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The International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infections (IUSTI) will be holding their ninth world congress from 15-18 November 2005 at The Imperial Queen's Park Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. It will be hosted by the Consortium of Thai Training Institutes for STDs and AIDS (COTTISA). The theme of the meeting is 'STI/HIV: Multidisciplinary Approaches - East Meets West'.

Each day of the conference will begin with a plenary session comprising presentations that will provide broad and timely summaries of advances in particular areas. The plenary session will be followed by scientific sessions, each comprising symposia and several oral presentations. Posters will be displayed throughout each meeting day. Oral and poster presentation will be selected from abstracts submitted.

Tracks

Basic Science
Clinical Science
Social Science
Behaviour Science
Epidemiology
Prevention Strategies
Sexual Health

Topics

• Epidemiology of Genital Herpes in the Developing World
• Ethics and Laws related to HIV/AIDS
• HIV/AIDS dynamics and behaviour change
• Interaction between STIs and HIV
• Development of safe and effective Microbicides: where are we?
• Vaccines for HIV/ STIs
• Male circumcision and STI/HIV

For more information:
Dr Chavalit Mankalaviraj - Congress Secretariat
Secretariat World IUSTI 2005
C/O Bangrak Hospital, 189 Sathorn Road
Bangkok 10120
Tel: +66-2-676 5383
Fax: +66-2-286 3013 or email

Panos London is gathering information on training activities for journalists wanting to develop their skills in reporting on HIV/AIDS. This information will form part of a new web resource for the media launched by the World Bank - the AIDS Media Centre (AMC) - www.aidsmedia.org. It will also be available on the Panos London website - www.panos.org.uk.

There is currently no comprehensive, up-to-date listing of media training events available, which can make it difficult for journalists, particularly in developing countries, to find out about training events in their countries.

Panos London is calling for anyone who organises or funds HIV/AIDS media training events to provide them with the following information:

• The name of the event
• Who is organising it
• The date and time of the training
• Country where the event is taking place
• A short description of the training, including who the event is for, the main topics, registration details and closing dates for applications
• If available, a hyperlink to organiser's web page, application form, concept note etc.

Please email details to:

Global Health Action will be holding a training course to provide practising health professionals and programme managers with necessary skills to help them to design, manage and evaluate successful community-based HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support programmes.

The course will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 11-16 July 2005. According to Global Health Action, at the end of this training participants will be able to:

• plan, organise and lead community surveys, needs assessment and asset mapping
• develop and carry out sound approaches to strategic planning, staffing, monitoring and evaluation
• develop and implement an action plan for a community-based HIV/AIDS project

Follow-up to the event will include: a three-day workshop in January 2006 to report on project implementation and receive technical assistance on topics chosen by participants; technical assistance provided through an e-mail forum; a field visit to an HIV/AIDS programme site in Nairobi; and a one-year follow-up survey to evaluate project implementation.

The cost of the course is US $1,450, which includes the six-day course, a three-day workshop in January 2006, 6 months of technical assistance via the internet, lunch and snacks. Participants will receive a $45 per diem that may be applied to accommodation and meals. Participants are responsible for their own travel costs and securing their own visas.

Applications must be received at Global Health Action by 12 April 2005.

For more information:
Global Health Action, Inc.
1902 Clairmont Road
Decatur GA 30033 USA
Tel: 404 634 5748
Fax: 404 634 9685