God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

08/29/2010 • 8:02 am Comments Off on POZ Magazine: HIV Prevention in Southern Africa Ignores MSM

POZ Magazine: HIV Prevention in Southern Africa Ignores MSM

HIV prevention campaigns in southern Africa focus on heterosexual transmission of the virus and ignore men who have sex with men (MSM), according to a study reported by PlusNews. Among sexually active people with multiple concurrent partners in Malawi, Namibia and Botswana, researchers found over half of the men surveyed had sex with both men and women in the previous six months. Nonetheless, MSM issues are not part of ongoing HIV prevention work in these countries.

Source: http://www.poz.com/rssredir/articles/Africa_HIV_Prevention_1_18987.shtml

Filed under: General, HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Politics and Society, Society and living environment, , , , , , ,

08/26/2010 • 7:47 pm Comments Off on 26.08.2010 Nadja… and a personal opinon

26.08.2010 Nadja… and a personal opinon

A suspended sentence is the result of the court proceedings against Nadja Benaissa. It is welcome news that she has not to go to prison. But the case remains to be a controversial one: The office of the prosecutor clearly violated the rights of Nadja in the way she was arrested and in publishing her HIV status or the number of her past lovers directly after her arrest. The question whether the criminal law is the right tool to clarify such cases remains in doubt. If it comes to sexual intercourse both parties have to play their part to avoid any infection.
By the way: not only those are infectious, who know their status, but also those, who have not been tested. Everybody in our days should be aware of the risk and act accordingly. To put the onus legally only on one party is in my opinion not right.

There is enough legislation to deal with cases of people willingly and with intention infecting other people – otherwise the law is surely not a tool to fight stigma and discrimination. The deeds of the prosecutors in this case have certainly not contributed to advocate testing and de-stigmatisation.

The case shows that also in Europe, not only in Africa, there is a long way to go until people feel comfortable to reveal their infection without fear of discrimination and stigmatization.

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, Politics and Society, Society and living environment, , , , , ,

08/19/2010 • 10:05 pm Comments Off on POZ magazine: Major Cities Must Increase HIV/AIDS Efforts

POZ magazine: Major Cities Must Increase HIV/AIDS Efforts

Major cities around the world must increase their HIV/AIDS efforts, said Michel Sidibe, executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), during a visit to Shanghai, UNAIDS reports. He recommended cities use their social services systems and other available resources to provide universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. Sidibe said many major cities have yet to take those steps in their HIV/AIDS efforts.

Source: http://www.poz.com/rssredir/articles/UNAIDS_HIV_efforts_1_18939.shtml

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Politics and Society, , , ,

08/09/2010 • 10:55 pm Comments Off on POZ Magazine: Global Fund Seeks Contributions From China, India

POZ Magazine: Global Fund Seeks Contributions From China, India

China, India and other countries with fast-growing economies should begin contributing to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, said the head of organization, Agence France Presse (AFP) reports. The Global Fund is gearing up to collect $20 billion from 2011 to 2013 and is fighting a cutback on donations from western countries. To fill the gaps in financing, the Global Fund is asking for innovative financing, but also for help from emerging economies.

Source: http://www.poz.com/rssredir/articles/Global_Fund_Funding_1_18880.shtml

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Politics and Society, , , , ,

07/23/2010 • 11:07 am 2

23.07.2010 Cutting the money

During the World AIDS Conference in Vienna, more news broke that amongst others Germany intends to cut the money contribution to the Global AIDS Fund.
According to Prof Jeffery Sachs from the Earth Institute of the Columbia University, Germany has broken several promises in the past and for him, the decision to cut donations would be shocking. In an interview published in “Die Welt” (Friday, 23.July 2010 page 4) he reminded the reader that Germany has promised in 2002 to donate for developing aid 7% of the GDP. In 2005 Germany promised with the G8 to double the aid for Africa until 2020 and to allow access for all to the HAART treatment. The Global Funds are organised to put the promises into practise. We know by know that the promises not materialize.
Prof. Sachs put it into perspective: The Global Fund would need 3 billion US Dollar – a lot of money; but compared to the 15 billion spend by the NATO in Afghanistan it seems to be a decent amount.

It the news of cutting down the donations towards are true, there is a second threat coming from the responsible German Minister Niebler. He favours bi-lateral assistance instead of multilateral fonds. I am sure every activist with some internal knowledge about bi-lateral assistance knows that this is tricky and very subjective. Prof. Sachs maintains that only global fonds guarantee optimal and objective use of the funds distributed.

I must admit knowing and reading about the amounts our politicians used and use to help the financial institutions, to support the war in Afghanistan or to bail or Greece it is an ethical disgrace to cut funding in the moment when we are on the way to reach treatment access for all and so add a preventive tool to our arsenal assisting to combat HIV/AIDS. And it seems that the lives of those in the developing countries once again count for nothing. Or as Prof. Sachs coins it: If Germany would cut funding it would be ” unscrupulous” .

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Treatment, Politics and Society, , , , , , ,

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