Last month the World Health Organisation declared the HIV/AIDS epidemic a global health emergency. Should governments go one step further and treat it as a disaster? Over the past 20 years, the public health community has learnt a tremendous amount about the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Yet, despite widespread discussion about the epidemic and some measurable progress, the overall response has been insufficient: globally 42 million people are already infected with HIV, prevalence continues to rise, and less than 5% of those affected have access to lifesaving medicines, according to the British Medical Journal.
Equity in Health
ROUTINE BOTSWANA HIV TESTING INITIATIVE AIMS TO GET MORE PEOPLE INTO TREATMENT PROGRAM
Although Botswana, one of the African countries hit hardest by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, offers free antiretroviral drugs, has 16 treatment facilities and hundreds of trained doctors and nurses, the nation is "barely making a dent" in fighting the disease. However, a new initiative to provide HIV tests as part of routine medical checkups in public and private clinics may help to improve HIV testing rates in the country.
South African AIDS ACTIVISTS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE AND HOPE
Zackie Achmat, a South African who is a leading proponent of an international solution to the AIDS crisis, was in New York in November, just as his government at long last delivered on the demands that he and other activists have pushed for years - that it develop a comprehensive treatment plan for its 4.5 million citizens living with HIV. Achmat was blistering in his critique of the failure of world leaders to confront the scourge of HIV. At the top of his list was the American president. "The greatest threat to public health in the world is George Bush staying in power," he said.
WARM WELCOME FOR SOUTH AFRICAN PLAN TO PROVIDE AIDS DRUGS
After years of delays, the South African government gave its stamp of approval November to a plan for providing free anti-AIDS drugs. Over the next five years, the state hopes to extend the programme to over a million people living with AIDS. The price of a year's supply of the life-prolonging drugs, also known as anti-retrovirals (ARV's), is about 100 dollars - fifty times less than it was in November 2002.
Related Link:
* Link to full report
http://www.gov.za/reports/2003/aidsoperationalplan.pdf
WHO Announces Details of 3 by 5 plan
The World Health Organisation as part of its World AIDS Day activities announced details of its "three by five" HIV/AIDS plan, which aims to treat three million HIV-positive people with antiretroviral drugs by 2005, the Washington Post reports.
WORLD AIDS DAY: INSTITUTIONALIZED AIDS AND THE QUEST FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
Sanjay Basu
There are few moments in the history of AIDS that can call for celebration. The recent decision of the South African government to begin rolling-out antiretrovirals is certainly near the top of the list. But many persons might be tempted to celebrate more widely as December 1st, World AIDS Day, arrives this year, if only because AIDS has received such mainstream appeal that funds now appear to be travelling in all directions, and new programs are announced nearly everyday. Bill Clinton, once the designer of trade sanctions stopping countries like Thailand and Argentina from importing AIDS medicines, now announces generic drug price negotiations. Randall Tobias, a former executive at multi-national drug company Eli Lilly now claims to advance a $15 billion U.S. foreign AIDS budget. If there is anything we can be certain of, it is that AIDS now travels as a key cultural commodity in the most established institutions. But is this cause for celebration?
$623M for Disease Fight comes up short
The board of the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis has voted to send grants of $623 million to poor countries, a $246-million decrease from grants made earlier this year. The amount is considered insufficient in the battle against HIV/AIDS.
CONTROVERSY OVER NEW AIDS PROJECTIONS in South Africa
AIDS experts have raised doubts about a new study suggesting South Africa's HIV/AIDS epidemic peaked in 2002 and was expected to level off as fewer new infections were reported. The study, published in the recent issue of the African Journal of AIDS Research, said that the epidemic in South Africa peaked last year with about 4.69 million people living with HIV/AIDS and had started to level off.
drug firms abuse DOMINANT position in arv market, commission finds
The Competition Commission in South Africa has found that pharmaceutical firms GlaxoSmithKline South Africa and Boehringer Ingelheim have contravened the Competition Act of 1998. The firms have been found to have abused their dominant positions in their respective anti-retroviral (ARV) markets. For press releases from the Competition Commission, the Treatment Action Campaign and GlaxoSmithKline, please click on the link below.
Further details: /newsletter/id/30050
EXODUS OF PROFESSIONALS WORSENS HEALTH CARE in Zimbabwe
The health delivery system in Zimbabwe is declining as medical personnel leave the country in search of better working conditions and more money. The exodus of nurses and doctors and other professionals from Zimbabwe for economic reasons is accelerating, with most of those leaving going to Britain, the country's former colonial master.