Many South African children are absent from school because their parents or other family members are affected by HIV/AIDS, according to a report released Wednesday by the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Human Sciences Research Council, AFP/News24.com reports. The report, titled "Emerging Voices," describes how children in rural schools "struggle to cope with harsh living conditions brought about by poverty and AIDS," according to AFP/News24.com.

Omar Bongo and Gnassingbe Eyadema were both born in 1935. They came to power 32 years later in Gabon and Togo respectively; Bongo through constitutional succession, Eyadema by grabbing power in a coup d'etat. Eyadema died in office on 5 February and a few hours later his favoured son, Faure Gnassingbe, seized power with the backing of the army in defiance of the constitution. What would happen in Gabon if Bongo, now 69 and apparently in good health, were suddenly to depart from the scene?

As South Africa enters its second decade of democracy, we find that health gains anticipated in 1994 remain unrealized for the majority of our people, particularly the poorest in society. Why is it that, despite a Constitution hailed as the most progressive in the world, a victorious liberation movement and a set of governmental and non-governmental institutions designed to promote human rights in our society, we have failed to translate the provisions of our Bill of Rights into reality? To understand this contradiction, we need to understand, firstly, what are human rights; secondly, the relationship between health and human rights; and, thirdly, how human rights commitments can be translated into health-generating conditions and material gains in health for those who need it most. There are potential contradictions between a human rights approach and broad strategies for Primary Health Care, but these arise because of an incomplete or selective understanding of human rights, sometimes deliberately so, intended to further neo-liberal or imperialist political agendas.

Action Against HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis in the Congo (ACIST-Congo) is a non-profit organisation fighting against the spread of AIDS and tuberculosis. The organisation was created in Kinshasa on 24 March 2003 by a doctor and three AIDS workers, of which one is a woman.

After one year of provisional activity, ACIST-Congo has officially established its social and administrative location on 44 Kenge Street, 2nd Quarter, in the area of Ndjili (one of the most popular areas of Kinshasa), private property of 14 ACIST. Coordinated by an organisational committee, wherein the director is a woman, ACIST-Congo is involved in:

- the fight against HIV/AIDS
- helping people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA)
- sensitisation efforts of tuberculosis
- frameworking teenagers and young people
- blood donations
- the fight against nicotine addictions
- family planning
- a library
- a centre of vocational training for people living with HIV and AIDS

ACIST-Congo works together with churches, schools and associations in order to achieve its goals. For information on visiting the centre, our partners, collaboration or assistance, please contact: (00243) (0) 815131247, 815131246, 815034196, 813859158.

FRENCH VERSION:

L'Action Contre les IST/SIDA et la tuberculose qu Congo est créee à Kinshasa le 24 mars 2003 comme une association sans but lucratif de lutte contre le sida et la tuberculose par un médecin et trois communicateur en matière de sida, dont une femme.

Après une année d'activité provisoire, L'ACIST-CONGO a établi officiellement son siège social et administratif sur l'avenue Kenge au numéro 44 du quartier 2 dans la commune de Ndjili ( l'une des communes la plus populaire de kinshasa), propriété privée de l4ACIST. Coordonée par un un comité de coordination dirigé par une femme, l'ACIST-CONGO intervient dans:
- la lutte contre les IST/SIDA
- l'accompagnement des Personnes vivant avec le VIH (PVV/PA)
- la sensibilisation sur la tuberculose
- l'encadrement de adolescents et jeunes
- le don bénévole du sang
- la lutte contre le tabagisme
- la planification familiale
- une bibliothéque
- une centre de formation professionnelle pour PVV/PA.

L'ACIST-CONGO travaille en collaboration avec les églises, les écoles et les associations pour atteindre ses objectifs. Pour les visites, contactes, partenariat, collaboration ou assistance, contactez: (00243) (0)815131247, 815131246, 815031496, 816859158.

Published by Alan Guttmacher Institute, this article highlights findings from a number of small-scale, community- based studies which indicate that intimate partner violence is an important factor affecting women's reproductive health. The authors note that in many countries, violence is perceived as a legal or human rights issue rather than a health issue. They point out that forced sex is associated with a range of reproductive health problems, including HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy, and urinary tract infections.

Mental health problems are a critical aspect of the HIV/AIDS epidemic for both infected and affected people. As mental health problems often hinder effective adherence to antiretroviral treatment, it is necessary to include mental health care as part of HIV/AIDS treatment. Equally, mental health practitioners need to understand that patients increasingly have HIV/AIDS related symptoms.

The Kenyan Ministry of Health on Wednesday admitted a day after a speech by U.S. Ambassador to Kenya William Bellamy that it has failed to distribute $54 million in funding to fight HIV/AIDS, the AP/CNN International reports. Bellamy in a speech on Tuesday said that government inefficiency is threatening the disbursement of millions of dollars in funding to fight the disease.

Senegal, which is considered one of the African countries that has "most effectively" responded to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, is facing a "pivotal and worrying moment" as it attempts to provide education and treatment to its residents, the Financial Times reports. Public health advocates are worried that the country might be "in danger" of "sacrificing historical progress made through sensible policy-making, helpful cultural practice and geographical good fortune" and might waste incoming international aid funds, according to the Times.

This is a project of the World Health Organization (WHO) that aims to improve health workers' access to malaria information. A Malaria Resource Centre is based in the University of Zimbabwe's Medical School Library. The Malaria Red Trunk is a collection of over 60 books, manuals and other texts on malaria, and the Malaria Red File is a compilation of basic information on malaria for health professionals. Electronic access to malaria information is encouraged through email and Internet facilities, use of CD-ROMs, and a website.

The United Nations children's and public health agencies may be able to develop and market anti-HIV/AIDS formulations for children within 18 months, the UN Special Envoy helping to coordinate the battle against HIV/AIDS in Africa says. Addressing a conference on AIDS orphans in Africa, Special Envoy Stephen Lewis said the lack of treatment suitable for children was a long-time problem, but the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) were now trying to find solutions.

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) at www.aidsmedia.org. It will also be available on the Panos London website at 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: [email protected] Anneline Blankenhorn Email: [email protected]

The health minister of Nigeria has said that capacity building in science and technology - and particularly in the health aspects of biotechnology - is essential if Africa is to meet development goals agreed by member states of the United Nations. But he warned that, at present, sub-Saharan Africa was "off track" towards achieving almost all of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which governments have committed themselves to achieving by 2015.

Lack of finance has left the Harare Central hospital, one of Zimbabwe's major referral centres, on the verge of collapse. The superintendent of the 1,428-bed hospital, Chris Tapfumaneyi, told IRIN, "Most of our machines are obsolete and cannot be repaired - some of them have been like this for the past 10 years".

Although Angola applied for funding to fight malaria, the money will arrive too late to switch to more effective combination drugs and avoid another grim season of preventable deaths. Stamping out the scourge - one of the biggest killers of Angolan children - is considered a top priority by many in the health ministry and the humanitarian community, but events have undermined the good intentions of the government.

Cameroon said it was suspending tests of a controversial antiretroviral HIV/AIDS drug on prostitutes in Douala, the west African country's economic capital, citing failings in their implementation. The clinical trial was to determine whether Tenofovir, a drug sold under the name Viread by the US drug manufacturer Gilead, can prevent the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or AIDS.

The emergence of an increasingly global economy suggests that the ability of individual countries to shape their own destinies is becoming more difficult. International trends and pressures now influence national, and even local, health care policy making. Researchers from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, together with Oxford University, looked at the effect of globalisation on health issues in South Africa and assessed its influence compared to national and local forces. Political and economic developments in the international arena will inevitably influence health issues in South Africa. Institutions such as the WHO and the World Bank, together with international events such as the spread of AIDS, affect health care in the country. However local forces also play a large part in shaping the future of the South African health service.

A recent survey, conducted by the Tanzania Media Women Association (TMWA) indicates that 99 per cent of 444 people interviewed, have blamed female genital mutilation (FGM) for fuelling the spread of HIV/AIDS in Tanzania. The TMWA surveyed people in three Tanzanian province-like regions, which have the highest percentage of female population affected by FGM. Manyara leads the country with 81 per cent, followed by Dodoma with 67 per cent and Mara with 43 per cent.

Almost 2 million Angolans could go hungry because their government has banned genetically modified food aid, the UN's food agency warned. A shipment of 19,000 tonnes of maize from the US may have to turn back because the southern African state has become concerned about the environmental risks of biotechnology.

Kenya has become increasingly dependent on food imports, but declining incomes have limited the ability of households to buy these imported foods which has resulted in a worsened food security situation. This is according to research from the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) that looks at the impact of the liberalisation of the agricultural sector. The study recommends that Kenya reconsider increasing the use of domestic support measures allowed within the World Trade Organisation agreement on agriculture to allow adequate development of the agriculture sector.

The European Union has cautioned Uganda against the use of an organic pollutant to control malaria, commonly known as DDT, warning that its use could pose dire consequences for exports to the European market.