Health experts have attributed fewer AIDS-related deaths in Botswana to the government's steadily progressing rollout of anti-AIDS drugs. In a new report Botswana's health ministry and the World Health Organisation said the overall mortality of patients on treatment was less than 10 percent.
Equity and HIV/AIDS
South African AIDS group continues legal battle with government
South African AIDS NGO, Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), has dismissed claims that its dropped legal action against the health department. The department said that TAC had decided to withdraw its action for the provision of certain annexes to the government's Comprehensive Plan for Management, Care and Treatment of HIV/AIDS. TAC spokesman Mark Heywood said on Monday the group's action remained as the health department was legally bound to have an AIDS implementation plan and to make it public.
The IMF, Africa and the fight against AIDS
This briefing explores the logic of International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan conditions to developing countries and why the IMF insists that keeping inflation low is more important than increasing public spending to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. In 2003, funding levels for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment are estimated to have reached almost $5 billion; meanwhile financing needs will rise to $12 billion in 2005 and $20 billion by 2007. But if these large increases in foreign aid become available, will lowincome countries be able to accept them? Despite the fact that the global community stands ready to significantly scale-up levels of foreign aid to help poorer countries finance greater public spending to fight HIV/AIDS, many countries may be deterred from doing so due to either direct or indirect pressure from the IMF.
Addressing the needs of orphans in the context of HIV/AIDS
This report, commissioned by the South African National Department of Health, aims to inform a co-ordinated response to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in the context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa. Divided into two parts, the first details findings from research conducted across five South African provinces and the second offers a set of recommendations. One of the study's objectives was to develop an understanding of the health and social needs of orphans and children at risk, with specific emphasis on access to health, social development and education.
Ensuring access to treatment for children
Women and children must be prioritised for treatment for HIV/AIDS, appropriate treatment for children must be developed and healthcare infrastructure must be developed as a matter of urgency. This is according to a report from the Save the Children Fund that aims to examine the implications of expanded access to HIV/AIDS treatment, as exemplified by the 3 by 5 initiative, for prevention of HIV in children and young people, and expanding support and care for orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS.
Equity and access to HIV/AIDS treatment
All people with HIV/AIDS should have equal opportunity to access effective and appropriate treatment. However, in the context of existing social and health inequities, widespread poverty, high rates of new HIV infections, famine and budgetary constraints, increasing access to HIV care and treatment must be organised in a manner that balances HIV prevention and treatment efforts; HIV interventions and the broader strengthening of the health system as a whole; and HIV care and treatment with other public health and social needs.
Extending antiretroviral therapy to resource-poor settings: implications for drug resistance
The emergence of drug resistance in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) may limit the clinical benefits of antiretroviral therapy. There is no objective evidence that the risk of drug resistance is greater in resource-limited settings than in the developed world. Treatment programmes will be most successful at preventing the spread of drug resistance if they provide healthcare infrastructures to maximize the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy through the use of potent and convenient combination regimens that achieve durable suppression of HIV-1 replication.
Facing the future together
Report of the Secretary-General\'s Task Force on Women, Girls and HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa
This UNAIDS report, from the Secretary-General’s Task Force on Women, Girls and HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa, presents empirical data on the scale and character of the pandemic in nine countries in Southern Africa with the highest HIV prevalence rates. As the majority of young people aged 15-24 living with AIDS in these countries are women, the report calls for an end to gender inequality, which is key to the spread of HIV among women.
Manufacture of anti-AIDS drugs set to begin in Zambia
A Zambian government initiative to begin the local manufacture of cheap generic antiretroviral (ARV) drugs has been welcomed by AIDS activists. "We have been lobbying for affordable drugs for 10 years. This is a dream come true," said coordinator of the Network of Zambian People Living with HIV/AIDS (NZP+), Clement Mfuzi. "As NZP+, our hope has not only been accessibility, but also affordable drugs. We also hope the supply will be sustainable, because once you take these drugs, it is for life."
Budgeting for HIV/AIDS in South Africa
This report from the South African Budget Information Service (IDASA) analyses budget allocations and funding flows from the national fiscus for HIV/AIDS interventions. It investigates the best way to deliver funds to the provinces of South Africa to tackle HIV/AIDS. Analysis of official budget documents and interviews with national and provincial social service and treasury officials reveals that provinces are generally improving their spending on the HIV/AIDS conditional grants and beginning to allocate significant funds from provincial budgets to tackling HIV/AIDS.