GLOBAL: IRIN PlusNews Weekly Issue 362, 23 November 2007
JOHANNESBURG, 23 November 2007 (PlusNews) - NEWS:
CAPE VERDE: The road to safer sex and HIV prevention
ZIMBABWE: Workplace AIDS programmes feel the pinch
KENYA: Lower intravenous drug use, but HIV risks remain
GLOBAL: New numbers give better picture of epidemic
LESOTHO: A desire to learn stifled by hunger
SWAZILAND: Business and labour fight AIDS together
KENYA: HIV-positive and still sexy
Events/Resources
1. HIV/AIDS programmes: Comparative advantage study, World Bank and the Global Fund
2. Registration deadline, Global Summit on HIV/AIDS, Traditional Medicine & Indigenous Knowledge, 15 January 2008, Accra, Ghana
Vacancies
1. Supply Specialist (HIV/AIDS), UNICEF, Nairobi, Kenya
2. HIV/AIDS treatment, care and support technical assistant, Malawi Ministry of Health (MOH), Malawi
CAPE VERDE: The road to safer sex and HIV prevention
Some turn their gaze away, others laugh nervously; a few can't stop staring, or else try to feign shyness. The reactions are never the same, but no one remains indifferent when Daniel Delgado, with enviable enthusiasm, takes the wooden penis out of his little black bag to demonstrate how to use a condom correctly.
full report
ZIMBABWE: Workplace AIDS programmes feel the pinch
Zimbabwe's seven-year economic crisis has forced private companies to make some difficult decisions about workplace programmes for HIV-positive staff. How do you provide life-prolonging antiretroviral (ARV) medication, care and support, when you're struggling to keep your business afloat?
full report
KENYA: Lower intravenous drug use, but HIV risks remain
In the 1990s Kenya's seaside resort of Malindi was the place to be for injecting drug users looking for a ready supply of cheap heroin.
full report
GLOBAL: New numbers give better picture of epidemic
New HIV prevalence figures released on Tuesday suggest the global AIDS epidemic may be waning in many countries, but that UNAIDS also overestimated the number of people living with HIV in its earlier reports.
full report
LESOTHO: A desire to learn stifled by hunger
The hunger of the seemingly healthy and well-groomed school students at Moruthane Secondary School, about 80km south of Lesotho's capital, Maseru, is at first not apparent, but as the morning progresses they become listless and their concentration lapses.
full report
SWAZILAND: Business and labour fight AIDS together
Ten years ago, attempts by businesses to talk about AIDS in the workplace were enough to make workers down tools. But after a decade in which Swaziland's AIDS epidemic has devastated its workforce, labour and management are finally starting to work together to reduce the spread of the disease.
full report
KENYA: HIV-positive and still sexy
People tend to think that contracting HIV can spell the end of their sex lives, but HIV-positive Africans of all ages are now being urged to reclaim their sexuality and live healthy, normal lives.
full report
Events/Resources
1. HIV/AIDS programmes: Comparative advantage study, World Bank and the Global Fund
This study was undertaken at the request of the Global Fund and the World Bank in response to a June 2005 recommendation that the two institutions evaluate and clarify areas of overlap, comparative advantages. The report concludes both organisations need to concentrate more on exploiting respective comparative advantages – with the World Bank taking the lead on helping to strengthen health delivery systems while the Global Fund concentrates on disease programmes.
To download the report, please go to http://siteresources.worldbank.org
2. Registration deadline, Global Summit on HIV/AIDS, Traditional Medicine & Indigenous Knowledge, 15 January 2008, Accra, Ghana
The specific objective of the 10-14 March 2008 event is to identify traditional medicines and practices used in relation to such illnesses as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis and evaluate safety, efficacy and quality standards. Registration ends 15 January 2008.
Register at http://africa-first.com
Vacancies
1. Supply specialist (HIV/AIDS), UNICEF, Nairobi, Kenya
Responsibilities:
- Provide technical assistance to UNICEF country offices within the Eastern and Southern Africa region on HIV and AIDS related supplies (diagnostics, drugs and other consumables), procurement, shipping and logistics matters
- Monitoring supplier performance
- Conduct worldwide market research
- Implement long-term procurement planning in order to achieve cost-effective means of procurement
Requirements:
- Advanced university degree in pharmacy, business administration, management or a related technical field
- Eight years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels in supply/logistics management, four years of which should be in developing countries
- Experience with worldwide procurement, contract negotiations and administration, combined with broader economic knowledge
- Proven ability to conceptualise, innovate, plan and execute ideas as well as impart knowledge and teach skills
- Ability to supervise and direct a team of professional and support staff
- Proven ability to plan, manage and monitor the effective use and safekeeping of fixed assets and financial resources.
- Good analytical and negotiating skills
- Ability to organise and implement training
- Computer skills and various office applications.
- Leadership ability
- Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment
- Fluency in English and another UN language required
Application deadline: 29 Nov 2007
To apply, send a detailed curriculum vitae in English, and completed United Nations Personal History form (available at www.unicef.org), quoting VN-07-673 to [email protected]. Only candidates who are under serious consideration will be contacted.
2. HIV/AIDS treatment, care and support technical assistant, Malawi Ministry of Health (MOH), Malawi
Responsibilities
- Assist the HIV Unit and MOH with the development, updating, and implementation of HIV/AIDS care, treatment, and support services, policies and standards
- Ensure improved access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and increase uptake of paediatric ART
- Develop the capacity of the Ministry of Health (HIV/AIDS Unit in particular) to facilitate the development of a prioritised operations research plan relevant to Malawi in the areas of care
- Support the HIV coordinator and the senior leadership of the HIV Unit to effectively work with all stakeholders at policy and implementation level
- Assist with long-term planning, quarterly reports and other ad hoc reports on the state of scaling-up and performance of, research, stakeholder participation and budgets
Requirements
- Qualified physician with at least ten years post-qualification experience in infectious diseases, of which at least five years should be in sub-Saharan Africa
- Experience and knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention and care activities in sub-Saharan Africa, and understanding of rapid scale-up
- Working experience of HIV/AIDS and other public-health disease control programmes in Africa
- Close professional links with relevant partners and experts in international agencies who are involved in scaling up of the delivery of comprehensive care and ART in resource-poor settings
- A strong background in operational research and a proven track record of success in terms of implementing studies (as demonstrated by writing papers for peer-reviewed journals) and translating research into policy and practice
- Self-starter with well-developed written and oral communication skills and the ability to work constructively and well in a multi-cultural setting with a wide array of experts in the field (proven experience in working in Malawi preferred)
Application deadline: 20 December 2007
Interested candidates should provide a brief cover letter and current CV to Solmaz Shotorbani, MPH, Country Project Manager at [email protected]. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
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