Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Reflection, Society and living environment, Aids, cape town, hiv, HOPE Cape Town Trust, HPOE Cape Town, south africa
12/16/2011 • 7:45 am Comments Off on Some impressions…
Some impressions…
12/12/2011 • 7:36 am 1
Wrapping up…
December is always a month full of stress and hectic till the 15th – then slowly Cape Town is winding down and for the next four weeks, holidays and Christmas, family and leisure are on top of the agenda…
Last week we had our annual AGM of the HOPE Cape Town Trust. A three-hour session, full of discussion about the coming year, about new challenges and the new structures. With Prof Detlev Geiss for the first time, the trust has an elected treasurer overseeing the finances together with the Executive Committee – including chair, vice-chair and secretary.
With Viola Klein, the first trustee residing in Germany was voted a member of the board of trustees. Fundraising and marketing issues were also discussed, approval of reports and financial audited statements. For me it was amazing to see how lively the board is and how members want to contribute to the well-being of the trust and association.
This week now some preparatory work for the strategic planing of the HOPE Cape Town Association before also joining in the Cape Town holiday mood…
Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Networking, Reflection, AGM, Aids, cape town, hiv, HOPE Cape Town Trust
12/05/2011 • 9:59 am Comments Off on AIDS Gestapo…
AIDS Gestapo…
Sometimes, discussions are getting out of hand – and this one has certainly gone out of hand. Offering cash prizes for getting tested is a decision, one surely can debate and argue about. But the question of criminalization of HIV transmission is a much deeper going one and Helen Zille, premier of the Western Cape (SA) and TAC (Advocacy group) should avoid to debate it in a wording and style which does not help the cause. What is meant by “willing infecting” somebody – does it mean, that everybody, who has not done a test and having sex without protection is “willing” to pass on the virus. Or must there be a real intention, so consideration before the act? Fact is, that criminalization is not a tool for HIV prevention – common sense is also that I always expect from both persons engaging in sex to prevent a possible transmission in any case – be it HIV or any other STI. Both have the responsiblity to either clarify it or protect or decide to take the risk in a responsible way. It can never be one-sided. Being on HAART for 6 month, undetectable and no STI means that the risk of transmission is likely to be the same like a broken condom.
Word like “AIDS Gestapo” or “racist” have no place in such a serious debate. It is about responsiblity, ending stigma, avoiding discrimination and protecting the rights of each and everybody even in the privacy of their bedrooms. A very sensible place – and a very sensible topic which deserves wording living up to the seriousness of the topic.
Read more: http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/zille-slams-aids-gestapo-1.1192047
Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Politics and Society, Society and living environment, Aids, criminalization, HAART, hiv, TAC, transmission, virus, western cape, Zille
12/02/2011 • 8:01 am Comments Off on New research supports EKAF statement for MSM
New research supports EKAF statement for MSM
Viral load in the blood and rectal secretions of HIV-positive gay men are highly correlated, according to US research published in the September 1st edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The study also showed that the presence of sexually transmitted infections did not increase rectal viral load. Individuals with a plasma viral load above 1000 copies/ml were significantly more likely to have detectable virus in the rectum. “Our data add substantially to the few published studies of HIV shedding in rectal secretions of MSM [men who have sex with men],” comment the investigators, “we were able to quantify HIV RNA in rectal secretions, demonstrate the linear correlation between increasing plasma load and rectal viral load and determine a threshold plasma viral load that distinguished detectable from undetectable rectal viral load.” They also believe that their findings have important implications for current debates about the use of HIV treatment as prevention, commenting: “Combination antiretroviral therapy will have a similar effect on reducing HIV transmission in MSM, as seen in studies of heterosexual discordant couples.”
Read more:
German: http://news.aids.ch/article.php?subID=12023&key=0&start=0&categorie=Wow!#12023
Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Medical and Research, Aids, EKAF declaration, hiv, HIV Prevention, MSM, people living with the virus, plasma viral load, rectal viral load, Swiss, transmission, viral load
11/27/2011 • 10:53 pm Comments Off on HNU Alumni- and Campus Club in Cape Town
HNU Alumni- and Campus Club in Cape Town
After leaving the township of Khayelitsha, the HNU delegation continued to the town of Stellenbosch, where they had a brief walk and lunch in the lovely city centre before visiting Stellenbosch
University’s Lückhoff School. Stellenbosch University’s Dr. Jerome Slamat, Senior Director Community Interaction, presented Stellenbosch University’s CSR and HOPE projects. Then Reverend
Stefan Hippler, Chair of HOPE Cape Town Trust, and Dr. Sadeeka Williams, medical advisor of HOPE Cape Town, presented the Hope Cape Town project which aims at treatment and increasing knowledge about the prevalent HIV / Aids problem in the townships. Prof. Bernd Rosenkranz, Stellenbosch University, Division of Pharmacology, showed us the e-learning program for township clinics and community health care workers. Rev. Hippler and Prof. Rosenkranz accompanied the HNU group to Solms Delta Farm & Wine Estate in Franschoek where Hilko Hegewisch explained the history of the Western Cape in the Solms Delta Museum. During the wonderful dinner, Craig MacGillivray, CEO of Solms Delta, explained how the owners found 2000 year old relics
of farming in this area when renovating the buildings. They invested lots of money and paid special attention to detail to make the farm a unique jewel. They have succeeded in integrating the farm’s history and its people (owners and workers) into the new concept of hospitality present in its current restaurant and winery. During the dinner, participants shared their impressions with Consul General Hans-Werner Bussmann and his wife and made plans for cooperation with Rev. Stefan Hippler and Prof. Rosenkranz. Two additional guests, Eric Du Plessis, CEO of the Headway Group and Kai von Pannier from the Mineseeker Foundation, told the group about their development projects on coconut plantations in Mozambique where they are aiming to establish self-sustaining business (so called “aidfree” zones).
Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Medical and Research, Networking, Reflection, Aids, e-learning, hiv, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Neu Ulm, Stellenbosch
God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE 