Established in Sept 2001, this is a global movement that seeks to reduce the incidence of diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria among poor people. The campaign's goal is to advocate for and communicate best practices to stimulate social and political change. The campaign supports networks of existing organisations by providing strategic information, best practices, prototype messages, opportunities for collaboration and co-ordination. A website facilitates this exchange of information.
Governance and participation in health
Drop the Malaria Tax Campaign
Africa Malaria Day on 25 April 2003 is nearing, marking three years since African leaders met in Abuja, Nigeria and promised to help fight malaria by dropping taxes on treated mosquito nets. Research and experience prove beyond any doubt that Insect Treated Nets (ITNs) save lives by preventing new malarial infections. Recognizing their life-saving potential, African leaders pledged to drop all taxes and tariffs on ITNs. But despite this, many countries have yet to drop the malaria tax. At the website below there are a range of resources for finding out more about malaria and the campaign to drop the taxes on mosquito nets, information about the campaign to pressure African leaders to comply and a list of countries who have kept their promise about the tax and those who haven't.
ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING OF BEHAVIOR CHANGE COMMUNICATION (BCC) INTERVENTIONS
This is a handbook to help planners and implementors look at the effectiveness of their BCC interventions. Implementors can use the handbook to help them monitor, since the handbook can point out both strengths and potential weaknesses of an ongoing intervention. The handbook can also be used as a planning tool because it highlights important points for the design and development of effective BCC programming.
using sms to fight tb
A Cape Town doctor has dramatically helped the fight against tuberculosis (TB) by introducing a SMS service to remind patients to take their medication. Dr. David Green, a consultant in Managed Care, Disease Management and Information Systems, became so frustrated when his mother constantly forgot to take her medication for hypertension, that he started sending her SMS reminders -- and it worked. It did not take him long to make the connection between the effectiveness that his SMS messages had on alerting his mother, the high incidence of TB in Cape Town, and the possibilities that bulk SMS messages could present.
Further details: /newsletter/id/29558
YOUTH, HIV/AIDS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SEXUAL CULTURE AND CONTEXT
This paper focuses on the socio-cultural context in which the enactment of 'high risk' youth sexual activity takes place. The author maintains that understanding youth sexual culture and the context of high-risk sexual activity will provide the basis upon which programmes aimed at promoting safer sex practices are designed. It is concluded that the future may quite literally depend on the extent to which the current culture/context in which young people are developing their ideas about sex, and enacting their sexuality, can be transformed.
South Africa's HIV/AIDS YOUTH PROGRAMMES PAY OFF
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) says South Africa's responses to the impact of the disease on young people, are paying off. Releasing its latest report on the epidemic, the UNAIDS said HIV prevalence among teenagers in South Africa shrank between 1998 and 2001.
The Million Signature Campaign - Demanding Health For All Now!
"In the next 24 hours, over 30,000 children will die from preventable diseases on our planet earth. Today, while the world is writing a collective obituary of the future generation, we know why they are dying and we know who are responsible for these deaths. We also know how these deaths can be stopped. We urge you to join 'The Million Signature Campaign', - a march demanding health for all."
TRADITIONAL MEDICINE AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IN AFRICA
There has been intense public health debate in many parts of Africa to determine the most appropriate official policy towards traditional medicines for reproductive health care. The author of this editorial argues that because traditional practitioners work more closely with the grassroots compared to orthodox practitioners, traditional practitioners would be more able to advocate for changing behaviours that impact negatively on reproductive health in Africa.
Young Heed AIDS Warning
More young South Africans are heeding safe sex campaigns and cutting their chances of getting AIDS or the HIV virus which causes it, a new survey said last month, heartening the nation worst hit by the pandemic. But despite the promising trend the survey highlighted high infection levels among young children. It also urged the government to act quickly to give people with HIV the anti-retroviral drugs which can slow the onset of AIDS.
Bush Government Threatens To Roll Back Women's Reproductive Rights
Sign the Petition
"As supporters of women's rights worldwide, we are deeply disturbed by the statement made by a US delegate at the recent Preparatory Meeting for the forthcoming Fifth Asian and Pacific Population Conference that will take place 11-17 December 2002 in Bangkok. The US has threatened to withdraw from the Cairo Programme of Action of 1994 unless the words reproductive health services and reproductive rights are taken out or changed. This is a shocking development which is a threat to women's rights and women's health world wide. We demand that the Cairo Program of Action that has been endorsed by 179 nations be upheld. Reproductive health services and reproductive rights are essential human rights. Reproductive rights and reproductive health services are integral to the Cairo Program of Action. If the US breaks their commitment to the United Nations and to the world community, there will be disastrous consequences for women in all parts of the world who are in need of safe and effective contraceptive and abortion information and services. The position that the Bush administration has taken sets back the efforts of women's organisations by several decades and needs to be resisted. We urge you to make your own statement of protest and send it to the US administration, to the UN and to sign our petition on line at: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/USantiWO/petition.html."
Further details: /newsletter/id/29433