GLOBAL: IRIN/PlusNews Weekly Issue 501, 3 September 2010
JOHANNESBURG, 3 September 2010 (PlusNews) - CONTENTS:
SOUTH AFRICA: Strike sends XDR-TB patients home
SOUTH AFRICA: Survivor's guide for non-striking health workers
GLOBAL: New two-hour TB test
KENYA: Camel clinics bring condoms to nomads
UGANDA: New strains of HIV spreading in fishing communities
SOUTHERN AFRICA: More sterilizations of HIV-positive women uncovered
EVENTS/RESOURCES
1. Health Economics Workshop, HEARD, 11 - 15 October - Durban, South Africa
2. Transparency Deficit: A Report on HIV/AIDS Funding in Nigeria, Independent Advocacy Project (IAP)
VACANCIES
1. Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Adviser, UNAIDS - Gaborone, Botswana
2. Regional Communication Advisor, UNAIDS - Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
SOUTH AFRICA: Strike sends XDR-TB patients home
Striking public health workers in South Africa have virtually shut down King George V Hospital, a referral facility in the port city of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Province, which specializes in caring for and isolating patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extremely drug-resistant (XDR)-TB.
full report
SOUTH AFRICA: Survivor's guide for non-striking health workers
Public sector strikes in South Africa have become so common in recent years that people are asking if plans should not be put in place to prevent the disruption of HIV and tuberculosis [TB] treatment, and prepare health workers.
full report
GLOBAL: New two-hour TB test
A new, accurate, easy-to-use test can diagnose tuberculosis (TB) - including drug-resistant strains of the disease - in less than two hours. It has the potential to save thousands of lives in developing countries, where current tests are often unreliable, take weeks to process, or are simply unavailable.
full report
KENYA: Camel clinics bring condoms to nomads
In the remote and rural district of Samburu, northern Kenya, where paved roads are scarce and motorised transport hard to come by, reaching the mostly pastoralist and nomadic inhabitants with HIV/AIDS services requires an unusual approach.
full report
UGANDA: New strains of HIV spreading in fishing communities
A study of HIV-positive people in fishing communities on the shores of Lake Victoria in central Uganda has found that more than a quarter have "recombinant" viruses that might threaten both treatment and prevention efforts.
full report
SOUTHERN AFRICA: More sterilizations of HIV-positive women uncovered
Veronica* did not realize she had been sterilized while giving birth to her daughter until four years later when, after failing to conceive, she and her boyfriend consulted a doctor.
full report
EVENTS/RESOURCES
1. Health Economics Workshop, HEARD, 11 – 15 October - Durban, South Africa
This workshop aims to provide participants with an understanding of health economics and what this kind of analytical lens can bring to resource planning, allocation and evaluation in the health care sector. Geared towards health staff, the workshop will use case studies from southern Africa to demonstrate the role of health economics in addressing HIV epidemics.
For more information, go to: www.heard.org.za
2. Transparency Deficit: A Report on HIV/AIDS Funding in Nigeria, Independent Advocacy Project (IAP)
IAP studied the management and allocation of HIV/AIDS funding in Nigeria as part of its work with the Promoting Accountability and Transparency in HIV/AIDS funding (PATH) programme. The report highlights the mismanagement of funds and identifies bottlenecks in the disbursement of HIV and AIDS funding. It concludes with practical recommendations for national and state governments as well as public institutions and donors.
To download the report, go to: http://zunia.org/
VACANCIES
1. Senior Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Adviser, UNAIDS - Gaborone, Botswana
Responsibilities:
- Support the development and implementation of the national M&E system, including annual, costed work plans; a M&E communications strategy and quality assurance mechanisms
- Lead the UN system's support to government for the establishment and maintenance of a national M&E coordination entity
- Advocate for data harmonization among key stakeholders
- In collaboration with government, civil society and partners, support the country-led process of UNGASS reporting
- Supervise the M&E staff of UNAIDS and that of the Joint UN Team on AIDS
- Oversee the development and implementation of M&E frameworks with costed work plans according to international standards
- Lead the development of a clearly prioritised research agenda
- Provide technical support to the national AIDS coordinating authority
Qualifications:
- Advanced university degree in epidemiology, statistics, demography, public health or social science; or a combination of university degree with strong quantitative training, professional training and experience
- At least 11 years experience in the design, development, operational application and evaluation of AIDS programmes in developing country settings
- Demonstrated ability to foster relationships with co-sponsors, external institutions and across other units and departments at the management level
- Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in the UN System
- Fluency in written and spoken English
Application deadline: 17 September
For more information and to apply, go to: https://erecruit.unaids.org/
2. Regional Communication Advisor, UNAIDS - Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Responsibilities:
- Coordinate and implement a regional communications strategy while providing guidance and support for country communications strategies
- Provide guidance and support to country offices for a communication assessment and analysis leading to development of a national communication strategic plan
- Lead and manage press conferences, including the development of background materials for external distribution, and line up interviews with UNAIDS officials, advising them on key issues
- In collaboration with the communications team at UNAIDS HQ manage media outreach on regular basis, including maintaining contacts with journalists, lining up interviews for senior UNAIDS staff and proposing story ideas at regional and country level
- Develop and pitch different news stories in mainstream media on UNAIDS covering at least each of the countries within the region
- Develop media partnerships with mainstream media in the region, including developing networks, programme partnerships and media-related policies around AIDS-related issues
Qualifications:
- University degree in communications, journalism, or public relations or an advanced degree in similar fields
- At least seven years progressive experience in public relations, media relations, event management or journalism
- Professional networking and relationship-building skills
- Experience organizing public relations events on AIDS issues
- Ability to analyze trends among opinion makers
- Proven experience in the drafting of documents for internal and external audiences, as well as an understanding of multimedia
- Demonstrated familiarity with budgeting and costing concepts
- Advanced level of English, with a good working knowledge of French or Spanish
Application deadline: 17 September
For more information and to apply, go to: https://erecruit.unaids.org/
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