Army Takes Over, Access to HIV Treatment Halted by Strikes in South Africa

As South Africa’s health system is crippled by strikes the Government warns health workers of contributing to murder. HIV/AIDS treatment access has also been halted as the health system ceases to function. Strikers are demanding increased pay due to their insubstantial compensation. Should they be paid more?

Army Medical Teams Move into Strike-Bound Hospitals

Health Minister Warns of Murder as Staff Strike at Hospitals

Strike Jeopardizes HIV Treatment

Government Threatens Action Against Health, Security Strikers

National Public Sector Strike Hits HIV Treatment

Nation Becomes a Victim of its ARV Treatment Success

Public Health Strained by Nurses Strike

Botswana: Acquiring a Taste for Recycled Water

The Water Utilities Corporation in Botswana is breaking ground on a facility to treat waste water in order to supply a water source for the country. Many citizens have expressed disgust at the thought of drinking waste water, but the program holds great potential as water scarcity increases across the continent and around the world.

Hillary’s “new approach” to Global Health

David Rieff takes on the US Secretary of State’s approach to global health and development calling it naive, contradictory and muddled.

Donor Fatigue New Threat to HIV/AIDS Fight

Doctors Without Borders has raised the alarm that this is, “No time to quit! The HIV crisis is far from over.” As economic recession hits, many countries around the world  are decreasing their aid funding for HIV/AIDS treatments. The Obama Administration has come under fire for their cuts to HIV/ AIDS and PEPFAR funding.

• Is Obama Failing on AIDS?
• Optimism as U.S.  HIV Program Lifts Funding Caps

Mozambique: Maputo Central Hospital Bans Use of U.S. Dollars

Patients in Mozambique will no longer be forced to use U.S. Dollars to pay for treatments. This is an important move to increase access to health care in the country.

Cholera Outbreak Grips Nigeria

The need for clean water is demonstrated as cholera rapidly spreads across Nigeria and neighboring countries. As a common disease and treatable disease, the recent cholera outbreak calls for greater access to clean water sources for impoverished communities.

Cholera claims 352 lives

Cholera Outbreak Highlights Vulnerability of Children, Mothers

Cholera Outbreak – FG Moves Drugs, Officials to Bauchi, Borno

Cholera, Measles claim more lives

Cholera Outbreak hits 3,000 in Three Nations

Yes folks it’s true. South Africa’s HIV/AIDS National Strategic Plan for 2007-2011 has mandated that life skills classes be implemented in all schools, at all levels; this includes children as young as six. Life skills classes, also referred to as life orientation, are classes that orient kids to the world by teaching skills needed to live a productive life. Life skills curricula include basic things like hygiene, nutrition, and respect. Additionally, they include more sensitive topics such as body development and disease processes.

The area in need of the most emphasis in South African life skills classes is HIV/AIDS. As my last post discussed, HIV/AIDS is an epidemic plaguing Africa greatly and the magnitude of calamity being experienced is causing much global attention. This attention is indeed merited, as the continent is home to a country with the greatest of number of HIV/AIDS positive people in the world-  South Africa (Kates et al. 2006). Despite this astonishing fact, HIV/AIDS prevalence is higher in other countries (Kates et al. 2006).

Unfortunately though HIV/AIDS is included in life skills curricula, time allotted for these classes is spent either on other subjects or life skills is taught ineffectively as is the case in townships, and other places that need it most, due to funding and staffing problems (Tiendrebéogo et al. 2003). Teachers are often uncomfortable with the sensitive nature of HIV/AIDS and are ill-trained to discuss such matters with youngsters (Prinsloo 2007). Thus the goal in South Africa’s National Strategic Plan to reduce new HIV infection in youth ages 15-24 by 20%, being that they represent 50% of new infections, hardly seems on its way to being met. Though South Africa has allotted money for life skills classes, it is having a hard time establishing and monitoring it (Prinsloo 2007).

As those between 15-25 years of age are an important focal group to the South African government, with respect to reducing new infections, so are those between 6-14 years of age. In some cases this includes those as young as 5 years of age. They are referred to as the “window of hope” (Tiendrebéogo et al. 2003). Children younger than 15 are thought to not yet be sexually active and so are more likely to take to learning and internalizing preventative measures against HIV contraction.

With this in mind, should we gasp in shock when we hear that HIV/AIDS Education is being incorporated into the curriculum of children as young as 6? Of course not! They are not being taught the same things the 14 year olds are, such as how to put on a condom. However, they are learning the realities of situations that can put them in danger and how to avoid becoming vulnerable, if possible. HIV/AIDS, depending on race and socioeconomic level, due to South Africa’s Apartheid past, is something a child could deal with on a day to day basis. Why deprive the kids who need it most of a method of protection? Loss of a parent, orphanhood, and sexual exploitation are all undeserved consequences many children have to face (Bhana et al. 2006). You cannot compare South Africa’s HIV/AIDS condition to America’s where there are much fewer infected people and no 6 year old has ever been exposed to a HIV/AIDS infected person.

Furthermore, children are active agents of societal constructions and are not asexual creatures, as much as we adults would like to preserve a veil of innocence (Bhana 2008). They can construct and negotiate matters dealing with sexuality. As such we adults should recognize that they have a right- yes a right- to HIV/AIDS education. To deprive them of that when they are bound to be in situations that make them vulnerable would be irresponsible and silly.

To teachers I say take responsibility. I know in an ideal world the parent would handle such matters, but we’re not not in an ideal world. And if there’s no support, rally for it; petition the school principal and local authorities. Be proactive!

To South Africa’s government I say not only mandate life skills classes and invest in formulating curricula, but monitor them to ensure age and culturally appropriate implementation and evaluate them for efficacy. That way you don’t just set goals, you achieve them!

Works Cited

Bhana, Deevia and Morrell, Robert, and Epstein, Debbie, and Moletsane, Relebohile. “The hidden work of caring: teachers and the maturing AIDS epidemic in diverse secondary schools in Durban.” Journal of Education (2006): 5-23.

Bhana, Deevia. “Sex and the Right to HIV/AIDS Education.” Journal of Psychology in Africa (2008): 439-444.

Kates, Jennifer, Carbaugh, Alicia. The HIV/AIDS Epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa . The HIV/AIDS Policy Fact Sheet. Washington D.C.: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation:, 2006.

Prinsloo, Erna. “Implementation of life orientation programmes in the new curriculum in South African schools: perceptions of principals and life orientation teachers.” South African Journal of Education (2007): 155-170.

Tiendrebéogo, Georges, Meijer, Suzanne, Engleberg, Gary. Life Skills and HIV Education Curricula in Africa: Methods and Evaluations. Technical Paper No. 119. Washington D.C.: Office of Sustainable Development Bureau for Africa, 2003.

The views in this article are representative of solely the author’s and may or may not represent those of SCOUT BANANA.

(Photo Credit: see above)

Anti-HIV Gel May Take Years to Hit Market

Is 39% reduction enough? The dust has barely settled after the announcement of the first positive results from a microbicide trial, but scientists and policy makers are already asking themselves, ‘What’s next?’ “It’s very early, we still need to analyze all the data – and the study collected a lot of very good data – and understand it better before we get to the point of developing a product,” Mitchell Warren, head of the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC), said at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna. More:

• Hunting for a ‘Cure” for HIV
• A gel that puts HIV prevention in women’s hands
• Anti-HIV gel a “step forward” for HIV research

A Radical New AIDS Treatment Strategy

UNAIDS has launched a “simpler, more cost-effective approach to HIV treatment” The approach, dubbed “Treatment 2.0″, aims to drastically scale up testing and treatment using current best practices and future innovations in antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and diagnostics. UNAIDS estimates that successful implementation of Treatment 2.0 could avert 10 million deaths by 2025, and reduce new infections by one-third.

African Leaders Seek Solution to Maternal and Infant Mortality

At the 15th African Union (AU) Summit in Uganda leaders and health experts will meet to reassess key health goals. In 2000, African governments agreed to reduce by two-thirds the number of mothers and children who die annually from pregnancy-related complications and preventable childhood illnesses. Ten years later, little has been achieved on that noble commitment, as statistics show an African woman’s risk of dying in child birth is still one in 11 compared to a 1 in 7,300 risk among women in developed countries.

The Buck Stops with Hospital CEOs

In South Africa’s KwaZulu Natal Province, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo told the heads of the seven major hospitals that they will be held accountable for failing systems at their institutions. “If we want to turn around the tide of health outcomes that are terrible in this country, then you have to look at KwaZulu-Natal,” said Dhlomo. “We have the highest rates of TB, HIV and infant mortality and a large population.”

More than five million people receiving HIV treatment

WHO estimates that 1.2 million more people received HIV treatment in 2009 than in 2008. In addition HIV-related mortality can be reduced by 20% in the next five years if guidelines for early treatment are put into action.

New Mosquito’s Buzz Worse than its Bite

A malaria-proof mosquito has finally been developed and Kenya is expected to use it to eradicate the disease in seven years. Researchers at the University of Arizona, US, say they have made the perfect insect. The Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, which starts a national data collection exercise on malaria indicators Saturday morning, says it will use a combination of tools, including bed nets, education, new innovations and medicines to meet the 2017 targets.

Vaccine Trialists Sue US Drugs Firm for Billions

Victims of the 1996 Pfizer meningitis trovan vaccine test which caused over 200 deaths and several others permanent disability have again sued the drugs manufacturing giant for a whopping sum of $384 billion.

You, too, Can Help Fight Niger’s Famine

In poverty-stricken Niger, it comes as no surprise that drought is pushing the most vulnerable people to the brink of hunger. Right? But then you hear a statistic like this one, with the power to shock even the most cynical: right now, fully half of the country’s 13.4 million inhabitants are facing famine.

More: Aid Caravan to the East

Dire Humanitarian Situation Continues to Grip Somalia

Withdrawn aid due to Al-Shabab’s bombings in Kampala have left the Somali people with even less international assistance. It is vital to ensure adequate funding to assist the 3.2 million people – or more than 40 per cent of the population – who rely on international aid, a senior United Nations aid official stressed this week.

Other news:

• How to prevent HIV? Researchers say, try treating it
• When search engines deal in fake drugs

(via HoboTraveler.com)

American Food Aid: Saving Lives, or US Jobs

Change.org takes on US food assistance and its implications for foreign countries. Most often US food aid has very negative and often damaging effects on local communities and economies.

Swaziland: Poor Health Services Hamper PMTCT Progress

While much progress has been made in reducing HIV transmission, many are worried that the lack of adequate health workers and centers will reverse the advances that Swaziland has made.

Who’s Tracking the World’s Biggest ARV Programme?

South Africa runs what is probably the world’s largest ARV programme – over 700,000 people are receiving ARVs at public sector facilities. The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) reports on the national program to fight HIV/AIDS. With good and bad news, the report demonstrates that there needs to be better implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.

Cameroonians Arrested for Operating Illegal Hospital

The largest issue with this article was not that there was a hospital started by local Cameroonians, but instead that they were distributing unregistered and illegal Chinese medicines. Is this an example of the growing influences of Chinese investment and aid? The hospital registered and defrauded over 2,000 people.

Why Studying Human Migration Can Help Stop Malaria

You may often hear this argument when talking about the spread of Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and other STDs, but not often for malaria. One of Change.org’s authors gives a great history and background on the spread of malaria. The World Health Organization (WHO) has written since 1957 that population movement exacerbates the spread of malaria.

Uganda: HIV/AIDS Centers Turn Away New Patients

As a direct cause of the reduction in funding from US government agencies, centers that provide treatment and prevention have begun turning away patients because they have to make budgetting cuts.

Read more about the Obama Administration’s Global Health Initiative that is causing issues across Africa in regards to funding for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention.

Also on Health in Uganda:

• Public Irritated by Yet Another Condom Shortage
• Why Uganda Shouldn’t Criminalize HIV/AIDS Transmission
• Want to Help Uganda? Send Condoms 95% of condoms are supplied by foreign donors

In Mali, Using Cell Phones to Create Patient Records

New Echoing Green fellow Josh Nesbit and his organization FrontlineSMS:Medic have partnered with the Mali Health Organizing Project (MHOP) to streamline and clean up patient records to improve health services.

Other Articles of Interest:

• Troubled Water Aid Watch chronicles the issues with PlayPumps
• A Miner-Led Tuberculosis Crisis
• West Africa: 10 million face Hunger in Region
• Nigeria: Researchers seek ways to End Maternal Deaths
• Africa: Enticing Health Workers to the Outback

Thursday and Friday I attended many of the Africa focused workshops – most were very exciting and engaging. They really brought the African perspective into the ideas of the US Social Forum and made delegates think about the US role in issues affecting communities on the African continent.

24 Thursday 10am-12pm

African Unity Towards What? (Pan-Africanism & Nationalism is not enough!) by: University of Kmt

I still haven’t exactly figured out this group and what they do. They run the Kmt Press which publishes books and journals, but all of their sessions that I attended were focused on teaching with an African historical perspective. Their missions states that they are dedicated to educating the new generation of African leaders. Interesting that they are in Detroit and I wonder if they know of the Detroit Public School (DPS) Initiative starting in 1992 where Africa was integrated into school curriculums from math to literature.

24 Thursday 1-3pm

Prioritizing Africa & the African Diaspora Agenda from Detroit to Dakar (D2D) by: Priority Africa Network (PAN)

This People’s Movement Assembly was geared towards bringing African perspectives into the US Social Forum and continue the discussion as preparations are made for the 2011 World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal. The room was full of delegates from many African countries, Detroit, and US Africa Advocacy groups.

Briggs Bomba, Director of Campaigns at Africa Action, spoke strongly about building solidarity with those most affected in Africa. He said, “corporate led globalization has harshest effects on those in the perifery, the underdeveloped.” He reminded us that all of us the privilege to attend conferences like these and make the policies need to prioritize the communities most affected.

A delegate from South Africa spoke eloquently about the social apartheid of displacement – ideologically, locations, in decision-making and governments; in voting process lack of people power and transformational action, and in the social mainstream. “We cover many issues, but it is the same struggle. We come from different areas, but share common experiences.” (i.e. colonialism)

Some top issues that came out of the PMA:

• Militarization in the Congo (DRC)
• HIV & STDs from Detroit to Africa
• political economy – effects seen in everyday Africa
• African defense (defend communities), liberation (not yet liberated), and autonomy

An exciting and dynamic session that really makes me excited for the World Social Forum in Dakar!

24 Thursday 3:30-5:30pm

The New Africa Command & U.S. Military Involvement in Africa by: African Security Research Project (aka: Daniel Volman)

This session was an interesting overview of AFRICOM by some leading scholars on the topic of US national security interests in Africa. The attendees were less diverse than the Detroit to Dakar session and most people came to learn more because it looked interesting and had studied Africa to some small degree in the past.

Most interesting was when the discussion turned to private military contractors (PMCs) in Africa responsible for fighting wars in Libera, Southern Sudan, and Somalia. A Ugandan delegate actually talked about being trained by PMCs in Iraq to then return and fight the Lord’s Resistance Army in Northern Uganda. Great to hear the perspective of the Ugandan delegate and Dan Volman as well as to see so many people interested in learning more about African issues!

25 Friday 1-3pm

Power-sharing Deals in Africa: Implications for Democracy – The Case of Zimbabwe & Kenya by: Africa Action

This was by far the most organized session that I attended at the US Social Forum. The Africa Action team did an amazing job of gathering great speakers, formatting the session, and bringing people into the room for the discussion. Many African voices were heard from delegates representing Zimbabwe and Kenya.

In both cases of power-sharing, the speakers agreed that the power-sharing deal was a sigh of relief that stopped the fighting and opened their doors to the international community and economy again. However, they also all recognized that power-sharing was a positive in the short-term, but can be positive as in the case of South Africa when Mandela and de Klerk signed a power sharing deal until the national democratic elections.

Here are some take-aways:

• A weak state can and will be manipulated (i.e. Museveni in Uganda – waiting for a similar situation as Kenya and Zimbabwe soon, elections next year)
• “The people” are separated from the power – people-centered in needed
• Power-sharing allows for lessened tensions and time to create national unity towards something better
• Coalition governments show defeat of “people power”

There are a number Africa-related organizations represented at the US Social Forum focused on bringing Africa into the larger US social justice context and ensuring that there are African voices represented. During the June 22-25 conference there will be 14 workshops presented by: Africa Action, TransAfrica, HealthGAP, Support Darfur Project, All African Peoples Revolutionary Party, University of Kmt, Priority Africa Network, Community Alliance for Global Justice, African Security Research Project, Athletes United for Peace, Detroit to Dakar, and International Development Exchange (IDEX). See list below:

24 Thursday (10am-12pm)

• Africa & Pan- Africanism in this hemisphere: fighting neo-colonialism, racism, class, and gender oppression
  • All African Peoples Revolutionary Party @ Cobo Hall – Rm. W2-61
• Building a Pan-African Solidarity Movement in North America
  • Support Darfur Project @ WC3 – Rm. 317
• AIDS isn’t over: Solidarity in the fight for justice for people with AIDS worldwide
  • HealthGAP @ WA – Rm. 1472
• Gender Militarism and US Corporate Violence in Oil Producing States
  • Priority Africa Network (PAN) @ Cobo Hall – Rm. O2-40

24 Thursday (1-3pm)

• Africa Unity Toward What? (Pan-Africanism & Nationalism are not enough!)
  • University of Kmt @ Cobo Hall – Rm. O2-38
• The Politics of Exploiting Need: AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa), the Gates Foundation, & the Food Crisis
  • Community Alliance for Global Justice @ UAW – Rm. Taurus
• Migration & Militarization of U.S. and European Borders: A Comparison & Contrast
  • Priority Africa Network @ Cobo Hall- Rm. O2-40
• Youth-led Activism in NYC’s Public High Schools
  • Support Darfur Project @ WBC – Rm. WB2
• The World Cup, Sports & Social Justice: The Beautiful Game & Beautiful Struggle, Together
  • Athletes for Peace @ WSU S – Rm. 29

24 Thursday (3:30-5:30pm)

• International Financial Institutions & Climate Change: Community Impacts in the Congo
  • Africa Action @ WC3 – Rm. 337
• The New Africa Command & U.S. Military Involvement in Africa
  • African Security Research Project @ UAW – Rm. Pres

25 Friday (1-5pm)

• Prioritizing Africa & the African Diaspora Agenda from Detroit to Dakar (D2D)
  • Priority Africa Network @ Cobo Hall – Rm. W2-69
• Educating African People: K12 through Ph.D. levels
  • University of Kmt @ Cobo Hall – Rm. O2-38
• GM Crops – the poisoned chalice: perspectives & victories from South Africa
  • International Development Exchange (IDEX) @ Cobo Hall – Rm. D3-23
• Power Sharing Deals in Africa: Implications for Democracy – The Case of Zimbabwe & Kenya
  • Africa Action @ WSU S – Rm. 261

Photo Credit: African Health Platform

After a long overdue absence, The Week in African Health is back. Subscribe to the blog to continue to get the latest news and innovations related to health and health care across the African continent.

Bringing everything full circle, Alanna Shaikh provides us with a repost: Why you can’t understand global health

Alanna reminds us all that if we overlook the intricate relationship between poverty and ill-health then we are set to misunderstand global health. “If you can read this, that’s not you. By definition, you speak English and you have access to the internet. You earn more than a dollar a day. You can’t understand.” For all the talk, analysis, and good intentions – we must remember that it is the poor who know best what interventions will work for better health around the world.

The World Health Organization has released the first ever guidelines for procurement of effective anti-malarial medicines

The guidelines emphasize testing for effective treatment. The WHO cites in 2008 that only 22% of suspected cases were tested in 18 of the reporting African countries. Thanks to new quality assured Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) that use a dip stick, testing is easier and quicker.This emphasis on testing will assist in stemming drug-resistance issues with quick and effective treatment.

South Africa has launched a massive HIV Testing campaign that marks a definite reversal from its past HIV/AIDS initiatives more focused on denial.

Beginning on April 15th, everyone who enters a clinic will be offered an HIV test, regardless of history or symptoms. Every health facility “should” be prepared to test by April, but the larger problem will then be access to medications and clinics have not yet been certified to distribute ARVs, especially those located in remote or peri-urban areas.

One of the few good things that I have heard about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is that most countries are on track to reach the goal on access to clean water.

With 80% of all disease transferred by contaminated or dirty water, this MDG is a critical piece to improving health. Some countries are even set to exceed this goal by 2015. On the flip side the UN reports that unless “huge efforts” are made most countries will fail to achieve the sanitation MDG. This could be an unfortunate setback as clean water sources require proper sanitation to remain clean.

“If you kiss for five minutes you get it” HIV/AIDS in Namibia

This is one of the lessons learned by young students in one of Namibia’s HIV/AIDS after-school courses. The primary student ended by saying, “People with AIDS should keep to themselves.” Some of the teaching may be misguided, but the program offers much needed psychosocial assistance to young children who have difficulty coping. One student learned he was HIV-positive 3 years ago at age 8, but that hasn’t ended his dreams of becoming a doctor someday.

Need HIV/AIDS help? Look on the map!

A new program in East and Central Africa has printed 20,000 road maps that pinpoint the locations of roadside clinics where truck drivers can go for help with HIV/AIDS. One driver said, “Many of us want treatment but at times you might not know where to get it when you are on the road but these maps can help us now.” The wellness centres and clinics have been constructed in areas where high-risk populations converge.

Tweeting Against Malaria

The UN has selected a group of 24 social media envoys to tweet for malaria control. The WHO says that 3.3 billion people (half the world’s population) is at risk for malaria and sub-Saharan Africa is the epicenter where 90% of malaria deaths occur.

Other interesting articles of the week:

• Using mobile phones to fight counterfeit medicine
• Aid workers struggle to reach cyclone-hit villages
• Kenya Acts to stem cross-border HIV spread
• HIV/AIDS situation alarming at Tanzanian colleges
• New medical school launching in Uganda
• Cholera situation “stationary” in Mozambique

Nyala, Kalma camp, South Darfur - March 2007 (MSF Photo Blog)

The impact of conflict on the environment and then the subsequent, direct effect on human health cannot be overlooked. This internally displaced peoples (IDP) camp in Sudan shows the seriousness of that impact.

Your Old Cell Phone Can Make a Difference in Global Health

Everyone in the global health sector is writing about the incredible reach of SMS technologies working for health in developing countries, and rightly so. Hope Phones has partnered with FrontlineSMS to provide old cell phones to communities in need through SMSmedic partner organizations.
More:
Your Old Phone Can Change the World

TeleMed
A service that I just recently came across is one that is not being as widely talked about. TeleMed is different from FrontlineSMS: Medic because it connects local health care workers directly to patients in need via SMS technology. SMS: Medic is focused on health infrastructure. TeleMed does not have a website up yet, but is definitely one to watch:

Paul Farmer and the US Government?

The other big talk within global health is whether Paul Farmer will take a job within the US government. Some have expressed great hope for potential reform others voice their plea with him to continue his incredible community based work outside the bureaucracies. My opinion is that Partners in Health has developed into a strong organization and does not depend on Paul Farmer to further their work. If he wants to take on the inefficiencies and inadequacies of the US government and global health, then all the more power to him.

Southern Africa: Global Financial Crisis Leads to HIV Budget Cuts

Broken promises abound as the economic crisis deepens and the right to health falters, but activists are coming together to ensure that funding for health and HIV are not cut. International donors are expected to slash budgets for health due to the economic crisis and health experts fear that this will lead to, “less food security and quality of nutrition, which will in turn put more stress on already weak health systems.” Paula Akugizibwe, regional treatment literacy and advocacy coordinator of Windhoek-based AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA) in Namibia demanded, “We need to ensure that African lives do not become a silent casualty of the global financial downturn. Our lives are not cheap or expendable. We expect health to be prioritised over weapons, sports and lavish politics.” Tanzania was the first sub-Saharan country to announce a 25 percent cut of its annual HIV/AIDS budget.
Other budget cut impacts:
Guinea: Medicines Running Out

Zambian High Court to Hear Groundbreaking HIV Case

On Wednesday, the Livingstone High Court was supposed to hear a ground breaking case about whether mandatory testing for HIV and discrimination solely on the basis of HIV status is constitutional in Zambia. Unfortunately two days later news came that the trial was postponed until mid-July. Be sure to keep watching this story.
More:
Trial postponed until 15 July

HIV Prevention and Behavior Change

Mara Gordon writes on Change.org’s Global Health Blog about a direct campaign in Tanzania discussing behavior change. “This campaign is partially paid for by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, U.S. government money to fight HIV that’s notoriously had lots of conservative strings attached. Had I seen this ad a year ago, I probably would have dismissed it as unrealistic abstinence-only propaganda. But behavior change works. Behavior change – in combination with access to condoms, comprehensive sexual education, open discussion about HIV and sexually transmitted infections in general, all that good liberal stuff.”
More:
Changing Human Behaviors: Sexual and Social
During a course on Africa’s environmental history I wrote about the need for changing human behavior in both the sexual and social arena to make a real impact in HIV prevalence. The major social change is the response from Western institutions and organizations in how they talk about HIV/AIDS and Africa while seeking to change sexual behavior.
Lesotho: Cultural Beliefs Threaten Prevention of Mother-Child HIV Transmission
Health workers note an encouraging response to the PMTCT program. The number of facilities providing PMTCT has risen from nine in 2004 to 166 by the end of 2008. The number of women who received PMTCT and subsequent antiretroviral (ARV) treatment increased from 421 in 2004 to about 5,000 by end of last year, according to 2009 National AIDS Council statistics. “The primary health care coordinator at St. James Mantsonyane Mission Hospital, Khanyane Mabitso, says stigma and cultural beliefs make it difficult for medical personnel to follow up on HIV-positive mothers and their babies.”

Progress on health-related MDGs mixed

Many advances have been made in health. Some argue that these advances have been dwarfed by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the economic crisis, or the failures of African governments. The WHO report shows that the only statistic with concrete results was the number of children dying before the age of five. Is this a solid example of the failure of big plans and blanket goals for development?

Sierra Leone: ACC Recommends Reform At Health Ministry

The Anti-Corruption Committee report provides a number of recommendations for reform all focused on improving the health care delivery services in Sierra Leone and eliminating the risk of corrupt practices in the health services across the country.
More on health service scale-up:
Chad: Paving the Way for Better Obstetric Care
Government meetings with UNICEF to help scale-up of health services for better obstetric care across the country.

Ten Things You Can Do to Fight World Hunger

The Nation provides an interesting set of things you can do in your everyday life to fight world hunger. They properly focus on how food, a basic human need, has been commodified in our global capitalist structure. “Our planet produces enough food to feed its more than 960 million undernourished people. The basic cause of global hunger is not underproduction; it is a production and distribution system that treats food as a commodity rather than a human right.” When in February I wrote that agricultural experts had said the food crisis of the last year was over evidence from this past week point to the contrary.
More:
Tanzania: Food Shortage Unnecessary
“Tanzania has since independence sang the song of ‘Agriculture is the backbone of the economy’, but little has gone into strategizing and implementing viable actions towards surplus food production.”
Kenya: UN Agency Makes First Local Food Purchase from Small Scale Farmers
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has for the first time bought food from small-scale farmers in Kenya under a new initiative aimed at boosting agriculture by connecting farmers to markets.
Zimbabwe: Another Year Without Much Food
Rwanda: Nearly Half the Country’s Children Are Malnourished
Kenya: Over Three Million Face Food Shortages

Africa: High Level Engagement with Continent Has Started

Speaking at a gala reception in Washington marking the beginning of “Africa Week,” Carson said: “Most of the Obama administration’s Africa team is in place, and we are gearing up. We will continue to build on and strengthen the strong bipartisan consensus in Congress and among the people of America that has motivated U.S. policy towards Africa. Over the next four years, we will be focusing our efforts on strengthening democracy, promoting sustainable development, resolving or mitigating conflict, and dealing with transnational issues such as climate change and agriculture,” he pledged. While Obama has built a great team, the White House has yet to announce any Africa Policy, greater control and influence for the Bureau of African Affairs, or take any serious (or effective) action for the continent.
More:
Tanzania: Obama, Kikwete Meet in Oval Office on Africa’s Conflicts

World Bank Resumes Zimbabwe Aid

Zimbabwe owes the World Bank and the African Development Bank more than $1bn, how much potential does renewed aid really hold for the country. If the debt is not forgiven there will be no way the country will be able to rebuild necessary infrastructures for health, water, etc. There are countless case studies to show this historical fact. It must also be noted that Western sanctions were a huge detriment to a country in need, maybe this marks a turnaround?

“No weapons” MSF in Nasir, Upper Nile State, South Sudan

More:
A Tale of Two Refrigerators
Fighting has renewed in southern Sudan, but its not just between militant groups – aid groups fall victim to needless fighting as well. Diane Bennet writes on William Easterly’s Aid Watch blog about the 2001 peace in Sudan and how it was a ripe time to treat disease and build health infrastructure. Unfortunately internal bureaucracy and politics became the largest hurdle.

Sudan: Darfur – Thousands Flee to African Union Safety
More recently, South Darfur has become the seen of violent clashes between government forces and militants. It is important to never forget the impacts that conflict has on health services.

Africa: Public Health Care Must Lead

Oxfam International has released a report [access here] “challenging the myths about private health care in developing countries.” The report emphasizes the role that private health care can play in developing countries, but reminds us that there is no way a scale-up of private health services will reach poor people in need. Key recommendations are to increase funding for free universal health care infrastructure, rejecting ineffective practices of the past, and combining efforts to fuel effective initiatives – sounds a lot like SCOUT BANANA

Global Health: Mobile Phones to Boost Healthcare

Revolutionizing access to health knowledge, the efforts of the Mobile Health Alliance (mHealth), supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, the UN Foundation, and Vodafone Foundation are making a mark across the African continent boasting 51 existing or to-be-implemented programs in 26 countries around the world. Harnessing the potential of growing technology in ‘developing’ countries for the purpose of health can only signal a major shift in access to health care across Africa.

Getting the Continent on Obama’s Agenda

It appears that Obama’s administration is stacked in the favor of Africa and in favor of better international development practices all around. With Susan Rice serving as Ambassador to the UN action against genocide may be bolstered, Gayle Smith more likely than not will be tapped as USAID Director, she was a major proponent of the HELP Commission creating a cabinet level position for foreign aid, and a well known name among insiders and outsiders in African affairs, Johnnie Carson, is expected to be named head of the Bureau of African Affairs of the State Department. The future of US relations in Africa has incredible potential and hope to change.

Zimbabwe: Staff Return to Hospitals, But Not to Work

As a massive cholera outbreak tears across the country, medical staff have returned to their posts, but the nature of their strike, that began in 2008 over poor working conditions and wages, is now “more like a sit-in.” In a country so crippled by Western exploitation and resulting politics, a strike of the health workers in the face of a rampant disease outbreak does not bode well for a vulnerable population.
More:
Too Much Cholera, Too Little Food
Over 80,000 Zimbabweans Infected with Cholera

Africa: U.S. Naval Engagement Offers Health Dividends

Imagine the potential of the US’ military might if it was dedicated to coordinating naval and health care workers from 13 countries to bring aid and health services to communities in need. This becomes a reality with the African Partnership Station Initiative and Project Handclasp. I can only dream of a day where initiatives like this are more a norm than a surprising gesture of good will.

Mali: Raising Money and Hygiene Standards

One of the most innovative programs that I have read most recently is the work the Dutch based Gender and Water Alliance which is employing women to make soap as well educate and use it to increase hygiene and combat preventable diseases. Health benefits, a source of income and empowering women!

Food Crisis Over, Say Experts

Supposedly the global food crisis of last year is over! Agricultural experts from Africa and Asia are saying that we are no longer in a food crisis and that there needs to be an increased production of rice in Africa in order to keep the food crisis at bay. In my opinion, as long as we continue our unsustainable and capitalist practices that commodify a basic human need, we will remain in a global food crisis affecting both the US and Africa.
More:
Rwanda: Food Production Up, Thanks to Green Revolution
Thankfully the increase is not due to the ‘Green Revolution,’ but instead to increase in practices that are focused on protecting the environment.

South Africa: Treasury Blamed for Shortage in Aids Drugs

Years of controversy seem to have brought the blame down on the South African Treasury. With an extensive bureaucracy, it is no wonder that the ARV roll-out program has taken much longer than it should – as many die without the proper medications. While the numbers of people enrolled in the ARV program has increased significantly there still exists a problematic policy of access. Access hinges on wealth, CD4 count, and location. To access the government’s ARV program your CD4 count has to be less than 300, which is at a point where you are already very vulnerable. This creates an issue of sustained treatment because it forces an irregular regimen. If your CD4 count is above 300, you will have to pay. Many cannot pay and if you live far from a government hospital access is just that much more difficult because of taxi fare and time sacrificed for travel. It seems the health and wellbeing of its citizens is not a high budget priority of the South African government.
More:
Rapid HIV evolution avoids attacks
Much like the flu virus, HIV mutates and evolves in response to treatments. This really exposes the South African ARV program as highly ineffective.
Duncan discusses HIV/AIDS in Morocco
Little known to the world, the HIV/AIDS crisis grows in Morocco.

"Ethiopia" a scene of over-grazing and desertification, making it difficult for both people and animals to survive. (From the MSF Photo Blog)

• ’There’s no reason only poor people should get malaria’

In an action that surprised many audience guests, Bill Gates, released a small number of mosquitoes into the crowd at the TED conference. Gates quit Microsoft last year to focus more on his philanthropic work. He spoke of the need, and his commitment, to put more funding towards developing drugs to combat malaria, one of the highest killers in the ‘developing’ world.
Watch the video:
More:
Mosquito Genes Linked To Insecticide Resistance May Be New Target in Fight Against Malaria,
Insecticide malaria impact clue

• When there is no village doctor

It is estimated that every fourth medical doctor and every twentieth nurse trained in Africa leaves the continent for better job prospects and better pay in wealthier countries. The UN Global Health Workforce Alliance warns that the economic crisis could further increase the medical workforce crisis across Africa.

For David Werner, who wrote the widely-translated 1970s village health care manual, “Where There is No Doctor,” medical specialization is not the best answer. “Experts come in and think they have all the answers, and end up drowning out solutions villagers could devise themselves.”

• Need to Focus on Maternal, Child Health – Top AU Official

As the African Union meets in Addis Ababa, Commissioner for Social Affairs Biencé Gawana said in regards to the AU’s proposed launch of a continent-wide program,

“We will launch a movement to promote maternal and child health in the continent,” she told reporters. “It will be an advocacy campaign… together with partners like UNFPA [the UN Population Fund] and UNICEF [the UN Children's Fund].

With 500,000 women dying in childbirth each year, Africa has some of the highest rates of maternal, infant, and child mortality. As part of the solution the AU report noted: “One of the main challenges in the promotion of maternal, infant and child health and development is access to health care facilities and services, especially at primary health delivery level and [in] rural areas.”

• Zimbabwe: Cholera Infection Rate Climbs As UN Cleared to Assess Crisis

On Monday the WHO reported an increase of 2000 cholera deaths in Zimbabwe. The report was released just as President Mugabe agreed to allow a top level UN assessment team to tour the country to find solutions to curb the cholera pandemic as well as the current hunger crisis. Food security continues to plummet in may areas of Zimbabwe as many worry they will not receive aid in time.
More: Zimbabwe Cholera Statistics Rise Again As New Malaria Fears Grow,
Zimbabwe Diary: fighting cholera

• South Africa: The Quiet Water Crisis

There is great concern with the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, but what the South African government may be missing is its very own growing water crisis. With an aging infrastructure and rising demand, the potential for deadly bacteria to be released into its water systems is high. When Mandela’s government took power in 1994, an estimated 14 million South Africans lacked access to clean water supply and 21 million people lacked proper sanitation. Although the numbers have changed drastically, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) reported in 2008 that 5 million people still lacked access.

• Twestival and Charity: Water

Last year SCOUT BANANA conducted a ‘Year of Water’ Project to benefit the work of Charity: Water. The organization is now utilizing the social media tool, Twitter, to raise a large amount of money to build wells across the world. Charity: Water began its work by supporting well projects across the African continent.

• South Africa: ‘Development Must Adapt to Water Resources We Have’

98% of water resources are being used in South Africa. Water security is becoming an issue as pollution from mining has been difficult to clean up and no other water resources remain unused.

• Obama Lifts “Global Gag Rule”

Also known as the Mexico City Policy, this move is being applauded by women’s and productive rights groups across the globe.
More: Obama Reverses U.S. Ban on Abortion-Linked Aid

• University Partnership Aims to Fight HIV/AIDS More Effectively

Backed by an almost $5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, John Hopkins University is growing a partnership with Makerere University in Uganda in an attempt to combat the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. The partnership is only in its initial steps.