21:20 21.10.2008 | All news from "AIDS/HIV"
Africa: Daily HIV/Aids Report
Former Botswana President Mogae Wins Award for Leadership, Work on HIV/AIDS
[Oct 21, 2008]
Former President of Botswana Festus Mogae on Monday received the 2008 Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, which is awarded annually in recognition of good governance on the continent, in part for his role in fighting HIV/AIDS in a country with one of the world's highest prevalence rates, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports. During his two terms as president, Mogae worked to curb the spread of the disease by receiving a public HIV test, pressing to cut the prevalence of mother-to-child transmission and fighting to make antiretroviral drugs available. Although Botswana's HIV/AIDS prevalence rate of 23.9% is the second-highest worldwide, the percentage of HIV-positive pregnant women passing on the virus to their infants has decreased from as high as about 40% to 4%, and most people in need of antiretrovirals are receiving them (Zuckerbrod, AP/Long Island Newsday, 10/20).
Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese billionaire for whom the award is named, said that he hopes the prize will foster discussion about the importance of leadership in Africa, the New York Times reports (Dugger, New York Times, 10/21). Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who led the six-member panel that chose Mogae for the prize, said that Mogae's "outstanding leadership has ensured Botswana's continued stability and prosperity in the face of an HIV and AIDS pandemic, which threatened the future of his country and his people" (Okorie, This Day/AllAfrica.com, 10/21). According to the AP/Newsday, Mogae addressed the issue of HIV/AIDS in almost every one of his speeches as president (AP/Long Island Newsday, 10/20).
Since stepping down as president in April, the Times reports that Mogae has continued his work to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS through Champions for an HIV-Free Generation, an that includes former African presidents and other figures dedicated to addressing the disease. As recipient of the award, Mogae will receive $5 million over the next 10 years and $200,000 annually thereafter for the rest of his life. In addition, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation over the coming decade could grant another $200,000 a year to cases of Mogae's choice (New York Times, 10/21).
A kaisernetwork.org interview with Mogae from the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City is available online.
to this story.
Advocates Oppose Ugandan Bill That Would Criminalize Deliberate Spread of HIV
[Oct 21, 2008]
Advocates for people living with HIV/AIDS recently criticized a proposed law in Uganda that would criminalize the deliberate spread of the virus, the New Vision/AllAfrica.com reports. According to the advocates, lawmakers should drop the bill, which currently is being considered by the Parliamentary Committee on HIV/AIDS.
According to Flavia Kyomukama of the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS, the law would contribute to the spread of HIV and increase stigma against people living with the virus. The government "must protect the citizens in a way that does not put to risk the lives of an already marginalized group," Kyomukama said. Kihumuro Apuuli, director-general of the Uganda AIDS Commission, said the bill is directed at men who are aware of their HIV-positive status and still engage in unprotected sex with multiple partners. According to Apuuli, this population is the biggest driver of HIV/AIDS in Uganda.
Irish Ambassador to Uganda Kevin Kelly -- who represented donors at a meeting to launch a five-year strategic plan issued by the Uganda AIDS Commission -- expressed concerns about how the bill would affect people living with HIV/AIDS but did not condemn the measure, according to the New Vision/AllAfrica.com. He said the proposed legislation should include provisions to protect people living with the virus. Richard Nduhuura, state minister of health, said the intent of the bill is to punish people living with HIV/AIDS who knowingly spread the virus and not to criminalize those simply living with HIV (Mugisa, New Vision/AllAfrica.com, 10/20).
to this story.
Organizations in Nepal Hold Condom Day To Reduce Spread of HIV, Other STIs
[Oct 21, 2008]
Nepal's National Center for AIDS and STD Control, the country's HIV/AIDS and STD Control Board and the Nepal Red Cross Society on Saturday hosted Condom Day to encourage condom use, especially among young people and other vulnerable groups, to reduce the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, the Kathmandu Post reports. At a Friday press conference organized by the Health Journalists' Association of Nepal, NRCS Executive Director Umesh Prasad Dhakal said, "The day is a special event designed to reach young people, migrants and other vulnerable groups about the benefits of condom[s]." NRCS has distributed 10.34 million condoms at subsidized prices through 1,700 outlets, according to Dhakal. The group is meeting about 35% of the demand for condoms in the country, the Post reports. In addition, a report from NCASC found that condom use among female commercial sex workers in Nepal has increased from 74% in 2004 to 77.2% in 2006. "Only a proper use of condom[s] plays dual role of ensuring birth intervals and protecting against HIV/AIDS" and STIs, Dhakal said. According to NCASC, there are 70,000 people living with HIV in Nepal (Kathmandu Post, 10/19).
|
http://allafrica.com/