GLOBAL: IRIN/PlusNews Weekly Issue 500, 27 August 2010
JOHANNESBURG, 27 August 2010 (PlusNews) - CONTENTS:
SOUTH AFRICA: Communities debate microbicide results
KENYA: TB patients held in police cells for defaulting on treatment
SOUTH AFRICA: Strike jeopardizes HIV treatment
KENYA: Government changes tack on HIV prevention, treatment for drug users
UGANDA: Optimism as PEPFAR increases funding
SOUTH AFRICA: Pholokgolo Ramothwala, "You can never hide HIV forever"
EVENTS/RESOURCES
1. HIV and Most-at-Risk Populations (MARPs), Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, 18 - 29 October - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2. Guidelines on HIV and Infant Feeding 2010, World Health Organization (WHO)
VACANCIES
1. Project Manager, Market Intelligence Information, UNITAID - Geneva, Switzerland
2. Disability and HIV/AIDS Advisor, Handicap International - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
SOUTH AFRICA: Communities debate microbicide results
The recent release of positive results from a microbicide trial in South Africa have kick-started discussions between scientists, activists and community workers about the quickest and most responsible way of getting a product into women's hands.
full report
KENYA: TB patients held in police cells for defaulting on treatment
Kenyan government officials have defended the arrest and incarceration of two men infected with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), who failed to adhere to their treatment.
full report
SOUTH AFRICA: Strike jeopardizes HIV treatment
A strike for better wages by South African health workers is putting the lives of HIV-positive people on the line as industrial action disrupts treatment programmes.
full report
KENYA: Government changes tack on HIV prevention, treatment for drug users
Intravenous drug users (IDUs) have been largely ignored by the government's HIV programmes on the basis that drug-taking is illegal, but a new policy is being drafted with the aim of reducing HIV transmission among this high-risk group.
full report
UGANDA: Optimism as PEPFAR increases funding
More Ugandan HIV patients are set to receive life-prolonging medication after the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) responded to appeals from healthcare providers overwhelmed by patients by committing to increase its support of the country's treatment programme.
full report
SOUTH AFRICA: Pholokgolo Ramothwala, "You can never hide HIV forever"
Journalist and long-time HIV activist Pholokgolo Ramothwala, 32, was diagnosed HIV-positive at the age of 19. He runs his own communications company and writes an online diary about living with HIV. He spoke to IRIN/PlusNews about love, disclosure and discordance.
full report
EVENTS/RESOURCES
1. HIV and Most-at-Risk Populations (MARPs), Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, 18 - 29 October - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
This two-week course will focus on MARPs such as men who have sex with men and injecting drug users. The course is geared towards those working in the HIV/AIDS sector, including researchers and students, and is open to candidates from across Africa.
Download more information at: MARPs course announcement
2. Guidelines on HIV and Infant Feeding 2010, World Health Organization (WHO)
An update of the WHO's previous 2006 guidelines, this document outlines the WHO principles and recommendations for infant feeding in the context of HIV as well as a summary of the existing evidence. While new recommendations are generally consistent with the old, revisions do, for instance, differ in their recommendation that national authorities decide which infant feeding practice will be primarily promoted in their countries.
To download the guidelines, go to: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/
VACANCIES
1. Project Manager, Market Intelligence Information, UNITAID - Geneva, Switzerland
Responsibilities:
- Oversee partners commissioned to develop and maintain the Market Intelligence Information System (MIIS)
- Develop a systematic approach for the inclusion of new types of information into the MIIS
- Coordinate the establishment of data standards, routine data analyses and the dissemination of market intelligence information to the public
- Provide data to support UNITAID's proposal and project development processes
- Conduct regular analyses of market dynamics to monitor the demand and supply sides of markets for medicines related to HIV, tuberculosis and malaria
- Participate in the design and conduct of project evaluations
- Draft and edit reports, briefs, talking points, peer-reviewed publications and oral presentations
- Represent UNITAID at key meetings and events related to market dynamics
Qualifications:
- Advanced university degree in public health, epidemiology, sciences, statistics or related field; advanced university degree or certification in information management, information technology or pharmacy desirable
- Knowledge of international organizations and their work in the area of market dynamics and HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria
- Strong project management skills
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Computer literacy with emphasis on development of databases and information dissemination; expertise with analytic software including SAS, SPSS and Stata
- At least 10 years experience in project and data management with a record of building, maintaining and using primary and secondary data sources to examine impacts of public health policies and programmes
- Experience working in the WHO or the United Nations system is desirable
Application deadline: 23 September
For more information and to apply, go to: http://unjobs.org/
2. Disability and HIV/AIDS Advisor, Handicap International - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Responsibilities:
- Provide guidance on mainstreaming HIV within projects dealing with the legal rights, physical rehabilitation and vulnerabilities of persons with disabilities in projects nationwide
- Ensure technical policies, methods and approaches implemented within the programme are adapted to the local context, the programme strategy and organization's HIV strategy
- Provide technical backstopping and capacity building for project team
- Guide the development of meaningful project indicators
- Draft periodic project reports and facilitate the distribution of lessons learned
Qualifications:
- Masters in public health or a related field
- At least five years experience working with issues related to physical disabilities and HIV, with comprehensive understanding of disability issues, including disability mainstreaming and rights-based approaches
- Strong competencies in capacity building and training
- Good networking skills
- Fluency in written and spoken English
- Ability to travel frequently
Application deadline: 5 September
To apply, send a resume, cover letter and reference to [email protected]. For more information on the post, go to www.handicap-international.fr
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