Winter 2011 Posts
February 7, 2011
Preventing Alcohol-Related HIV Risk in India
A growing body of research suggests alcohol consumption is associated with the sexual behaviors that put people at risk for HIV. Through its innovative Community Popular Opinion Leader approach, the Y.R. Gaitonde Center for AIDS Research and Education (Y.R.G. CARE) provided peer education on the risks of alcohol consumption and HIV in informal bars known as wine shops in Chennai, India. Y.R.G. CARE developed an adaptable peer-based HIV prevention program by using "I statements" to convey relatable personal experiences; focusing more realistically on risk reduction rather than risk elimination; and continually seeking new information on the social and structural environment in Chennai.
Access the AIDSTAR-One case study to learn more about this program and how interventions targeting alcohol-related risks can be adapted to other contexts.
February 1, 2011
‘Sesame Street’ Returns to Nigeria
“Sesame Street” is set to return to screens in Nigeria in the next four months, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
The program, which will be renamed “Sesame Square Nigeria,” is expected to focus on HIV/AIDS and general education for Nigerian children.
The Nigerian Government and USAID are working to address the dropout levels of school children and girls’ participation in educational activities, as well as consolidate other existing partnerships in children-based education and advancement.
The program will look at health and girls’ education issues and why children should stay in school; in addition, “Sesame Square Nigeria” will use original characters from the American version. The Nigerian version of “Sesame Street” will also feature a character called Zobby, a large fluffy blue character who is a taxi driver from Lagos and loves yams.
Read more.
January 27, 2011
USAID Global Health on Twitter and Facebook
Connect with USAID’s Bureau for Global Health on Facebook and Twitter! Get up to the minute updates on USAID’s global health program, every Wednesday check out our Shot of the Week on Facebook, read exciting articles, and let us know what you think! Submit videos, photos, and stories and join the conversation with others who care about the same issues as you!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/usaidgh
Twitter: www.twitter.com/usaidgh
January 20, 2011
USAID Offers HIV/AIDS Training to Nigerian Health Workers
PLAN-Health, a USAID-funded program that seeks to build leadership and accountability in Nigeria's health system, held a workshop aimed at training health workers to be more humane while handling persons living with HIV/AIDS.
Participants from various health organizations collaborated during the workshop to build leadership and management skills, using traditional tools and practices in leadership development.
Read the full story.
January 10, 2011
Now Boarding: Philippines’ Health Caravan
A customized mobile health clinic called Lakbay Buhay Kalusugan (LBK) will be touring the country to bring health services, education, and entertainment to Philippine communities, starting in February.
The LBK bus – which was donated by Victory Liner through its Doña Martha T. Hernandez Foundation – will be an actual consultation clinic. It will travel in a caravan that will have 10 stops throughout the country.For every stop, there will be a health fiesta featuring interactive exhibits, mini-classes, and fun activities such as storytelling sessions for children, videos, and games.
With USAID support, the campaign will be implemented by the Department of Health’s National Center for Health Promotion throughout 2011.
For more information, click here.
January 4, 2011
USAID Partner Holds 10K Walk for Orphans and Vulnerable Children
On December 11, USAID partner Hope Worldwide Nigeria held the 2010 edition of its Great Hope Walk in Lagos and other cities across the country to create awareness for the plight of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in the society. Over 10,000 people embarked on the 10 kilometer walk through the streets of Lagos. The annual walk offered concerned volunteers and sponsors the opportunity to march through the city to draw attention and address issues affecting OVCs.
Statistics from the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development estimate that there are 17.5 million orphaned and vulnerable children living in Nigeria. Additional estimates show that 29 percent of children ages 6-17 years old are engaged in child labor, 20.3 percent do not regularly attend school; 15 percent lack access to health facilities; more than 20 percent are without birth certificates; and 17.8 percent are victims of sexual abuse.
Read the full article.
December 17, 2010
Report Calls for Increased Investment in HIV/AIDS Interventions for Men Who Have Sex with Men in Eastern Europe
Enhanced action at the country and regional levels in Eastern Europe is urgently needed to address the hidden HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM), according to a new USAID-funded report written by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance and released today in partnership with Management Sciences for Health.
The report, Men Having Sex with Men in Eastern Europe: Implications of a Hidden Epidemic [PDF, 1.3MB], was produced under the auspices of AIDSTAR-Two, a USAID-funded project. By reviewing available data and gathering country-specific information, the report examined the risk of the HIV/AIDS epidemic among the population of MSM in Eastern Europe. It also assessed the HIV programming and service gaps for MSM in eight countries: Armenia, Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, the Russian Federation, and Ukraine.
“The epidemiological, behavioral, and attitudinal indicators from our study results are reminiscent of the early days of the HIV epidemic among gay men in North America and Western Europe,” says Elden Chamberlain, Most At Risk Populations and Networks Specialist for the AIDSTAR-Two project. “Inappropriate reactions and a lack of prevention in local populations led to a 20 percent annual incidence of HIV infections being reported. With a few notable exceptions, this was accompanied by a strong resistance from public health officials to address a health issue among gay men. We are seeing a similar situation today in Eastern Europe.”
A full copy of the report is available at http://www.aidstar-two.org/.
December 10, 2010
USAID Supports International Dance4Life Program to Fight HIV Stigma
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Source: Richard Nyberg USAID/Vietnam |
On November 27, USAID funded and took part in a live television broadcast on national Vietnamese television, drawing 1,000 local high school students who danced together with tens of thousands of young people in 27 countries around the world. Connected via satellite, the young dancers reminded world leaders of their pledges to address HIV/AIDS as part of the Millennium Development Goals. The program has been rebroadcast on national television to reach thousands of additional viewers. For more information, visit http://www.dance4life.com/.
In total, since 2004, the United States has provided more than $400 million to Vietnam through PEPFAR, which accounts for more than 70 percent of financial resources allocated for HIV programs in Vietnam. This assistance includes training of health and outreach workers, counseling and testing, equipping health facilities, supporting staffing of clinics, and providing all of the methadone and more than 70 percent of the antiretroviral treatment available in the country today.
Read more.
December 8, 2010
Powerful Voices in Papua New Guinea
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Credit: Barbara Kogora, ATS |
“Nowadays, grandmothers are being left with the responsibility to look after little children, when their parents are sick with HIV/AIDS. Young mothers and girls are contracting the deadly disease, and a generation of young parents is going missing. As a result, we now have an unhealthy nation.”
Current information points to a high incidence of violence against women and girls in Papua New Guinea. The issues are complex; they are also rooted in social, political, cultural, and traditional beliefs and practices with multiple causes stemming from unequal power structures, gender roles, women’s subordinate status in society, women’s economic dependence on men, lack of land rights, and their overall lack of power in decision-making processes.
Photography can be used as a medium of empowerment. The act of photographing gives photographers power to choose how to represent reality. It gives women some control in defining the world as they see it. Lending cameras to women whose lives have been defined from birth by cultures that do not value them can empower women to redefine themselves and their lives. Discussing their photographs with other women builds confidence and fosters group solidarity and action. The photographs, and the stories women tell about them, prompt women to think critically about the conditions of their lives and to try to transform them.
Through photography, the Powerful Voices project aimed to:
- To give women and girls a chance to document their own lives
- To enable women and girls to use this experience and their photographs to develop a prioritized agenda of achievable changes to improve their lives
- To encourage women and girls form the grassroots to raise their voices in the public forum, and wherever possible, to assist them in gaining access to it
The Powerful Voices Photography Project activity is funded by FHI – The Science of Improving Lives and AusAID under the leadership of National AIDS Council Secretariat. This project activity is part of Continuum of Prevention to Care & Treatment program funded and supported by USAID/Regional Development Mission Asia.
The 16 Days Campaign to End Violence Against Women: From 25 November to 10 December, USAID will post a blog each day that aims to prove a single point: The human race cannot progress when half of the world population lives without the same rights and respect afforded to its male counterparts. If you are moved by what you read and want to share, we’ve made it easy for you. Click here to find out how.
December 7, 2010
U.S. Government Partner Provides Emergency Relief in Haiti
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Children attend classes at the tent/school camps established by World Hope International.
Source: World Hope International 2010 |
In the wake of the Haitian earthquake, World Hope International Haiti (WHI) quickly prepared and implemented an emergency response, which is providing critical services in seriously devastated areas of the country. WHI’s ability to provide broad and immediate relief was due in no small part to a grant from the USAID-managed New Partners Initiative (NPI), which had earlier enabled the organization to strengthen its capacities.
WHI works to minimize the effects of HIV/AIDS on orphaned and vulnerable children. With funding from USAID, WHI built a network of 163 local partners for its HIV/AIDS efforts. Further, it developed ties with groups and networks for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Many of these allies provided key assistance in WHI’s earthquake relief program.
With U.S. Government approval to redirect funds, WHI assembled PLWHA teams, whose members had extensive reach and connections within communities. These teams were deployed to help survey the post-earthquake situation and develop an effective outreach effort. In the west and southeast, WHI assessed need in tent camps and provided psychosocial support to children aged 3 to 17 by organizing special tent schools/camps. Roseline Prophète, an orphan aided by the program, reflected, “If there was not USAID to help me, it would be hard. Now I can dream about my future.”
WHI’s relief program drew media attention in Haiti, and several nongovernmental organizations are now following its example. Although it recently graduated from NPI, WHI continues its HIV/AIDS activities alongside emergency response and relief efforts.
Learn more about WHI at https://www.worldhope.org/.
December 3, 2010
Quality Assurance in Resource-Limited Settings: Innovative Program Launches in Tanzania
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An NIR hand-held device takes an image of a pill through a blister pack. |
U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief’s (PEPFAR’s) Supply Chain Management Systems (SCMS) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have joined with the Pharm R&D Lab at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences to pilot a first-of-its kind program to perform basic quality testing on pharmaceuticals. The first stage of the program involves a laboratory procedure called high-performance thin layer chromatography. The procedure applies a test sample to a thin layer of material, and through capillary action over a short period of time, the active ingredients are separated for assessment and can be seen and compared to a control sample. As a baseline, this basic test indicates whether the medicine contains the right ingredients in the right amounts and whether the pill will dissolve properly when taken. A second procedure known as Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) is currently in development in partnership with Family Health International. NIR employs hand-held devices that can take a very high resolution image of a pill. By comparing the NIR fingerprint to an image of a pill known to be of high quality, the test will quickly identify poor-quality or counterfeit products For more information, contact Tom Layloff.
December 3, 2010
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Source: PATH/Evelyn Hockstein |
USAID Program Promoting Better Nutrition for Children in Kenyan Communities
In Kimaeti, a village in Kenya’s Western Province, Irene, a community counselor, walks with a mother, Josephine, after an infant feeding counseling session. Since April 2009, USAID’s Infant & Young Child Nutrition Project has collaborated with the Society for Women and AIDS in Kenya and PATH to train more than 400 volunteer counselors on improving infant feeding practices in Kenya.
View the complete slideshow.
December 2, 2010
One Young Girl Makes a Difference
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Vania proudly shows her homework before going to school
Source: Dominique Bovens |
At just 11 years old, Vania Olifante Ubisse is promoting the rights of children in her own community in Mozambique. Prior to this role, Vania and her younger brother, Jose, lived with their mother in South Africa. When their mother died of AIDS in 2007, their grandmother brought them to live with her in Chingoe, a community in Gaza Province, Mozambique.
When they arrived in Mozambique, they had a hard time adapting to their new surroundings. The children did not speak the local language or Portuguese and had a difficult time in school and making friends.
With support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Save the Children, the children were identified and integrated into the local Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Committee program. The Committee began visiting Vania and Jose at home to monitor their integration into the community. Through the OVC Committee, the children attained birth registration and received psychosocial support and school materials, allowing them to focus on their education. Today, both children are performing well in school and have settled into their new community.
Vania now loves school and even participates in after school activities, such as the school council group for children, where children help adults plan for events and contribute their ideas about issues relating to school activities. Additionally, Vania has been selected to become a member of the local child parliament, a group of children advocating for children rights.
She is enthusiastic and determined to finish her education, so she can become a teacher and help other children. “Education is very important. I have learned how to read, and now I know the rights that children have. I want to share my experiences with other children and make them aware of their right to education and right to play,” she said.
December 1, 2010
Treating HIV-Positive Mothers Brings Hope to Zambia’s Youngest
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The availability of PMTCT drugs has given Susan’s son, Ntanzana, a chance to start life free of HIV.
Source: USAID | Deliver Project 2010
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When Susan Simfukwe of Zambia was diagnosed with HIV in 2004, she felt that having another child was no longer an option. An estimated 80,000 women diagnosed with HIV become pregnant every year. For these women, the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV is significant.
In 2006, the USAID | DELIVER PROJECT helped the Zambia Ministry of Health improve the logistics system for antiretrovirals (ARVs), making drugs available to many HIV-positive pregnant women, who previously were not getting them. With the availability of effective ARVs, strong test results, and excellent health, Susan was an ideal candidate for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) program. After three years of treatment, Susan gave birth to her baby boy, Ntanzana, in December 2008; he was immediately started on a seven-day course of antiretroviral treatment (ART) prophylaxis. After six weeks, Ntanzana’s test result showed that he was HIV negative. Susan chose not to breastfeed, and after one year, her baby’s results were still negative.
Since 2007, the ARV logistics system has given more than 165,000 women like Susan access to PMTCT drugs in Zambia. By June 2010, almost 1,000 health facilities that provide PMTCT services had access to these life-saving drugs. Approximately 80 percent of HIV-positive pregnant women in Zambia who need PMTCT drugs are currently in treatment.
November 30, 2010
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Madina, a client of the USAID Health Outreach Program in Tajikistan
Source: PSI/Tajikistan
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USAID Program Teaches HIV-TB Prevention to At-Risk Populations
In Tajikistan, one of the five countries covered under USAID’s Central Asian Republics Mission, HIV-tuberculosis (TB) co-infection can be common, and the two diseases often go hand in hand. USAID, along with a local nongovernmental organization named Fidokor, is working to combat both diseases through the use of peer outreach workers and program services aimed at most-at-risk populations (MARPs). One such client is Madina; she is the one who encourages her friends to get information on HIV and TB.
“Several months ago I was invited to some educational sessions where I learned a lot of new things. I learned about HIV and TB and understood that I was exposed to risk. These sessions gave me knowledge and moral support and now I am not afraid to seek help from friendly services. I also learned cooking through the program and now I am able to make my family happy with my baking,” Madina said.
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USAID Health Outreach Program Coordinator Firuza Kurbanova discusses program materials with peer outreach workers.
Source: PSI/Tajikistan
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Fidokor provides sex workers and injecting drug users with program services according to specialized models designed for these clients. Both models include informational and educational components that ensure MARPs get access to friendly HIV and TB prevention services.
Through the help from the USAID Health Outreach Program, Madina learned how to prevent contracting either of the diseases.
“I am confident now how to prevent such infections, and I give advice to my friends so that they are better protected, as well. I now understand that I am responsible for my own health,” said Madina.
November 29, 2010
Nurturing a New Generation of HIV/AIDS Health Workers in Cote d’Ivoire
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INFAS directors, instructors, and Health Systems 20/20 staff.
Source:
Health Systems 20/20 |
Health care workers are the ones on the frontlines of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and a current shortage in Cote d’Ivoire provides a serious obstacle to providing HIV/AIDS services and other priority services to those in need.
The National Training Institute (INFAS) in Cote d’Ivoire was facing a problem prior to the 2007 academic year. The number of students increased to 3,418, and with only 88 instructors, the student-to-teacher ratio would have been 1:39. With a class of this size, it would have been nearly impossible for instructors to ensure that students receive adequate supervision during onsite training. It would have also hindered the Institute’s capacity to sufficiently prepare students for the workforce.
To address this critical shortage of instructors, the USAID-funded project Health Systems 20/20 collaborated with INFAS by financially supporting the emergency hiring of 35 instructors at three INFAS locations. Fifteen retired instructors were tasked with providing constant supervision during onsite training, while 20 newly hired instructors reinforced the capacity of INFAS instructors to deliver pre-service training. Health Systems 20/20 is in ongoing discussions with the Ministry of Health to create permanent positions for these employees.
A preliminary review by INFAS administrators, program directors, and the 35 project instructors indicates Health Systems 20/20 had a crucial impact on the quality of instruction.
Together, the instructors were able to relieve part of the burden on medical personnel by assisting in the monitoring of the students they mentor; introducing best practices through regular oversight; and providing a combination of theory and practice for optimal capacity development.
USAID’s support for the intervention dramatically improved student performance and laid the foundation for developing human resources for health capacities on a national scale to better serve some 480,000 citizens in Cote d’Ivoire living with HIV/AIDS.
November 29, 2010
World AIDS Day 2010
On World AIDS Day, we commit to build upon our successes and continue to make smart investments that will ultimately save and improve millions of lives. As a key partner in the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) joins in the shared responsibility in the fight against HIV/AIDS. We pay tribute to those affected and infected with HIV/AIDS worldwide.
Join us this week as we highlight some of our successes and share stories of those helped by our programs. Over the next five days, visit us to learn more about USAID’s HIV/AIDS work, and share the reasons why you care about World AIDS Day.
Connect with us here:
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