GLOBAL: IRIN/PlusNews Weekly Issue 486, 21 May 2010
NAIROBI, 21 May 2010 (PlusNews) - CONTENTS:
SOUTH AFRICA: Straight talk with South Africa's Health Minister
KENYA: Buckling under the financial strain of living with HIV
HAITI: NGO wins award but "still so much to do"
KENYA: Growing self-esteem at farm schools
SOUTHERN AFRICA: HIV testing and treatment to prevent TB
KENYA: Counsellors face burnout as national testing drive presses on
EVENTS/RESOURCES
1. 5th International Workshop on HIV Transmission - Principles of Intervention, Virology Education, 15-16 July - Vienna, Austria
2. Tuberculosis Series - The Lancet
VACANCIES
1. Director, technical team (HIV clinical care), International Centre for AIDS Care and Treatment Programmes - Tanzania
2. HIV Technical Advisor, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) - Baltimore, United States of America
SOUTH AFRICA: Straight talk with South Africa's Health Minister
Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, appointed South Africa's Health Minister about a year ago, is in charge of the world's largest antiretroviral (ARV) treatment programme. Many AIDS activists credit him with helping to usher in a new approach to HIV and AIDS, including changes to treatment guidelines announced by President Jacob Zuma on World AIDS Day 2009. Can the government deliver? IRIN/PlusNews spoke to the minister to find out.
full report
KENYA: Buckling under the financial strain of living with HIV
Maria Obonyo walked 70km from her home to the nearest hospital in western Kenya's Bondo District to seek treatment for an uncomfortable rash but could not afford the US$2 for the ointment the doctor recommended.
full report
HAITI: NGO wins award but "still so much to do"
When the earthquake hit Port au Prince on 12 January, Bill Pape and the rest of the staff of GHESKIO, the country's largest HIV NGO, were unprepared.
full report
KENYA: Growing self-esteem at farm schools
Rural Kenyans affected by the post-election violence in 2008 are among thousands of beneficiaries of a programme that aims to improve food security and incomes and reduce women's vulnerability to gender-based violence by teaching better farming techniques.
full report
SOUTHERN AFRICA: HIV testing and treatment to prevent TB
Diagnosing HIV early and starting antiretroviral (ARV) treatment could be the most important weapons in the battle against HIV-associated tuberculosis, but this would need a huge injection of resources in southern Africa, where the dual epidemics of TB and HIV claim the most lives.
full report
KENYA: Counsellors face burnout as national testing drive presses on
The Kenyan government has won praise for a national door-to-door HIV testing drive that aims to test 80 percent of the population for HIV/AIDS by the end of 2010, but once-enthusiastic counsellors are beginning to show signs of burnout.
full report
EVENTS/RESOURCES
1. 5th International Workshop on HIV Transmission - Principles of Intervention, Virology Education, 15-16 July - Vienna, Austria
The main objectives of this meeting are to provide a forum for basic scientists, clinicians, virologists, epidemiologists and public health officials to present and to discuss the various aspects of the transmission of HIV. The ultimate goal of the meeting is the integration of efforts from all relevant disciplines in order to constrain the spread of (drug-resistant) HIV.
For more information, visit: www.virology-education.com
2. Tuberculosis Series - The Lancet
Launched on 19 May, the series looks at the global prevalence and burden of tuberculosis, and the challenges faced to reduce worldwide cases rapidly and eliminate this disease as a threat by 2050. It also highlights the optimism stemming from the continuing development and identification of new tuberculosis drugs, vaccines, biomarkers, and diagnostics.
For more information: www.thelancet.com
VACANCIES
1. Director, technical team (HIV clinical care), International Centre for AIDS Care and Treatment Programmes - Tanzania
Responsibilities:
- Provide overall clinical and programmatic guidance and build capacity of ICAP clinical advisors and central technical team (CTT) to work with district and regional clinicians;
- Provide guidance in the development of clinical training programmes, information system development/improvement, facilitation of community linkages, patient flow analysis, improvement of adherence support systems, development or improvement of referral systems, etc...;
- Provide technical supervision for ICAP central technical team and regional clinical advisors; create and supervise task teams to effectively implement programme activities and meet objectives; conduct regular individual supervision meetings. Develop ICAP-wide CTT annual and monthly work plans jointly with advisors, monitor and assess regularly;
- Ensure technical consistency in programme support through grants and other efforts, provide technical guidelines in the development of scopes of work for grantees;
- Expand technical aspects of the ICAP District Mentoring Initiative working as a team, identify and provide technical assistance for improving clinical skills practice at sites and districts where ICAP works. Mentor and build skills and capacity of technical staff.
Qualifications:
- Doctor of Medicine with at least five years of experience in delivering HIV care and treatment services;
- Demonstrated experience with supervising clinical staff, designing projects; prioritizing and set realistic work plans and timelines; and evaluate work plan progress appropriately;
- Excellent interpersonal and team building skills;
- Written and verbal communications skills in Swahili and English;
- Five-plus years of experience in development and management of international HIV/AIDS programmes, with extensive HIV/AIDS care and treatment programme management experience strongly preferred;
Application deadline: 30 June 2010
To apply, send your cover letter, resume and salary requirements to [email protected]. Indicate you are applying for position #DTT- Tanzania in the subject line of your e-mail.
2. HIV Technical Advisor I, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) - Baltimore, United States of America
Responsibilities:
- Contribute to developing specific HIV priorities and strategies, particularly as they relate to youth, with particular reference to partnerships, programmatic areas, regions and funding opportunities;
- Coordinate the programmatic response for youth programs within HIV/health projects;
- Contribute to the advancement of agency - wide orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and youth work including backstopping the OVC team leader as needed;
- Contribute to the development and dissemination of HIV and AIDS programme standards, policy, and guidance in HIV programming overall with specific attention to individual focus areas;
- Support adherence to CRS HIV and AIDS policy, guidance, and programme standards.
Qualifications:
- Masters degree or higher in public health or other health - related subject area (e.g., Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Master of Social Work (MSW);
- Three to five years of progressive responsibility in overseas relief and development programmes in health and/or HIV, including at least three years working overseas.
- Previous experience working with youth and OVC programmes.
- Broad technical knowledge of HIV and AIDS, current HIV and AIDS programmatic approaches, lifespan development, youth issues, youth and child participation, and international development.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate issues and transfer knowledge in an appropriate manner through formal and informal training and advisory skills.
Application deadline: 16 July 2010
To apply, visit: www.crs.org
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