Africa: Daily HIV/Aids Report

August 19, 2008

Kaisernetwork.org (Washington, DC)

19 August 2008

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=54021

AIDS 2008

New York Times Reporter Analyzes Focus of XVII International AIDS

Conference

[Aug 19, 2008]

The New York Times' Larry Altman on Tuesday analyzed the focus of the

XVII International AIDS Conference, which was held earlier this month

in Mexico City. According to Altman, the conference focused on

the " longer haul " in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and the " mood " at

the conference was " much more sober " compared with previous meetings.

There were no " major breakthroughs " announced, and " cutting-edge

research findings were rare, " Altman writes. According to the

analysis, the great strides in vaccines, microbicides and herpes-

suppressive drugs that researchers thought they were on the verge of

making at the 2006 XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto have

not materialized. Consequently, delegates in Mexico City renewed

calls for advocacy and financing to sustain gains already made --

such as promoting antiretroviral therapy in low-income countries,

male circumcision and behavior modification.

Recent setbacks in HIV/AIDS research have led many scientists

to " reflect on the frustrating, complicated courses of their

endeavors, " while others still expect trials to be successful, even

though that success is " far from guaranteed, " according to Altman. He

also looks at how some scientists view failure as a momentary setback

from which they can learn, while the public may consider failure as

bad science.

Altman writes that the best weapon against HIV would be a vaccine but

that none is likely to be discovered soon. Tadataka Yamada of the

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said, " Development of a vaccine is

still more of an art than a science, " adding, " No one country, any

one scientist, any one team of scientists will develop the vaccine. "

However, delegates at the conference continued to urge further

efforts to develop a cure and vaccine, arguing that unless

researchers attempt to do so, they will never know if they can be

achieved.

In addition, Altman writes that there were calls at the conference

for " innovation and recruiting more young investigators to the AIDS

field. " Alan Bernstein, executive director of the Global HIV Vaccine

Enterprise, said that recruiting new researchers to the field should

be less of an issue than in the past because of increased interest on

university campuses about global health.

According to Altman, an " important handicap in tracking and

controlling the epidemic has been an inability to get timely and

accurate data about current transmission of the virus. " A new test

developed by CDC " promises a greater ability to pinpoint hot spots of

new infections and to control them more quickly, at least in

developed countries, " Altman writes, adding that CDC has said the

test needs to be refined for use in developing countries.

There also were concerns at the conference regarding access to

antiretrovirals and resistance to existing therapies, according to

Altman. Delegates also expressed concerns over statements by some

critics that HIV/AIDS consumes too great a share of the resources

available for fighting other diseases and that efforts focused only

on one disease are damaging to primary health care systems in

developing countries.

The " shift " seen at this year's AIDS conference was " unmistakable --

from a stronger emphasis on science to more of a convention

atmosphere " -- Altman writes. The next conference will be held in

Vienna in 2010, and " unexpected developments, good or bad, could well

arise, " he adds. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has " always come up with new

surprises, " UNAIDS Executive Director Piot said (Altman, New

York Times, 8/19).

Kaisernetwork.org was the official webcaster of the XVII

International AIDS Conference in Mexico City.

Caribbean nations will establish national HIV/AIDS workplace policies

as soon as a regional policy modeled after International Labour

Organization guidelines is ready, the Jamaica Observer reports.

According to Carl Browne, director of the Pan Caribbean Partnership

Against HIV/AIDS who spoke at the XVII International AIDS Conference

earlier this month, the organization will work with individual

countries to implement national workplace policies tailored to

specific needs with the goal of benefitting employees and their

families. The policies will include support services and education

programs, and a toolkit with relevant videos will be available for

countries to provide to businesses.

In addition, countries will be required to report by June of each

year so that a consolidated report can be prepared for an annual

regional meeting in October, Browne said. He added, " At the end, we

want each country to send a report of the number of enterprises they

have reached in order for us to develop a database. "

The article also examined efforts to address HIV/AIDS in the

workplace in Jamaica. According to the Gleaner, one the tourism

sector's HIV/AIDS policy has " reaped great success " in the country.

Last year, 600 people in the sector received HIV tests, and 400 so

far this year have been tested.

" In terms of programs, Jamaica has gone very far ahead as they not

only have a workplace policy, but have also developed material from

which we are borrowing to share with other countries, " Browne said.

He added that Jamaica's success is because of the involvement of a

number of government ministries and the private sector (Brown,

Jamaica Observer, 8/17).

AP/Long Island Newsday Profiles Effort To Address HIV/AIDS Through

Community Development in Kenya

[Aug 19, 2008]

The AP/Long Island Newsday on Sunday examined the efforts of a mother-

daughter team to reduce HIV/AIDS through community development in

Kenya. Rosemell Ong'udi and her daughter, Loyce Mbewa-Ong'udi -- who

runs the Rabuor Village Project -- have developed " community-owned "

programs in which residents rather than donors set the priorities.

According to the AP/Newsday, the project's work " embodies what

experts consider the most effective approach to development. "

In 10 years, the village of Rabuor has founded a nursery school and

feeding program, a pharmacy, a youth group and income-generating

projects with little international aid. Youth involved in the project

also teach school and adult groups about HIV prevention, testing and

treatment. The work has affected more than 10,000 people in 10

villages and continues to grow, according to the AP/Newsday. District

Commissioner Godfrey Kigochi, a senior government official for Kisumu

West, said he wishes he had a project similar to Rabuor's in every

village in the district. Organizations that provide funding or

expertise to the Rabuor project also say it is " unique for its

pragmatism and deep community roots, " the AP/Newsday reports. The

Rev. Ong'injo, who has been involved in the project since its

launch, is helping other congregations launch similar projects.

Because residents were not prepared to discuss HIV/AIDS directly at

the beginning of the program, it initially focused on increasing crop

production, followed by projects aimed at earning incomes, keeping

children in school and training adults in agriculture, nutrition and

vocational skills. Although Loyce Mbewa-Ong'udi does not own land in

Rabuor or live there -- the project is based in Seattle -- she said

she recognizes the project can only work if villagers are involved.

According to the AP/Newsday, the village " is not utopia, " and

residents often disagree over how the project should operate.

However, " competing views are a sign of subsistence farmers becoming

active citizens, of women speaking up, " the AP/Newsday reports. In

addition, such disagreements are part of the reason why some people

believe the project will work in the village in the long-term,

compared with other projects that collapse when donors leave, the

AP/Newsday reports (Borst, AP/Long Island Newsday, 8/17).

Across The Nation

HIV/AIDS Advocates in Georgia Discuss Need for Improved Outreach

Efforts, Particularly Those for Blacks, Rural Residents, Young People

[Aug 19, 2008]

HIV/AIDS advocates in Georgia have become concerned that " [o]ld

messages geared to urban, white, gay men simply don't resonate with

many " black, rural, women and young people, who now are the " new

face " of HIV/AIDS in the state, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

reports. According to the Journal-Constitution, it is becoming more

difficult to reach such high-risk groups with prevention, testing and

treatment services.

Blacks make up about 30% of the state's population and 71% of those

who were living with HIV/AIDS in 2006, according to state data.

Seventy-nine percent of those diagnosed with HIV in 2006 were black,

and advocates say they see a high number of black women with HIV/AIDS

in the metro Atlanta area.

Clarence Reynolds, spokesperson for AID Atlanta, said that the

inability to target prevention messages to blacks, young people and

those in rural areas " is really a threat to everyone's well-being. "

Some advocates say that Georgia has done little to coordinate

prevention efforts around the state, the Journal-Constitution

reports. Lola , executive director of the AIDS Alliance of

Northwest Georgia, said that HIV/AIDS " is not even on the radar " at

some rural county and municipal governments, adding, " Most government

people here see [HIV/AIDS] as a city problem. "

Dazon Dixon Diallo, executive director of SisterLove, a not-for-

profit support group for women, said, " Ignoring women, young people

of color, people in rural areas -- we have done them a disservice. "

The Rev. Raphael Warnock, senior pastor at the Atlanta Ebenezer

Baptist Church, said an " unholy trinity " of silence, shame and stigma

prevents many blacks from obtaining HIV tests. Stigma also affects

outreach efforts in rural and black communities and has prevented

HIV/AIDS from being discussed in schools and churches, the Journal-

Constitution reports.

State officials said they have increased HIV testing efforts and have

worked with community leaders on HIV prevention plans. Raphael

Holloway, the new HIV unit director in the state, said that his

agency needs to improve its outreach efforts but added that budget

cuts may impede any increases to current services (Schneider, Atlanta

Journal-Constitution, 8/17).

Public Health & Education

New Online Initiative Promotes Safer Sex, HIV Testing Among Canadian

Youth

[Aug 19, 2008]

A new online initiative called One Life is targeting sexually active

Canadians 18 to 30 years old and urging them to practice safer sex

and undergo HIV testing, the Toronto Star reports. Launched Monday,

the campaign, which includes the musical group U2 and singer J.

Blige, is a collaboration between Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada and

Universal Music Canada. It also includes HIV/AIDS service

organizations, medical clinics, testing facilities and physicians.

According to the Star, One Life aims to spread its message through an

online video set to U2's song " One, " recorded with Blige and made

available by the artists at no cost. The companies also are pledging

a $1 corporate donation to HIV/AIDS prevention groups every time a

viewer forwards the video. In addition, the Web site includes a

search tool to help viewers find local testing facilities and links

to sexual health and HIV information.

Murray , executive director of the Toronto People With AIDS

Foundation and a spokesperson for One Life, said he is concerned the

evolution of antiretroviral drugs has led some youth to believe

HIV/AIDS is curable and therefore less of a threat. added that

testing is critical because one in three people living with HIV is

not aware of his or her status. In addition, said that there

is " a huge need " to continue to repeat messages about the importance

of safer sex and HIV testing to teenagers and that the online

initiative is a way to get their attention and provide them with more

information. Recent health statistics have shown that although the

overall rate of newly reported HIV cases has declined in Toronto,

cases have been increasing among people ages 20 to 24.

McKay, research coordinator of the Sex Information and Education

Council of Canada, said the help of celebrities is " laudable " and

long overdue. McKay added that global research has shown that

entertainers and well-known personalities highly regarded by youths

have " a tremendous influence " on sexual health promotion and HIV

prevention. However, McKay added that it is unfortunate the message

is limited to HIV because youth who have unprotected sex also are at

risk of contracting other sexually transmitted infections (Gordon,

Toronto Star, 8/18).

Opinion

Washington, D.C., 'Prime Example' of Ineffective Youth HIV/AIDS

Education, Letter to Editor Says

[Aug 19, 2008]

A recent Washington Times opinion piece " highlights important

statistics about the AIDS epidemic " in Washington, D.C., as well as

the " need for more prevention education, " Urban of Urban Life

Training and Reality Assessment Teen Choice writes in a Times letter

to the editor. However, although the authors of the opinion

piece " offer no prevention plan, it is clear where they are coming

from: Abstinence programs are 'ineffective'; prevention programs must

be 'evidence-based,' which is code language for 'programs that ...

promote abstinence need not apply,' " Urban adds.

The district is a " prime example of what has gone very wrong when it

comes to preventing HIV/AIDS " in the U.S., Urban writes, adding that

programs that " encourage and support youths in their decision to

abstain from sex ... have been evicted from D.C. public schools " by

Mayor Fenty and schools Chancellor Rhee.

No " effective HIV/AIDS prevention strategy can be devised as long as

D.C. politicians and school officials " do not support " policies that

look at what is best for all D.C. children and families, " Urban

concludes (Urban, Washington Times, 8/18).

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August 19, 2008