In the Press this week.

Eastern and Southern Africa Media strategy against HIV/AIDS

Weekly update: November 12-16 th 2007

Global

Many people don't think Aids is fatal

In a nine-country survey released today, more than 40 per cent of respondents did not understand that Aids is always a fatal disease. While most respondents believed that Aids is always a fatal illness, many wrongly believed that a cure for HIV infection is available. For instance, 59 per cent of Indians believed that a cure is available. In France, older adults were more likely than younger people to believe that the disease is curable. More>>

Africa

Aids therapy rates falling off in Africa

About half of the people starting antiretroviral therapy programmes (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa are no longer receiving treatment after two years, according to a research paper published on October 16 by the US-based Public Library of Sciences (PLoS) medical journal. More>>

Safe sex a fundamental right of African women

Zambian first lady Maureen Mwanawasa has some sound advice for her countrywomen. They must henceforth demand, not negotiate for safe sex; whether or not “negotiating for safer sex is a term that has become accepted worldwide, it puts a woman at the mercy of a man.” More>>

Rwanda

Scarcity of red ribbons still an obstacle for campaigning against the spread of HIV/Aids

I hope that by writing this article the concerned organs will be able to assist campaigners to get an adequate supply of the red ribbons so that the Aids Day due to be commemorated on 1st December may find a good number of them already supplied to many people. The Red Ribbon symbol is used internationally to represent the fight against Aids. More>>

HIV infected children need love

In most cases if we have children who are infected with HIV/AIDS at school or as our neighbors at home or perhaps in our community, as kids we tend not to associate with them and fear them. In most cases we forget that they are also little like us and need care and comfort more than anything else to help them live longer. Many times we talk about them, can't share eats with them and we find that there is a large breach between us. More>>

Tanzania

Tanzania's low class waking up to voluntary HIV/Aids testing call
  `Many people started flocking to this area when the president himself had his HIV/Aids status confirmed by testing in public, he adds.
The president of Tanzania Jakaya Kikwete's did indeed have a HIV/Aids test in public during the launching of the nationwide HIV/Aids campaign on July 14 this year in Dar es Salaam. More>>

AIDS Briefing: Warning is sent to Vaccine volunteers

South African Aids researchers have begun warning hundreds of volunteers that a highly touted experimental vaccine they received in recent months might make them more, not less, likely to contract HIV in the midst of one of the world's most rampant epidemics. The move stems from the discovery last month that an Aids vaccine developed by Merck & Co. might have led to more infections than it averted among study subjects in the United States and other countries. Among those who received at least two doses of the vaccine, 19 contracted HIV compared with 11 of those given placebos. More>>

AIDSAIDS BRIEFING: Warning is sent to vaccine volunteers BRIEFING:

Kenya

This is more than half the money the Ministry of Health requires in the next two years to implement its HIV/Aids programmes. More

State warns over herbal medicines

Herbal medicines are not perfect after all, the Government has warned. Chief Pharmacist at the Health ministry, Mr Fred Siyoi, said the effectiveness of most products had not been proven. "Some people sell bottled drugs, claiming they can cure many ailments," said Siyoi. Most advertisers of herbal medicines claim they can cure hangover, diabetes, asthma, male impotency and even Aids, among other diseases. More>>

Uganda

Can we achieve an HIV free generation?

Uganda wants an HIV-free generation and to help to achieve this, the government has begun an onslaught against so-called cross-generational sex. The practice is defined as young people, especially girls, entering into sexual relationships with people who are more than ten years older. Catchy as it is, I believe this media campaign is in danger of overlooking an inconvenient truth - young people are not contracting HIV simply because they have sexual relations with older people, they are also at risk of transmitting HIV to one another. More>>

The Secretariat of Eastern and Southern Africa Media Strategy against HIV/AIDS has compiled this weekly update, under the office of UNESCO’s Regional Communications Advisor, Nairobi. The articles contained in the update are from press sources in the sub-region and do not necessarily reflect theviews and opinions of UNESCO.