by Thato Molefe
Last year, the Network of African People living with HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa (NAP+SAR) was formed and is based in South Africa. Its mandate was to add complimentary values to the efforts of country networks of people living with HIV and AIDS in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.NAP+SAR members thus far are Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Lesotho Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
During a period of five days (25th to 29th August) NAP+SAR brought together key members from the country networks of people living with HIV and AIDS from the SADC region for an Annual General Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Also in attendance were representatives of a new network of SADC journalists who live with HIV and AIDS.
And while the conference charted the progress of internal operations of the one-year-old organisation, the following issues were raised when the country networks reported the challenges and triumphs.
The country networks had in common projects that address food security.
Food security has earned more meaning in the wake of global food hikes. The adherence of antiretroviral (ARVs) drugs is challenged by poor food security. The Zimbabwe National Network of PLWHA (ZNNP+) reported that the recent upheaval caused by the elections and eminent food shortages had caused many PLWHA to cease their treatment because of the disruption of their daily lives, thus, as common with lack of adhering to treatment, a strain of the virus that will be more challenging to treat could possibly be brewing.
The networks reported programmes that food security programmes that work at grassroots level, ranging from vegetable gardens to Botswana Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (BONEPWA+)’s pyramid-like scheme that provides free-range chickens to affected individuals.
Another regional challenge that people living with HIV are faced with is a language barrier. It is uncommon for people living with HIV in Portuguese speaking countries to source medical assistance in Brazil rather that in nearby South Africa where that treatment is also available due to the communication break down of not speaking the same language.
The national network also raised a concern in the regional trend of the criminalising of HIV transmission. While some spoke of its gender implications, the nature of such crime is ‘assumed’ but result in harsh penalties.
Uganda's Health Ministry
Orders $1.8M Worth of Antiretrovirals To Address Drug Shortage
Uganda's Ministry of Health is expecting a batch of antiretroviral drugs to "arrive any time," Sam Zaramba, director-general of health services, announced on Tuesday following a drug shortage confirmed by health officials in the country last week, the New Vision/AllAfrica.com reports. The government order for $1.8 million worth of antiretrovirals was placed with Quality Chemicals, a pharmaceutical company based in Uganda's capital of Kampala.
According to Quality Chemicals' CEO Emmanuel Katongole, the first batch of the drugs is scheduled to be delivered this week. Zaramba said the drug shortage is temporary and that there is "no need to panic because we are ensuring that [the antiretrovirals] are delivered on time." Zaramba added that an increased demand for antiretrovirals and a scarcity of ingredients needed to produce the drugs are creating a global shortage.
According to the New Vision/AllAfrica.com, about 1,500 people are enrolled in Uganda's antiretroviral treatment program monthly. In addition, 312,000 people in the country are in immediate need of antiretrovirals -- an increase from approximately 225,000 people in 2006. About 42% -- or 130,000 people -- of the total number of people in urgent need of the drugs are receiving the medications, according to the New Vision/AllAfrica.com (Bugembe, New Vision/AllAfrica.com, 8/28).
- Needle-Exchange Programs
'Simple, Effective Step' For HIV Prevention, Opinion Piece Says
[Aug 29, 2008]
Although HIV cases among Hispanics and blacks in the U.S. are
"increasing at a dangerous rate," the federal government is "ignoring a
simple, effective step" of allowing federal funding for needle-exchange
programs, Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.), chair of the House Appropriations
Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, writes in a Washington Post
opinion piece. Serrano writes that it is time "to move past stale
arguments and change this federal policy," adding, "While we strive to
help people overcome drug addiction, we must also help them avoid
HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases." More than 300,000 HIV/AIDS
cases in the U.S. at the end of 2006 were linked to injection drug use,
according to the opinion piece.
A fiscal year 2008 spending bill passed
last year lifted a ban on city funding for needle-exchange programs in
Washington, D.C., according to Serrano, who adds, "I believe that this
was both a home-rule issue and a positive public health initiative."
During debate on the bill, Serrano writes that "critics trotted out the
tired claim" that needle-exchange programs encourage drug use, adding
that the "facts do not support this claim." Needle-exchange programs
"provide opportunities to reduce drug use" and "work as a gateway to
other forms of intervention," Serrano writes, adding that federal
funding for the programs would save taxpayer money. An HIV-positive
person's average lifetime health costs are estimated at $618,900, and
clean syringes cost about eight cents each, Serrano writes.
Serrano writes that he recently introduced a bill (HR 6680)
that would remove all restrictions on the use of federal funding for
needle-exchange programs in an effort to reduce the spread of HIV.
Serrano writes that he is "not suggesting" that funding exchange
programs would end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S., "but there is no
doubt that it would be an integral part of a comprehensive response."
Serrano writes that the federal government should fund effective
prevention programs, adding, "We must not let ideology stand in our
way" (Serrano, Washington Post, 8/29).