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IRIN PlusNews Weekly Issue 194, 13 August 2004NEWS: SWAZILAND: New radio drama spreads AIDS awareness A new radio drama aimed at transforming Swazis' knowledge of AIDS into a change in personal behaviour began broadcasting this week. "The show's purpose is to give information, but I think it is fundamentally different from other attempts at AIDS communication in Swaziland during the past 15 years," said Alan Brody, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) country representative, who is sponsoring the drama. More details ZAMBIA: Activists concerned over drug shortages in ARV rollout Shortages of a critical generic antiretroviral (ARV) drug used in Zambia's AIDS treatment programme have revealed a lack of adequate planning by the government that could derail the ARV rollout, activists told PlusNews on Thursday. Zambian health minister Dr Brian Chituwo announced in parliament this week that supplies of Triomune-30, a fixed-dose combination of Nevirapine, Lamivudine and Stavudine, had run out. More details ZIMBABWE: Disabled highly vulnerable to HIV The special needs of disabled people need to be urgently addressed in AIDS awareness programmes if the worrying rate of infection is to be curbed, according to Zimbabwean NGOs working with people living with disabilities. More than 1.2 million people in Zimbabwe are disabled, of whom 300,000 are HIV positive. More details ZIMBABWE: Action against gender inequality needed to defeat AIDS Urgent action against gender inequality is required to tackle the high rate of HIV-infection among women and girls in Zimbabwe, a report prepared by a regional task force has warned. Nearly 80 percent of all HIV infections in the 15 to 24 age group were among young women, said the Zimbabwe country report of the UN Secretary-General's Task Force on Women, Girls and HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa. But too much attention was being paid to helping women cope with caring for the sick and surviving relatives, rather than to strategies to prevent them from becoming HIV-positive. More details SOUTH AFRICA: NGOs call for treatment for rape survivors As a week-long campaign to create awareness around the Sexual Offences Bill draws to an end, South African NGOs involved in gender violence issues are calling for the proposed legislation to provide free anti-AIDS drugs for rape survivors. The bill initially included a treatment clause covering post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for women who had been sexually assaulted at state cost. But it was removed, then reinstated in modified form, and has now been sent back to the ministry of health for redrafting. More details [ENDS] |
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