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Botswana: MP Calls for Comprehensive Fight Against HIV
Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
30 August 2007
Posted to the web 30 August 2007
Thato Chwaane
The Gaborone South MP Akanyang Magama has said a more comprehensive approach in fighting HIV/AIDS addresses poverty and social inequalities in the long term.
Giving a motivational speech at the beginning of the Stigma Reduction Weekin Old Naledi yesterday, the MP said there is need for more effective poverty alleviation programmes, which will render people less susceptible to opportunistic diseases associated with HIV/AIDS.
He explained that it is sometimes how people live that quickens the spread of HIV. He said there is a strong link between the infection rates and the high levels of poverty, inequalities and gender discrimination.
He said more resources should be allocated to groups involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS in disadvantaged communities such as Old Naledi.
Statistics in Old Naledi show that between January and August 2007, 763 people volunteered to be tested for HIV and 165 were found to be living with the virus. Magama said in the same period, 412 pregnant mothers visited the Old Naledi Clinic and 119 were found to be living with HIV while 41 knew their status before becoming pregnant. "In the same period, 90 children who were born at the clinic were HIV positive, while 20 were born to mothers who were on antiretroviral drugs."
Magama said the figures, which cover a small fraction of the population demonstrated the scale of HIV/AIDS in Old Naledi. He expressed concern in the lack of HIV legislation at the workplace and said some employers still had the audacity to discriminate against workers on account of their status. "We urge the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs to expedite the drafting of a law which will protect such people at the work place," he said.
Matlo go sha Mabapi Counselling Centre volunteer Batshidi Molokwane said everyone has the right to reproduction regardless of status. She said that as long as they have advice from the doctors, they could live a normal life like those who are HIV negative. "Let us know our status and make sure the babies are born without HIV."
Relevant Links
Southern Africa
HIV-Aids and STDs
Botswana
Health and Medicine
Boitumelo Tshiamo said her family members have discriminated against her and took her property because of her status. "My friends and family members are owing me lots of money." She said that she was stigmatised during her divorce and left heart broken and suicidal. "Stigma can reduce you to this," she explained.
Botswana Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (BONEPWA) volunteer Tiny Sello noted that people living with disability continue to face challenges. "I was not born blind but HIV affected my eyesight and left me with a hearing challenge in one ear," she said. She said that most of the disabled have been neglected and they need leaders or organisations to visit them at their institutions. "Disabled people have rights.
They have rights to have support groups at their institutions," he said. Sello, who is orphaned and unemployed pleaded for assistance for herself and her 10-year-old son, who is also living with the virus. "We do not have food and no one can take anti-retrovirals on an empty stomach," she said. The Stigma Reduction Week will end on September 3.
Pre-marital HIV tests to be mandatory in Saudi Arabia
By IANS
Thursday August 30, 06:10 PM
Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Aug 30 (DPA) Saudi men and women who wish to get married will have to undergo compulsory premarital HIV and hepatitis testsbeforehand, the Saudi daily Arab News reported Thursday, quoting Deputy Minister for Preventive Medicine Dr. Khaled Al-Zahrani.
'Premarital tests currently performed include genetic blood disorders and diseases,' Al-Zahrani told the paper, adding that the 2003 royal decree imposing premarital mentioned that, 'other contagious diseases would be included in the future.'
In case one partner tests HIV positive, and the couple insists on getting married, then 'the case would be examined in conjunction with the Justice Ministry.'
The announcement coincides with the launch of the first clinic for voluntary AIDS tests on Tuesday in the Kingdom at the King Saud Hospital.
Zambia's HIV/AIDS Council Director Urges People To Be Tested On National Voluntary Counseling, Testing Day
Main Category: HIV / AIDS News
Article Date: 30 Aug 2007 - 7:00 PDT
Alex Simwanza, director of programs for Zambia's National HIV/AIDS Council, in an interview ahead of Zambia's national voluntary counseling and testing day, which was scheduled for Monday, said the country's testing rates are too low and urged people who do not know their HIV status to be tested, Zambia's The Post reports.
Simwanza added that about 1.5 million Zambians have been tested for HIV and that the country's HIV prevalence is 16%. He also said that people should "go for VCT and know their status, so that whichever side they find themselves on, they will be able to take precautionary measures." Simwanza added that knowing one's status is "power." People who are found to be HIV-positive will receive treatment and support, and people who are HIV-negative will be "able to maintain their negative status," Simwanza said. He added that HIV testing and counseling "play a critical role in HIV prevention by helping people to cope with the disease and avoid infecting others."
According to Simwanza, VCT day calls for a partnership among parliament, traditional leaders, civil society, the private sector and communities to "mobilize" people to access HIV services and to scale up HIV treatment and prevention programs. He added that HIV prevention programs should include a multifaceted, integrated approach to reach the largest number of people with a combination of information and services.
Abisheck Musonda, executive director of Community Youth Mobilisation, said that the national testing day is important in HIV prevention and in ensuring access to treatment, care and support. Musonda added that the day would be "meaningless" if efforts are not made to provide testing and counseling to people living in rural areas. Musonda said the majority of HIV-positive people living in rural areas are unaware of their HIV status and called on the government to make HIV testing and counseling "available to the rural community" (Noyoo, The Post, 8/27).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
AxiomOne, if in you're correct about Cen'
then i must correct myself cause
one of my earlier posts said
"Cen' you da man"
So all i can say now is
You go Girl
LOL
good to have a sense of humor.
Ceniises, Christian Love of Labour, Yes!
Wow that seemed to come out of the blue sky
but keep reading and posting;
i for one appreciate it.
Thanks. ngp
'Ceniises' UdaMan! Thanks!
i been busy today & didn't have the time...
"Case Closed" indeed rotflmao
'giocotennis'
"OT - how was your week end moto race???"
Absolutely wonderful!!!
Done City Walk night life at Universal Studios,
Done Pleasure Island night life at Disney,
Cypress Gardens one day,
Busch Gardens another day,
Laid around the Resort Pool and jacuzzi nearly everyday,
Site seeing from the Harley alot...
Excellent Food, Steaks, Lobster, Wine and all so Fine.
Enjoyed my Blonde Haired Blue Eyed Lady
every chance i got ;->
felt like a teenager LOL!
Thanks for asking, i wouldn't have bragged without your asking...
cato, Your posted news release is from DEC 1, 2006 and that was months before the news i posted. So the "will be available" has become ";
"About 10,000 people participated in a pilot phase of the project,"
So your point of "The issue I raised is, how many months were they on the shelf BEFORE they were donated" is a moot point because they have already been used (before even a year has gone by with an 18 month expiration date) therefore there will have to be an order placed by Kenya to buy tests because the donated ones are gone, done used.
Either bloodpuppy has afected your thinking capabilities into being twisted and distorted or RCgold44 is correct and bloodpuppy is using two names.
mmm? Maybe "the dog is out of the bag. LOL
Soon we will hear of Kenya and others buying the Calypte tests which are cheaper than the competition. Word is the time will be "World AIDS DAY" when "The Leaders" will make their dynamic move forward and put the static paralysing fear of the past behind us.
Calypte has updated and modified and pushed forward under some really difficult times. Big Blood and AMA in USA wanted to put Calypte out of business hence the move overseas. A good move on Calypte's part and of course i must say thank you to DR George and others for not giving up.
Cato, 18 month shelf life and it appears those tests have been used up. So what makes you say something so out of the loop? DUH?
Maybe you didn't read closely the following link;
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=22302168
""About 10,000 people participated in a pilot phase of the project,""
"participated in a pilot phase; leads one to believe that the 10,000 donated tests were used. Soon we will hear of Kenya and others buying the Calypte tests which are cheaper than the competition.
rcgold44, nope. but you could be right;
in which case maybe i'll put cato on IGNORE also.
Really doesn't make alot of difference to me.
There is a great need to stay focused on the
HIV/AIDS pandemic, the best approaches of getting people to understand the need to get tested and to address the concerns of people that do not want to be tested.
For more and more professionals, whether govt' or non-profits, it appears that oral testing is the way...
The Market is HUGE! ...
Billions of people and Billions of dollars.
TicToc goes the HIV/AIDS Clock with Calypte having the lead in having the most countries ready to use them when those countries are ready to move.
cato, The important parameter is December 1st which is how many days away???
Glad i have bloodpuppy on Ignore sure seems that cato has been totally infected by bloodpuppy's lies and twisting of words.
TicToc TicToc the Aids clock beckons ....
The real counting is the amount of people suffering with HIV/AIDS and then the ones who do not know that they are infected....
javimg, Fast post there & an excellent news item;
Thanks!
Here is the text;
Republic of Kenya Adopting New HIV Self Testing Program
Policy Promotes Oral Fluid Testing
LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., Aug 28, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Calypte Biomedical Corporation (OTCBB: CBMC), a manufacturer of medical diagnostic tests for the rapid detection of antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), announced today its support for the guidance policy unveiled last week by the National AIDS Control Council (NACC) of Kenya gives Kenyans personal control over their HIV testing and encourages them to use non-invasive tests such as HIV-1/2 OMT (oral fluid) rapid tests. Calypte has provided Kenya, through the National AIDS and STD Control Program (NASCOP) of the Ministry of Health, 10,000 Aware(R) HIV-1/2 OMT (oral fluid) rapid tests which will be available to the public.
"An important facility or tool (is) to identify who needs to be treated - the sooner the better - and thereby making an important contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS," His Excellency Peter Ogego, Kenyan Ambassador to the United States, noted at the time of accepting of Calypte OMT kits while in Washington DC..
Mr. Roger I. Gale, Calypte's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer commented, "The Republic of Kenya is now expanding its HIV/AIDS testing, which up to now has been blood-based testing, with the availability of simple, accurate non-invasive tests such as our Aware(R) HIV-1/2 oral fluid rapid tests. Testing is the best way to identify people living with HIV/AIDS who need to enter treatment or intervention programs. The Kenyan government provides access to antiretroviral drugs to people living with HIV/AIDS at no-cost, and we are pleased to be associated with the continuing improvement in the HIV situation in Kenya."
Professor Alloys S.S. Orago, Director of NACC Kenya, recently at a press conference in Nairobi said that Kenya is one of three African nations that recently have made significant progress in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs. Professor Orago said, "These (Kenyan AIDS) figures illustrate the magnitude of the inherent task in providing prevention, treatment, care and support services to ensure universal access." NASCOP is involving 10,000 people in the pilot phase of an evaluation project using the Calypte oral fluid rapid test kits.
Oral fluid testing is expected to come into general use in Kenya by the end of this year when a government policy directive is released.
About Kenya:
According to the December 2006 AIDS Epidemic Update, published jointly by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS ("UNAIDS") and the World Health Organization, approximately 1.3 million people in Kenya live with AIDS. "Kenya is still contending with a serious AIDS epidemic despite evidence of declining HIV prevalence." National adult HIV prevalence fell from 10% in the late 1990s to just over 6% in 2005.
The country recorded 55,000 new HIV cases in 2006, compared with 85,000 in 2004. HIV prevalence in urban areas is about 8.3%, compared with 4% in rural areas. In addition, deaths from AIDS-related causes decreased from 120,000 in 2003 to 85,000 in 2006.
giocotennis,
i'll keep the Harley between the lines and
the rubber on the pavement.
"may I leave a kiss to your girl friend?"
i really don't mind nor does she,
my blonde hair blue eye lady seems
to hug and kiss just about any ole man
that needs a lift.
And with that i'm outa here & indaWind
See ya'll on Tuesday.
Peace, ngp
sellhigh,Proved wrong again LMAO,
Follow this message back and you will see ...
You do not see what is happening on the World Scene.
HIV Dementia is a terrible side effect of the AIDS pandemic.
The sooner you get tested the sooner you can be "treated".
sellhigh, At $.14 now,You are stupid follow the message here;
Posted by: newgreenpaper
In reply to: None Date:8/15/2007 3:14:28 PM
Post #of 4475
BestBuyInPoint In Over a Month Tic Toc ...
...
One might get to see $.10 maybe
Sure to be some profit taking by those
who bought at $.05 - $.06
But over all positions will fill back out
with the upcoming CC that is
"NOT to go over 2nd quarter results."
No guts no Glory
Ceniises, thanks for the post.
It might have been posted before
But worth seeing again
since it was claimed we'd never see
self testing happen...
AxiomOne, thanks for your post.
Always good to email or phone in
i often wonder if anyone else
does that... your post proves you do :->
=======
Okay since i run my own schedule, i'll wait a few more minutes to see if ya can give me a few more laughs before leaving for a long weekend...
Post again you prove my point better how dangerous HIV dementia is...
ROTFLMAO even though your condition is so sad.
sellhigh,Lmao, i called the dip to $.10 just the other day
have doubled and tripled my money many many many times during the last couple of years... As anyone who has followed my posts would know....
So i am playing with profits...
buy low then sell high at 100% to 300% return.
But you wouldn't know how to do that since you are missing the "buy low" part.
The wonders of preset trading is awesome.
=============
Ya'll have a great wekend...
i'm leaving in a few minutes for a long weekend of Harley riding in Sunny Florida... my trades are set and my holding can with stand setting on a large block of Calypte stock.
TicToc goes The Aids Clock...
Get Tested before HIV-associated dementia/AIDS Dementia sets in like SellHigh and Bloodpuppy reveals...
"The HIV protein both causes brain injury and prevents its repair"
AxiomOne,
Please take No offense from me...
i did not mean to insult or demean you.
The point is that Calypte has to wait on the Authorities to authorize the sale of the Rapid Tests;
NACC Obtains Oral HIV Tests To Sell to Public
In related news, NACC on Monday announced that it has obtained Bethlehem, Pa.-based OraSure Technologies' OraQuick Advance Rapid HIV 1/2 Antibody Test and Calypte Biomedical's Calypte Aware Rapid Test to be sold to the public, Business Daily reports (Albert, Business Day, 8/14). The HIV Rapid Test requires users to swab their gums and then place the swab in a holder. After 20 minutes, one line appears on the strip if the test result is negative and the person is HIV-negative and two appear if the result is positive and the person is HIV-positive...
(Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 4/5).
The tests are expected to be available by Dec. 1 to mark World AIDS Day, Orago said. The tests will be sold for about 195 shillings, or $3, to 325 shillings, or $5, Business Daily reports. About 10,000 people participated in a pilot phase of the project, which requires final approval from Kenya's Parliament, according to Orago. (Business Day, 8/14).
Peace, ngp
AxiomOne, Doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that the money is coming from Gov't, non profits and folks like the Gates Foundation.... They are rallying together and providing Billions of Dollars and they have set the stage to open on December 1st Global Aids Day... This will be the Global Aids Day that rivals all the past Global Aids Days events... Just go do some reading and one will see it is coming together.
TicToc TicToc The AIDS Clock is ticking on with devasting effects... And Calypte is ready to answer the wake up call of many countries.
Are you ready?
ya know I am ready and playing with Profits of trading Calypte and ....
Cato, you been tested? Maybe this article explains you and bloodpuppy;
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/79857.php
Understanding HIV-Associated Dementia
Main Category: HIV / AIDS News
Article Date: 19 Aug 2007 - 6:00 PDT
New evidence reported in the August issue of Cell Stem Cell, a publication of Cell Press, offers a novel perspective on how the HIV/AIDS virus leads to learning and memory deficits, a condition known as . A protein found on the surface of the virus not only kills some mature brain cells, as earlier studies had shown, but it also prevents the birth of new brain cells by crippling "adult neural progenitors," the new study finds. Those progenitor cells are the closest thing to stem cells that have been found in the adult brain.
By elucidating the mechanism responsible for the neurodegeneration and dementia seen in people infected with HIV, the findings made in mice that produce the damaging HIV protein may open the door to new therapies, according to the researchers.
"The breakthrough here is that the AIDS virus prevents stem cells in the brain from dividing; it hangs them up," said Stuart Lipton of the Burnham Institute for Medical Research and the University of California at San Diego. "It's the first time that the virus has ever been shown to affect stem cells."
"It's a double hit to the brain," added collaborator Marcus Kaul, who is also of the Burnham Institute and UCSD. "The HIV protein both causes brain injury and prevents its repair."
Physicians first recognized that HIV infection could lead to a profound form of dementia -- most commonly in those with an advanced stage of the disease -- early on. The success of antiretroviral therapies in keeping the "viral load" down has helped to reduce the severity of the dementia in recent years. Nonetheless, the prevalence is rising as HIV-infected people are living longer. The anti-HIV drugs don't infiltrate the brain well, allowing for a "secret reservoir" of virus, Lipton explained. Such persistent exposure of the central nervous system to HIV is a major risk factor for the development of HIV-associated dementia.
Lipton's team previously discovered that the brain deficits could be triggered by gp120 -- the viral coat protein that latches onto human cells -- even in the absence of any viral infection. They also showed that the protein disrupts a key cell-cycle pathway (including p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase or MAPK), leading to the death of certain mature neurons.
The researchers now find that gp120 in mice also slows the production of new neurons in the hippocampus, a brain region central to learning and memory. Newborn neurons become integrated into existing brain circuits and are thought to contribute to certain forms of learning and memory, they said.
Moreover, they found that it is the same MAPK pathway earlier linked to the death of mature neurons that lies at the root of the progenitor cells' dysfunction. That a similar enzyme is involved in both brain-damaging effects is simply "serendipitous," according to the researchers.
"Knowing the mechanism, we can start to approach this therapeutically," Lipton said. "This indicates that we might eventually treat this form of dementia by either ramping up brain repair or protecting the repair mechanism," Kaul added.
----------------------------
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
----------------------------
Cato, The Nonprofits are providing money and have set the schedule. "Remember the customer is always right"
People like me would like to see things move faster toward testing everyone. The market of Billions of people is certainly big enough for the only two oral testing companies.
Again, how many days till DECEMBER 1st, Global Aids Day?
The only parameter that is relevant...
So count the days till the Oral Rapid Test is heard around the Globe.
Tic Toc Tic Toc
Calypte's "Global Challenges | Kenya's HIV Prevalence Decreases, National AIDS Control Council Says"
Alloys Orago, director of Kenya's National AIDS Control Council, on Monday at a press conference in Nairobi, Kenya, released new statistics that show a significant decline in HIV prevalence and new HIV cases, the East African Standard reports. Orago said that Kenya is one of three African nations that recently has made significant progress in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs.
According to the new statistics, Kenya's HIV prevalence was 5.1% in 2006, down from 5.9% in 2005 and 6.1% in 2004 (Ojanji, East African Standard, 8/14). According to Kenya's The Nation, an estimated one million people are HIV-positive in the country, 934,000 of whom are ages 15 to 49 and 102,000 of whom are younger than age 14. HIV prevalence among men was 3.5% in 2006, compared with 6.7% among women (Wachira, The Nation, 8/14). The country recorded 55,000 new HIV cases in 2006, compared with 60,000 in 2005 and 85,000 in 2004.
HIV prevalence in urban areas is about 8.3%, compared with 4% in rural areas. In addition, deaths from AIDS-related causes decreased from 120,000 in 2003 to 85,000 in 2006. Orago attributed the decrease in AIDS-related deaths to increased access to antiretroviral drugs, adding that antiretrovirals have prevented about 57,000 deaths from AIDS-related illnesses since 2001 (East African Standard, 8/14). The Kenyan government provides access to no-cost antiretrovirals to HIV-positive people, The Nation reports (The Nation, 8/14).
NACC Chair Miriam Were said a well-coordinated HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment program that brought together several groups has helped to decrease HIV prevalence in the country. In addition, Were said that behavioral changes among young people and adults -- such as sexual abstinence, delaying sexual activity and using condoms -- also have helped Kenya's fight against HIV/AIDS.
According to Orago, although Kenya has made progress in fighting HIV/AIDS, there still are many challenges. "These figures illustrate the magnitude of the inherent task in providing prevention, treatment, care and support services to ensure universal access," Orago said (East African Standard, 8/14). Orago added that the country still should work to reduce deaths from AIDS-related illnesses because at least 233 people continue to die daily from such causes (The Nation, 8/14).
According to the Standard, more than 1.5 million pregnant women will need HIV testing and counseling annually. Additional health workers and antiretrovirals for 68,000 women will be needed annually to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmissions, Orago said (East African Standard, 8/14). In addition, there are 2.4 million AIDS orphans in the country, The Nation reports (The Nation, 8/14).
NACC Obtains Oral HIV Tests To Sell to Public
In related news, NACC on Monday announced that it has obtained Bethlehem, Pa.-based OraSure Technologies' OraQuick Advance Rapid HIV 1/2 Antibody Test and Calypte Biomedical's Calypte Aware Rapid Test to be sold to the public, Business Daily reports (Albert, Business Day, 8/14). The OraQuick test requires users to swab their gums and then place the swab in a holder. After 20 minutes, one line appears on the strip if the test result is negative and the person is HIV-negative and two appear if the result is positive and the person is HIV-positive. Positive results require a follow-up test with a medical professional for confirmation (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 4/5).
The tests are expected to be available by Dec. 1 to mark World AIDS Day, Orago said. The tests will be sold for about 195 shillings, or $3, to 325 shillings, or $5, Business Daily reports. About 10,000 people participated in a pilot phase of the project, which requires final approval from Kenya's Parliament, according to Orago. He added that the tests will be sold only to people who have received HIV counseling
Singapore Announces Plans To Increase Use Of Rapid HIV Tests
Singapore's Ministry of Health has announced it plans to expand the use of rapid HIV testing kits to more clinics in the country, Singapore's Today reports. Only three clinics nationwide provide HIV testing under an anonymous rapid-test kit pilot program. Standard HIV blood tests are conducted at hospitals and analyzed only at approved laboratories, according to Today. Although rapid-test kits, which cost about $50 each and take about 20 minutes, will be used at more clinics, anonymous testing will be available only at the three clinics participating in the pilot program.
According to a health ministry spokesperson, voluntary, anonymous HIV testing is gaining more acceptance in the country (Tay, Today, 7/27). About 700 people have received anonymous, rapid HIV tests, eight of whom have tested positive for HIV -- about twice the number for a similar-sized sample in general population blood testing, Channel NewsAsia reports. Most people who come forward for anonymous HIV testing are heterosexual and single. Nine out of 10 are younger than age 40, but the number of people older than age 40 has doubled during the past few months, Channel NewsAsia reports.
Tan Sze Wee, which supplies the rapid HIV testing kits -- said that the people who come forward for anonymous HIV testing likely would engage in high-risk behaviors (Channel NewsAsia, 7/26). According to Today, the biggest barrier to voluntary testing is that physicians are required to provide the names of HIV-positive people to the health ministry. HIV testing is mandatory only for pregnant women and foreign workers applying for work permits.
Chua Thiam Eng, a general practitioner at Cambridge Clinic, said, "If we think about which situation we are better off with -- continue not testing at all, or testing anonymously with the hope that these people take responsibility for the results -- it is better to test.", Lionel Lee, executive director of Action for AIDS, said that any testing program must have support mechanisms, such as counseling, in place. Lee added that AFA's policy is to "counsel those who test positive to go into the system (by informing the Communicable Disease Center), as this gives them better access to treatment and support" (Today, 7/27).
Niger's Religious Leaders Form Alliance To Prevent Spread Of HIV
Catholic, Muslim and Protestant religious leaders in Niger have formed an alliance to teach youth in the country about HIV/AIDS, Reuters reports. The alliance aims to help the government fight the spread of the virus by promoting HIV tests and through better integration of HIV-positive people into society.
According to Reuters, 95% of Niger's population is Muslim, and Islamic leaders have a large influence over the country's population. Religious Affairs Minister Labo Issaka said that religious groups are "ideally placed to influence people's values and behavior" because of "their impact on communities and households, and the way they are organized and present on the ground."
According to Reuters, about half of Niger's population is under age 15. About 1% of the population ages 15 to 49 is HIV-positive, according to United Nations estimates. Although Niger's HIV prevalence is low in comparison to many other sub-Saharan African countries, the country's population is growing rapidly, which could lead to an increase in HIV cases, and government officials have pledged not to be complacent.
Earlier this summer, government officials set up 40 medical centers in the country's capital, Niamey, where people can receive no-cost HIV tests. About 9,000 young people came forward to be tested, but authorities had anticipated 22,000, according to Reuters. HIV/AIDS prevention education is difficult in Niger because less than half of children attend school, and eight in 10 adults are illiterate, Reuters reports (Massalatchi, Reuters, 8/6).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
National AIDS Trust Calls For 'Opt-Out' HIV Testing In Sexual Health Clinics, UK
The National AIDS is calling in Sexual Health Week for action to be taken to tackle the unacceptably high number of people who remain unaware they have HIV even after visiting a sexual health clinic.
The number of gay men whose HIV infection remains undiagnosed even after attending a sexual health clinic is particularly high, at 43%.
The Government's National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV set a target of reducing by 50% the proportion of people infected with HIV who remain unaware of their HIV infection after visiting a sexual health clinic by the end of 2007. In 2001 55% of gay men with undiagnosed HIV remained unaware of their infection after visiting a sexual health clinic - by the end of 2005 (the most recent statistics available) this had declined only slightly to 43% and it now seems very unlikely the Government's target of 27.5% will be reached by the end of the year.
The statistics for heterosexuals visiting sexual health clinics are more encouraging, with the percentage of heterosexuals with HIV leaving sexual health clinics undiagnosed declining from 48% in 2001 to 27% by the end of 2005, indicating that the Government's target of 24% by the end of 2007 should be reached. However this percentage is still too high at a time when one in three people living with HIV is unaware of their status.
The National AIDS Trust is therefore calling on the Department of Health to introduce routine opt-out HIV screening as an automatic part of the general sexual health 'screen' in sexual health/GU clinics. Currently many sexual health clinics offer HIV as an 'opt-in' test, which means many people receiving testing and treatment for other STIs are not necessarily being tested for HIV.
Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of the National AIDS Trust, comments:
"It is vital that people living with HIV are diagnosed as early as possible, both for the sake of their own health and to prevent the virus being passed onto others. It is estimated that there are over 20,000 people with HIV in the UK who have not yet been diagnosed. Making an HIV test a routine part of a sexual health check-up could really help to reduce these numbers, particularly among gay men."
The National AIDS Trust (NAT) is the UK's leading independent policy and campaigning voice on HIV and AIDS. It aims to prevent the spread of HIV, encourage early diagnosis, ensure people living with HIV have access to treatment and care, and eradicate HIV-related stigma and discrimination.
www.nat.org.uk
The National AIDS Trust is aiming to enter its biggest team ever for the Walk For Life
China Daily Examines HIV Testing Strategies Among High-Risk Groups
China Daily on Wednesday examined how health authorities in some Chinese provinces are making HIV tests mandatory for various high-risk groups as HIV continues to spread to the general public. Policymakers in the Hunan province in central China recently made HIV tests mandatory for massage parlor workers, and policymakers in China's Henan province gave the same order in 2006, China Daily reports.
China's Regulation on AIDS Prevention and Treatment states that mandatory HIV tests should be used only for pregnant women and blood and sperm donors, but many health authorities support mandatory testing rather than voluntary counseling and testing. According to China Daily, the Chinese government typically does not discipline provincial governments that violate the voluntary counseling and testing rule and require HIV tests for certain groups.
Wang Laoshi, a volunteer with a Beijing-based AIDS care organization, said mandatory HIV testing is an "efficient way of curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS," adding that high-risk groups, such as commercial sex workers, "should be responsible for themselves and their clients." Jing Jun, a sociology professor at Tsinghua University, said that voluntary testing is "better" than mandatory testing. "Without introducing counseling and help services earlier, the government missed the chance to spread prevention knowledge and raise AIDS awareness," Jing said.
According to official statistics, there are about 3,000 voluntary testing sites throughout China, but only about 30% of the population is aware of the sites, Xia Guomei, a professor at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said. The Chinese government estimates that there are 650,000 HIV-positive people nationwide, but only 60,000 have received HIV tests (Shan, China Daily, 8/8).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Asia must step up HIV/AIDS fight, experts say By Ranga Sirilal
1 hour, 7 minutes ago
COLOMBO (Reuters) - Asian countries must work hard to keep their HIV/AIDS prevalence rates low compared to that in Africa by tackling root causes like poverty, gender inequality and marginalization, experts said on Thursday.
Human trafficking into prostitution, intravenous drug use and conflict continue to spread HIV in Asia, experts warned as the eighth International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific wrapped up in the Sri Lankan capital.
"In the Asia Pacific Region, we are at high risk of a massive spread of HIV," said Dr. Samlee Plianbanchang, Southeast Asia regional director for the World Health Organisation.
"This is not only due to the large size of the population and the high burden of sexually transmitted infections, but also due to the prevailing risk behaviors and vulnerabilities as well as inherent social stigma."
The Asia-Pacific region has an estimated 5.4 million people living with HIV, the world's second largest number after sub-Saharan Africa -- where 25.8 million people are infected with the virus.
Anywhere between 140,000 and 610,000 people die from AIDS-related illnesses in the Asia Pacific region each year, according to UNAIDS.
Safeguarding rights of the most vulnerable, such as sex workers, intravenous drug users, and women and children trafficked in the region is essential in tandem with prevention programs, experts say.
"Governments should recognize rights and listen to the voice of women. They ... should stop treating drug use as a criminal offence and treat it as public health issue," said conference chairman and Sri Lankan expert Prof. A.H. Sheriffdeen.
Conference host Sri Lanka has one of the lowest rates of HIV in Asia, with an estimated 5,000 infected people out of a population of around 20 million.
Neighboring India, by comparison, has the world's third highest HIV caseload after South Africa and Nigeria, with around 2.5 million people living with the virus.
'HIV denial' is costing lives
22 August 2007
NewScientist.com news service
AIDS truth
National Institutes of Health HIV fact sheet
AIDS is caused by HIV; it's a fact established beyond any reasonable doubt. Yet many beg to differ, blaming it instead on social causes, from poverty to promiscuity. South African president Thabo Mbeki is perhaps the most famous HIV denialist, with tragic consequences for his country's fight against AIDS. HIV denial is also flourishing worldwide on the internet and it is costing lives.
According to a new analysis, HIV denial is remarkably similar to other anti-scientific ideologies such as creationism, anti-vaccine movements and even Holocaust denial (PLoS Medicine, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0040256).
For example, HIV denialists claim that the idea that HIV causes AIDS is backed by an orthodoxy, or conspiracy, that makes money selling HIV drugs; that science is based on faith, rather than evidence, and that their ideas are on the verge of acceptance. They point to gaps in the science, back-pedalling as those gaps fill up. The study calls for scientists to fight back.
From issue 2618 of New Scientist magazine, 22 August 2007, page 4
"Heed The Alarm: Scale up HIV Prevention";
http://www.populationaction.org/Press_Room/Viewpoints_and_Statements/2007/07_23_HIV.shtml
Population Action International is committed to advancing universal access to family planning and related health services.
... among health care providers.” In another section, Innovatively expanding HIV testing (p. ... 29), the strategy calls for increasing the availability of HIV testing services through several approaches, including:“Integrating testing with other health services ... that are formally linked to HIV testing
18kB - indexed:Aug 23, 2007
Cato,How many days till Dec1st GlobalAidsDay?
Changing HIV/Aids trends in China
Unsafe sex has, for the first time, become the main means of transmission of HIV/Aids in China, overtaking injecting drug use. The BBC's Jill McGivering looks at some of the issues this will raise.
HIV/Aids is increasingly affecting the mainstream population
In many ways, the pattern of spread of HIV/Aids in China was predictable.
It mirrors similar patterns in many other countries.
Initial clusters of cases in the 1980s and 1990s were attributed to specific causes.
Many infections came from contaminated blood transfusions, a product of poor screening and the then badly-regulated practice of buying and selling blood.
Most other cases were amongst injecting drug users and, until now, drug use was the main means of transmission nationally.
So news from Chinese officials that sex has now overtaken drug use as the main cause of HIV/Aids suggests confirmation of a new phase. It confirms that HIV is more fully entrenched in the mainstream population.
The news will also force the Chinese authorities to grasp a very painful nettle and pursue more aggressive mainstream education campaigns to prevent the further spread of HIV.
That is challenging for almost every society. For China, it will be particularly difficult.
Changing attitudes
Fear about a more rapid spread of HIV through sex comes just as China is starting to change its sexual behaviour.
In the recent past, it has been a conservative society - both in its attitudes and its practices.
That is changing. China's process of opening up to the outside world has exposed its population to more liberal ideas - from fashion to sex.
The Chinese do not often talk openly about sexual issues
Greater freedom of movement has allowed millions of migrant workers to swap the watchful, generally repressive, eyes of their families and communities for the anonymity of the city.
Male workers, away from their wives and parents, have more opportunity, at lower social risk, to expand their sexual horizons.
Some surveys, cited in the state media, suggest one in 10 sexually active men has bought sex from a prostitute. The real number may be higher.
Punitive official attitudes towards sex workers, who operate in a grey area legally, make it difficult to target them in education and health programmes.
Even if sex workers know about HIV/Aids, it can be difficult for them to insist that clients use condoms.
Premarital sex is also becoming more acceptable.
One recent survey of sexual attitudes found that more than half of the people questioned thought pre-marital sex was acceptable.
The percentage was highest amongst the young.
Embarrassment and horror
But when it comes to talking, sex is still a taboo subject.
Last year, I visited Ruili in Yunnan Province. The town, close to the border with Burma, is sometimes dubbed the HIV capital of China.
Experts say actual HIV/Aids figures are much higher than reported
Some of the country's first cases appeared here and the infection rate is one of the highest in the country.
It is also one of the most progressive in addressing HIV education. But even here, there was embarrassment and denial when we talked to officials about the sex workers who were clearly visible on the town's streets.
When I went to see a pioneering sex education class for teenagers - a controversial concept in China - the teenagers collapsed in embarrassed giggles and hoots of laughter when asked basic questions about puberty and dating.
When I asked some of them later if their parents had ever talked to them about sex, they looked horrified at the very idea.
Acute embarrassment, censorious attitudes from figures of authority - from officials to parents - and a lack of medical confidentiality; these all mean that sexual behaviour is difficult to assess and sexual health hard to track.
Many people with sexual transmitted infections are reluctant to seek help at all.
But the warning signs are there. A recent report on syphilis suggested rates are rising at an alarming speed. That is a concern in itself - but it is also a frightening indicator.
As one doctor described it, the spread of syphilis is a metaphor for the spread of other sexually transmitted infections - and untreated syphilis will amplify the spread of HIV as well.
132,500 test for HIV/Aids in Dar es Salaam
2007-08-19 10:21:21
By Darius Mukiza
A total of 132,500 residents of Dar es Salaam have undergone HIV/ Aids since the launching of the exercise by the President Jakaya Kikwete in July 14th this year.
Speaking at the week end the Communication Officer in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Nsachris Mwamwaja said the number is promising according to the targets of the government.
``We have targeted that at least between 400,000 -500,000 residents in Dar es Salaam should be tested HIV/Aids aids at the end of November this year when the exercise culminate,? he said.
He said although the stress of the exercise was for the youth, all age groups have turned up in big numbers, ignoring allegations by some sections of the media that the exercise was a flop.
SOURCE: Sunday Observer
The Testing is really heating up with Billions to come...
Sellhigh keep Guessing with Guessed Presumptions
and Clearly I'll keep rotflmao with your drunken posts.
Glad most have Bloodpuppy on "Ignore".
On a sober note;
TicToc TicToc the AIDS clock ticks for Calypte ...
108 Days till Dec 1st Global Aids Day
Tic Toc
Closed Flat at $.115 Zero change today
---
bet bloodpuppy can not do the math for the day.
He is always so twisted and confused
and we know bloodpuppy can not do math
and get a correct answer.
rotflmao
Billions of People = $Billions$
Some people still thinking in the million mind set
just can't see past their noses...
smelling blood and dark holes
pessimistic to the max'
But investors are talking about BILLIONS $$$$
that is ifin you ain't listening to
the bloodpuppy that's been wrong
about
trading profitably,
moving to China,
moving up and learning financial markets,
opening markets up globally,
Over the Counter sales being possible,
price of Oral Tests Vs. Blood tests,
self testing,
etc etc etc
NASDAQ Bell 2009
jmho
Gio
i really expect the steady climb
around Dec 1st, 2007
jmho
Bounced at $.10
beieve that's what i said yesterday
Sing it Elivis
Tic Toc
BestBuyInPoint In Over a Month Tic Toc ...
...
One might get to see $.10 maybe
Sure to be some profit taking by those
who bought at $.05 - $.06
But over all positions will fill back out
with the upcoming CC that is
"NOT to go over 2nd quarter results."
No guts no Glory
Ceniises, thanks for the post.
It might have been posted before
But worth seeing again
since it was claimed we'd never see
self testing happen...
AxiomOne, thanks for your post.
Always good to email or phone in
i often wonder if anyone else
does that... your post proves you do :->
Cato, None of us control the Tic Toc of the clock.
But striving to see forward and improve the moves is what we can do.
i am thankful for the profits and shares that i own in Calypte.
Surely there are others that have traded shares and done the math in profitable ways.
i don't believe i've been carried away...
Over the counter for Calypte is already happening and will excelerate with time and govt'/nonprofits help.
TicTocTicToc Time is on Calypte's side but for those carrying the HIV virus and the unaware folks, time is their enemy...well and so is Bloodpuppy, the nontrader noninvestor pessimistic pauper.