media Owners Association of Tanzania to launch the workplace policies. Shariff added that an assessment of media houses in 2006 -- which was conducted in collaboration with the Association of Journalists Against HIV/AIDS in Tanzania -- "revealed that despite their commendable role in promoting HIV/AIDS education and advocacy, media houses lacked defined HIV/AIDS workplace programs and policies." Following the assessment -- which also found "gaps" such as low HIV/AIDS knowledge and risky behaviors and practices -- HPI distributed the findings to media houses and other stakeholders, according to Shariff.
Following the 2006 assessment, Shariff said that MOAT executives committed to "join forces in ensuring that media houses instituted workplace policies and/or programs." Meetings were held among senior media managers to garner support and determine methods of engaging media houses, according to Shariff. MOAT Executive Secretary Henry Muhanika noted that the new policies will create awareness; help fight stigma; teach about HIV/AIDS treatment; encourage voluntary counseling and testing; and teach how to maintain confidentiality. ABCT CEO Richard Kasesera said, "We need to sensitize the media and since media are on the forefront of communication, once we sensitize them, we can also educate the nation" (Tanzania Daily News, 11/16).
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Drug Access
Togo Begins Distributing No-Cost Antiretrovirals, Government Says
[Nov 18, 2008]
The government of Togo on Monday announced that it has begun distributing no-cost antiretroviral drugs through the network of the Central Supply of Essential and Generic Medicines, Reuters reports. Augustin Dokla, who represents a network of people living with HIV/AIDS, said that approximately 25,000 people will receive antiretrovirals through the program, up from 8,000 who currently have access to the drugs through CAMEG.
Reuters reports that antiretrovirals purchased privately cost between 3,000 and 25,000 CFA francs, or about $47.53, monthly. In order to receive the no-cost drugs, patients have to register with local medical committees.
According to official figures, HIV/AIDS prevalence in Togo since 2006 has remained steady at about 3.2% (Zodzi/Magnowski, Reuters, 11/15).
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