HIV/AIDS Archives - Page 4 of 6

February 24, 2011May 31, 2011

Getting Pregnant Together With Your Buddies, Oh How Cool

Earlier this week, a news story containing a disturbing statistics came to light that will shock most readers. Nearly, 5000 schoolgirls in Johannesburg, South Africa, became pregnant in just one school calendar year. Before you attribute this mass teenage pregnancy to rural illiteracy, lack of electricity, lack of television and all those excuses, let us call to mind that, three weeks ago, it was also reported that 90 girls were known to be pregnant in a single school in Tennessee, United States. This did not happen in a slum in Nairobi, Accra, Abuja, or Harare. It happened in the heart of the United States.

I am neither a sociologist nor a psychologist and so I will not attempt to ascribe rationale for these mass pregnancies. Some have referred to them as Pregnancy Pact, Pregnancy Covenant, and others.

The unfortunate situation is that some (may be most) of these girls would never become what they dreamed of becoming: teachers, pastors, parliamentarians, ambassadors, or doctors. Those who will ever get there will do it by the hard, tortuous way. As for the boys, on other hand, no problem. They can achieve whatever they want to achieve in life with minimal drag from the children who will result from these pregnancies. Some of them will later look down upon these girls as failures and fools.

I need to admit that I do not have data to base this on, but from my personal experience and assumptions, I would assume that most the boys or men involved in the adventure that led the girls into these situations knew of the plastic material called the condom. The never used it. On the other hand, and of course, this is my personal assumption; it is likely that most of the girls were oblivious of whatever options they had that could have prevented what they carry in their immature wombs.

How do we help young girls avoid these situations?

Give Women The Necessary Information:

As usual, many of the parents of these girls perhaps assumed their children were innocent. Well, they are not. In an interview with one of the South African to-be moms, this is what she said

“It’s fashionable to have a baby. You are like a fool if you don’t have sex”

As I have said here a few times, it is vital that parents, teachers and authorities provide young girls and women with the information they need and tell them they too have an option.

They can say NO and IT IS OK TO SAY NO!
If they cannot or do not want to say no, then they have an option, the female condom. The female condom is over 95% effective in preventing HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases, and unwanted pregnancies. Most women have never heard this nor seen it. It’s shame and irresponsible that several years of campaigns have focused solely on the man and the options he has in sexual encounters. In the above unfortunate situation, it is easy to focus only on the teenage pregnancy, but it is important to realize that some of these girls that are not lucky may contract other STDs like Human Papiloma Virus/HPV, Herpes Simplex Virus/HSV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphillus.

By equipping these girls with ignorance, we are in essence, cursing their the futures.

Thanks for reading[ad#Adsense-200by200sq]

February 20, 2011January 3, 2013

HIV: When They Need it Most, Just Embrace, Do Not Reject

By K. Amponsah-Manager

In an earlier article, I told you a story with the title “I Was Shocked When I Was Told I Have HIV”. Please remember to read that if you missed it.

HIV and Stigma:

We have lived with HIV for nearly 30 years, ever since the illness first came to light in the early 1980s, but the cultural attitudes that drive most of the stereotypes do not seem to be going any where. Globally, it estimated that 7,400 people are infected every day with HIV, a significant proportion of this in Africa.

Stigmatization of HIV rooted in cultural and religious attitudes is perhaps sending as many people to their graves as the condition itself.

Stigmatization may be defined as severe social disapproval of personal characteristics or beliefs that are perceived to be against cultural norms. With regard to HIV stigma is portrayed in prejudice, negative attitudes, abuse and maltreatment directed at people living with HIV and AIDS. In some cases, people with HIV are ostracized by direct family members and the wider community. Even healthcare and education facilities may discriminate in offering service to such people.

Causes of HIV Stigma:

The causes for these established stigmas are widespread ranging from religious and cultural beliefs and expectations and mere misinformation. Personally, the first time I heard about HIV was around 1986 and it was in a church. The Ministry of Health had sent out a team of nurses and Para-medics to tour rural communities in Ghana to educate them on the newcomer HIV. In fact Churches and Mosques were the easiest and cheapest places to get the message across. I was young then, but looking back I am embarrassed by how much misinformation we were fed. And I do not blame the messengers for what they told us. In fact, the world knew very little at that time. Since then much has been learnt about what is and what is not about HIV and AIDS. Some societies have moved quickly in using the available information to undo some of the damage done by the earlier misinformation; other societies are yet to begin the process. This is true of several African communities.

It is sad to say that some communities in Africa still hold the belief that shaking hands, drinking from a cup or eating from a bowl that has been used by a person with HIV, and in extreme cases using a chair previously used by an HIV carrier, will all result in contracting the virus. Again, HIV is normally associated with behaviors that are shunned by society. These include prostitution, drugs, homosexuality, and infidelity. In fact, in some communities, HIV, prostitution and promiscuity are synonyms. HIV was first identified in young gay men in New York and this is always used to tie the illness to the practice of homosexuality. When viewed from the religious perspective, the stigma is even justified since HIV is seen as a punishment for deviant behaviors.

Unfortunately, stigmatization hurts all of us: the patient, the family, and the community as a whole. Early detection is vital to managing the HIV condition but fear of stigmatization makes it difficult for people to go for check up and testing services even when there is reason to believe that something may not be right. The fear of stigmatization holds 1000s of people from accessing care even when it is available to them for free. A sizable proportion of our natural resources is spent in HIV treatment and campaign. We expect to move forward but stigmas and myths continue to be impediment.

The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon once said

“Stigma remains the single most important barrier to public action. It is a main reason why too many people are afraid to see a doctor to determine whether they have the disease, or to seek treatment if so. It helps make AIDS the silent killer, because people fear the social disgrace of speaking about it, or taking easily available precautions. Stigma is a chief reason why the AIDS epidemic continues to devastate societies around the world.” I couldn’t agree with him any more.

HIV stigma is not a problem with developing nation alone. Even in a developed world such as the US, stigma associated with HIV prevails. HIV is a new disease compared to malaria, TB, and syphilis but at it is least 25 years old. It is about time that we work our way out of the stigmas associated with the condition and help ourselves, our families and society.

The person living with the HIV virus is a sister, brother, father, mother, teacher and an entertainer. He or she is not just the ‘HIV Patient’. What a different it would make if it was that easy to accept that.

Thanks for reading.

[ad#Amazon_468x60]

January 30, 2011

Can the Global Fund Weather The Corruption Storm?

Global-Fund-Ambassador — Global Fund Ambassador Carla Bruni-Sarkozy with executive director Michel Kazatchkine and Melinda Gates in Benin. Photograph: John Rae/The Global Fund

By Sarah Boseley

Germany, Ireland and Sweden have suspended payments to the Global Fund to fight Aids, TB and Malaria over the corrupt use of grants by African countries. Could the media storm trigger a domino effect among donors that could severely undermine the fund’s capacity to help the poor?

Until a few days ago, the Global Fund to fight Aids, TB and Malaria had the enviable reputation of being one of the cleanest and safest channels of donor money to the poor in the developing world. Everybody knows there is corruption in Africa – but it never tainted the Global Fund. But now Germany, the third biggest donor to the fund after the US and France, has suspended the €200m it pledged for 2011, asking for an investigation into the fraud and misuse of money in four countries – Mauritania, Mali, Zambia and Djibouti. Ireland has also put its wallet away for the moment, delaying a decision on whether to continue its donations to the fund.

What a difference a few days makes – and how fragile is reputation. The fund now fears a domino effect. As bank crashes have taught us, loss of confidence can do terrible things. And at a time of economic recession, revelations like these can give donor governments just the excuse they need to pull the plug.

So the consequences are potentially very serious. But what has happened to cause the first dominoes to tumble? You’d think it must be some new and terrible revelation. In fact, it was a story on an agency newswire based on a report from October that is on the Global Fund’s website. Although the fund does well in preventing its money being misused, it can’t stop it entirely. The report of its inspector general detailed the corruption that had been found in a number of countries – and the steps that had been taken to root out the corruption and get the money back. The total amount of money involved is US$34m. That is 0.3% of the $13bn the fund has dispensed for disease-fighting programmes since 2007.

The frauds were not a secret. The fund, which has in the past been praised for its transparency, issued a series of press releases – the first one in September 2009, when it suspended grants to Mauritania. In June 2010, it announced that action had been taken against Zambia, which I wrote about. In December, the fund announced it had suspended grants to Mali.

So given that 0.3% ended up in the wrong hands is pretty good going – as many an NGO or business working in Africa will tell you. This should have been a storm in a teacup. But the agency story was followed up by Fox News, which laid into the fund with both fists.

Germany’s decision may have much to do with disagreements between development minister Dirk Niebel and chancellor Angela Merkel over how to prune the aid budget. Ireland’s is inevitably connected with its financial problems. Ironically, Sweden, which suspended its grant to the fund last October after seeing the inspector general’s report, was thought to have been completely satisfied by the explanations it was given and be about to announce its reinstatement, but is unlikely to do so until things quieten down.

But the real fear for the fund’s supporters will be that the storm may have been whipped up by those who want the US to slash its spending on foreign aid and will not only have the Global Fund in their sights, but also the UN. The Global Fund is already short of the money it hoped it would have to pass on to developing countries in the next two years. If the US cuts back, there can be no doubt that the cost will be measured in lives.

Sarah Boseley has won a number of awards for her work on HIV/Aids in Africa, including the One World Media Award (twice)

January 26, 2011January 31, 2011

I Was Shocked When I Was Told I Have HIV

“I was shocked when the results came back positive”

That was a quote from an interview with Elizabeth Matambanadzo, 18, from Zimbabwe, who is living with HIV. My hope is that, this will help all of us to become more accepting of people living with the HIV condition.

In most of our societies, it is commonly assumed that the person living with HIV or AIDS is just paying the price for his or her promiscuous lifestyle. The truth is there millions of people living with HIV for no fault of theirs. And there are millions more who have HIV for doing the same thing you and I do daily. Is it not time that we accept them as people and not just as ‘deserving patients ”?

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon once said:

“Stigma remains the single most important barrier to public action. It is a main reason why too many people are afraid to see a doctor to determine whether they have the disease, or to seek treatment if so. It helps make AIDS the silent killer, because people fear the social disgrace of speaking about it, or taking easily available precautions. Stigma is a chief reason why the AIDS epidemic continues to devastate societies around the world.”

Let Elizabeth continue:

“My mother passed away when I was five and my father when I was 10. I have been staying with my grandmother since then. I tested HIV positive in 2008 when I was 16 after being sick for a long time. I developed sores all over my body that wouldn’t heal even after taking medicine. My grandmother and I were always in and out of hospital. I missed a lot of school. At first doctors thought I had diabetes since the sores were not healing.

“After the diabetes test came back negative the doctor recommended an HIV test. At first my grandmother was against the idea but after some time she agreed. I was shocked when the result came back positive because I had never had sex. My grandmother cried too, she was very sad but the doctor explained that I may have been born HIV positive. I was very angry and blamed my parents for giving me this disease. I was immediately put on antiretroviral drugs [ARVs] and my sores healed… I feel very strong and healthy… all I want is to continue helping other people affected and infected by HIV/AIDS in my community.”

It is as difficult to fight the stigma and stereotypes associated as it is to fight the virus. I plan to write on the evil of stigmatization and its social consequences soon. Please check back

Thanks for reading and please pass it on.

January 22, 2011

Government to empower Ghana AIDS Commission

Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Friday announced that government would commit adequate resources towards the fight against HIV and AIDS and other diseases in the country.

“In our new National Strategic Plan, we are focused on eliminating the mother-to-child transmission of the disease. We are also committed to educating the public against new infection of the disease.”

Vice President Mahama announced these when Miss Jean Beagle, Deputy Executive Director of United Nations AIDS Programme, called on him at the Castle, Osu to announce her impressions on HIV and AIDS programmes in the country’s health facilities.

The Vice President said although Ghana had 1.9 per cent prevalence rate, one of the lowest on the African continent, government would continue to initiate programmes that would stem the spread of the disease in a few years.

He promised to draw up comprehensive programmes in consultation with development partners to ensure that the incidence of HIV/AIDS was reduced to the barest minimum.

He gave the assurance that satellite hospitals would be constructed in the Metropolis to relieve the existing hospitals of the current congestions they experienced in the past years.

Miss Beagle commended government for the number of interventions it had made towards the upkeep of persons living with HIV and AIDS and appealed for more proactive programmes that would make the patients comfortable.

“Ghana has done so well in taking care of the HIV and AIDS patience, but I want to appeal to government to intensify educational programmes on stigma and discrimination which are quite high in the country.”

In a related development, Vice President Mahama has commended the British government for its tremendous support to Ghana in the areas of the Ghana Armed Forces Staff College and the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority programme.

He also expressed happiness that the British government had initiated moves to establish a multi-purpose eye clinic in the national capital.

Vice President Mahama made the commendation when Dr Nicholas Westcott, Out-going British High Commissioner to Ghana called on him to announce the end of his duty tour in the country.

The Out-going High Commissioner who is taking up a European Union position for Africa in Brussels, Belgium, commended Ghana for the open debates on national issues, adding “it helps in nation-building.”

Source: GNA

January 17, 2011

Uganda:Several Christians Hastily Convert to Islam For Clothes

Geof Magga

A group of Christians has suddenly converted to Islam in order to receive free items donated by a Dubai-based company and the United Arab Emirates Red Crescent.

This comes after Muslim landslide victims from Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda (locally called Baduda) who were relocated by the government to the western Ugandan district of Kiryandongo received items donated by a Dubai-based company called Al Crownfolest and the Red Crescent society of United Arab Emirates.

The donated items, worth over $500,000, and solicited by a Ugandan-based local NGO called Iganga Islamic Development Association were distributed last Thursday. Among the items donated were over 3,000 new pairs of trousers, 1,000 copies of the Islamic holy Koran, 500 T-shirts, 2,000 belts and thousands of skirts. The items included no Bibles.

Hasty Conversions

On seeing the Muslims clad in new clothes, and knowing that more clothes were to be distributed soon, over 20 Christians from the resettlement village and neighboring villages converted to Islam in order to get their share of the items.

All items were handed to the Muslim Baduda by the Director of Iganga Islamic Development Association, Abdul Majid Nkolawano. Some were kept in the local resettlement store for future distribution to Muslims by the resettlement village officials.

A neighboring village chief, George Nangwali, said, “Some Christians decided to convert to Islam after establishing that more donations were to be distributed soon. I have learned of three young men who have got circumcised in the last three days so that they become Muslims and qualify to get donated items. Most of the converts are women.”

After Nangwali confirmed that over 20 people had crossed from Christianity to Islam, one of the leaders of the resettled community, Justus Wambede, suggested that poverty and lack of resources could be responsible for the conversions.

Basic Requirements

“People are suffering from poverty. The government gives us some food but it is not enough. We do not have cooking oil and paraffin to light our lanterns. Some people want to get the items so that they sell and get to buy basic requirements” Wambede said.

One of the converts, Isaac Kule, says he “converted to Islam because of two reasons. One, so that I get some of the donated items, and two, because ministry of health ministry encourages us to get circumcised as one of the ways of reducing on the risk of getting infected by HIV-AIDS.” It is not clear who paid for Kule’s circumcision.

The director of Iganga Islamic Development Association, Abdul Majid Nkolawano, said that he asked for donations after seeing the sorry state in which the resettled people were living.

“On learning about the plight of these people, I contacted organizations in UAE for assistance,” said Nkolawano. “We will continue to look for more help from our friends all over the world.”

Last year, over 300 people were buried by mudslides in eastern Uganda, on the slopes of mountain Elgon, 350 kilometers from Kampala, in a village called Bududa. Because of that accident, the government decided to relocate people living on the slopes of the mountain to other parts of the country.

January 13, 2011January 14, 2011

Correction: Give The Women of Africa an Option In Protection

In my article, Anti-HIV/AIDS Campaigns: Give The Women of Africa an Option In Protection

I stated: The main disadvantage of the female condom is that it is three times more expensive than the male condom and therefore beyond the means of women in most African communities where the average income is less than a dollar a day. (The cost of the female condom is between $2.50 -$5.00).

Correction:

The cost of the FC2 Female Condom is around $0.60 for governments and donors and lower with increased volume. The $2 price is what FC1 costs on the shelf in a retail drug store in the US. The FC2 was developed to lower the cost of the female condom with intent to increase access to women in Africa. It has same design but different material and different manufacturing process which allows for the significantly lower cost.

I apologize for mixing these up in the article.

Thank you,

Kwabena Amponsah-Manager

January 10, 2011March 6, 2011

HIV/AIDS Is More Than Statistics

About the Speaker

Kristen Ashburn’s poignant photographs bring us into close contact with individuals in the midst of enormous hardship — giving a human face to struggles that much of the world knows only as statistics and blurbs on the news. She has photographed the people of Iraq a year after the U.S. invasion, Jewish settlers in Gaza, suicide bombers, the penal system in Russia, victims of tuberculosis and the aftermath of the tsunami in Sri Lanka and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. One of her more recent works, BLOODLINE: AIDS and Family, looked at the human impact of AIDS in Africa.

Her unflinching photographs from the Middle East, Europe, and Africa have appeared in many publications including The New Yorker, TIME, Newsweek, and Life. She has won numerous awards, including the NPPA‘s Best of Photojournalism Award and two World Press Photo prizes.

[youtube]T3vZbEJXCAE[/youtube]