Transdiaspora Network with the News

August 29th - September 5th Highlights

 + An HIV oral test that requires just a swab in the mouth is being offered in every NYC borough, providing patients with fast results and giving health officials better hope that they can stop the spread of AIDS.

+ Governor David Paterson signed into law on July 30, 2010 a change in state policy that makes HIV testing a routine part of health care in New York. The new law also simplifies the informed consent process, allowing for verbal consent in some circumstances.

+ For the first time, a Chinese court has agreed to hear a complaint by a prospective schoolteacher that he was illegally denied a job because he is HIV postive. 

+ A new Obama Global Health Initiative places emphasis on maternal and child health, family planning and programs to fight infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS.

August 16th - 21st Highlights

+ The trial of German popsinger Benaissa highlights what HIV/AIDS experts have long argued: that laws and prosecutions as a result of non-disclosure of HIV-positive status are ineffectual, counterproductive, and unjust.

+ In honor of the twentieth anniversary of the Ryan White CARE Act, Tom Sheridan outlines an updated battle plan to reinvigorate the fight against HIV/AIDS.

+ Secretary of State Hilary Clinton addresses the 18th annual International AIDS Conference in Vienna, saying that "Access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care should be a universal, shared responsibility, because health is a human right."

+ Drugmakers, once blasted for their practices, are slashing prices and licensing AIDS drugs for free to nonprofits or local manufacturers in developing countries.

+ Despite a worldwide campaign for circumcision to slow the spread of AIDS, the rate of circumcision among American baby boys has seen a steep drop in recent years.

+ An op-ed piece in the LA Times argues that the U.S.-led war on drugs contributed to the HIV epidemic around the world, because criminalizing drug abuse drives addicts deeper underground and into unsafe practices that spread HIV infection.

+ The CEO of (RED) comments on how HIV/AIDS medicine is only piece of the puzzle, but that successful treatment for HIV/AIDS requires a broader range of tools, including education, support, food, and nutrition.

July 21st - 27th Highlights

+ An editorial highlights key public policy measures which may effectively change the direction of future HIV/AIDS treatment research and counters that we can "treat our way out" of the epidemic

+ The Social Innovation Fund, the project of one federal agency, announces partial grantees of it's $123 million given to non-profit organizations--with the National AIDS Fund receiving $3.6 million

+ Secretary of State signs agreement with Vietnam to work collaboratively to fight HIV/AIDS as part of a health diplomacy plan to build trust between the two regions

+ Twenty-something Africans speak out at the Vienna conference about ageism as an obstacle to AIDS prevention and ways to reach young populations

+ A hopeful study on AIDS treatment suggests switching to a different drug may be an effective one-pill-a-day option

July 14th - 20th Highlights

+ Research from Johns Hopkins confirmed that a new AIDS-related MTV soap has been successful in conveying positive messages about prevention in African countries

+ AIDS organizations ask U.S. officials to look into the country's use of a "Special 301 report" to pressure countries to give up public health rights under a WTO agreement on intellectual property rights

+ New findings suggest poverty plays the most crucial role in spreading the HIV virus in American cities according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

+ An article discusses the need for public health programs to use resources more efficiently to battle the HIV/AIDS epidemic

+ A new preventive gel was unveiled at the International AIDS Conference that was shown to cut HIV infections by almost 54% in South African trials

+ A World Bank study shows that cash payments for regular school attendance and to avoid unsafe sex significantly lowered rates of HIV and other STDs in Malawi and Tanzania

+ Generic drug firms announced at an international AIDS conference that they are now offering up royalty-free licensing for HIV treatments in the world's poorest countries

July 7th - 13th Highlights

+ A comment made by comedian D.L. Hughley on The View has AIDS groups claiming it perpetuates false myths about HIV transmission in African American women

+ Thirteen out of every one hundred women in Kenya have husbands who practice polygamy--thought to be more common among the less educated--a lifestyle experts believe is dramatically fueling the spread of HIV

+ Chinese security forces harass documentary film makers and activists attempting to coordinate AIDS efforts

+ A top health official reports that studying what happens in the first few minutes after HIV infection may be key to preventing the evolution of the illness

+ Religious stigma and the lack of verifiable statistics in the Middle East have kept the prevalence of the disease at bay but recent data shows HIV/AIDS on the rise

June 30th - July 6th Highlights

+ An evangelical church in Nevada sides with Ugandan supporters of a new Anti-Homosexuality Bill that would give anyone participating in same-sex behavior a life sentence

+ British AIDS activist points to exclusive situations in society which push positive patients to the sidelines, building obstacles in our fight against the disease

+ PACHA discusses the outcome of a recent blogger dial-in call on President Obama's new HIV/AIDS-focused global health plan

+ Rapidly expanding waiting lists for antiretroviral treatments across the U.S. are crippling citizens' health as budgets continue to face cuts in the area of HIV/AIDS

June 23rd - 29th Highlights

+ Pressure builds to revoke the 1980s ban for blood donations by gay men as reports show dozens of tests can be used to accurately test blood types for infectious diseases

+ Japan pledges a $10 million grant to help support upcoming AIDS vaccine research

+ President Obama's National AIDS Strategy plans to focus on target populations in the U.S. while calling for $27.2 billion in domestic and international efforts against AIDS

+ Guyana Prime Minister calls for a tighter collaboration between public and private sectors as 90 percent of people living with HIV are said to now be receiving treatment

+ Findings show a major public broadcasting campaign promised by FIFA falls short of what was expected during World Cup games

+ A veteran AIDS advocate with NY-based organization HousingWorks, files for a restraining order to stop Mayor Bloomberg's funding cuts for the city's service agencies

June 16th - 22rd Highlights

+ An NPR broadcast studies President Obama's new Global Health Initiative and the implications it may have for HIV/AIDS funding in the future

+ New international labor standards are imposed to extend anti-discrimination laws in the workplace for those with HIV/AIDS

+ The CDC has awarded millions of dollars in grants to 11 different states to train African-American clergy and community members to run HIV/AIDS programs

+ A study shows that taking antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy also reduces the chances of transmission to the baby to just 1.1 percent

+ A new test for patients' genetic material is now found to show earlier signs of HIV infection than previously before 

June 9th - 15th Highlights

+ The Center for Global Development says that many of the drugs being provided to poorer nations are older-generation drugs, which are now causing a rise in resistance rates for HIV and other dangerous illnesses

+ New hope for a vaccine in Africa takes form as more than 200 women participate in tests of a HIV-immune vaginal ring; final results of the study are set for sometime in 2015

+ Researchers are collaborating to investigate clinical trials and refine new HIV-fighting drugs like topic formulations and microbicides for effective use

+ A faith-based organization in Zambia gives small-scale farmers seeds and land to contribute to domestic food security and a support network to educate and encourage those living with HIV/AIDS

+ Women from Zimbabwe discuss cultural taboos in a society where they say it's more difficult for them to have safe sex

+ A teen from Philadelphia starts an online community website for people with HIV to share stories and support one another in a non-sexual environment

June 2nd - 8th Highlights

+ A youth soccer team in South Africa serves as a mode of communication about HIV/AIDS in a country where discussing the topic with children is often taboo 

+ An article discusses the ways in which the U.S. can beef up its public awareness on HIV/AIDS and what its been doing about the issue lately

+ A public health student calls on researchers to perform studies on the link between smoking and HIV/AIDS and publicize the need for smoking cessation in this population, which has a smoking rate of  almost three times the general population

+ Austria plans to host the bi-annual International AIDS Conference with UNICEF planning to play a large role in the human rights march

+ The White House convenes a summit on HIV/AIDS with the intent to focus on how to target disease and stigma within the African American male community

+ South African AIDS groups have faced conflict in attempts to distribute condoms and HIV educational material during the World Cup

+ The National Minority AIDS Council starts a resolution to "boycott Arizona" in light of their recent bill to allow for discrimination against possible illegal immigrants

May 26th - June 1st Highlights

+ Annie Lennox, Scottish singer and songwriter, has become a spokeswoman for the U.N. agency the fits HIV/AIDS

+ Hundreds of Ugandan youth threatened to disrupt a conference in Kampala if the court did not take their petition, which sought justice for the deaths of over 30 killed in the September riots

+ The Philippines face higher rates of HIV diagnosis as the government lacks in efficient ways to combat the spread
of the virus

+ A new study in The Lancet shows that people who take antiretroviral (ARV) therapy were 92% less likely to transfer the virus to their partners

+ A North American AIDS Summit to be held in Canada will emphasize the growing need of housing for HIV/AIDS residents to "bring about real change"

+ Donors in South Africa are cutting funds that allow developing countries to gain access to live-saving treatment, citing the recession for cutbacks

+ A new contraceptive being tested out of Pennsylvania is said to "deliver therapeutic levels of two HIV drugs for up to 30 days," as well as protect against pregnancy

May 19th - 25th Highlights

+ An editorial by director of Rwanda Works, an NGO focused on building sustainable environments, brings attention to the global facts of HIV/AIDS after living several years in Rwanda

+ A new study shows the top ten countries with the most improvement in child mortality rates, with the U.S. lagging behind 123 other countries

+ A Staten Island middle school teacher wins first battle in court over a claim she encouraged students to use "naughty words" in an HIV class

+ A Huffington Post article explains unjust imprisonment of Uzbekistani AIDS activist accused of trying to promote indecent sexual activity

+ The World Health Organization warns against counterfeit drug sales over the Internet, which are readily available in some developing countries at the cost of many lives

May 12th - 18th Highlights

+ Leading star in recent "Memoirs of a Geisha," Zhang Ziyi, to appear in first feature film with the goal of addressing the growing HIV/AIDS problem in China

+ An article from a California U.S. Representative and the CEO of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative gives reasons for hope in the fight against HIV/AIDS

+ ESPN World Cup Charity raises awareness for South Africa fighting HIV/AIDS

+ New York AIDS Walk achieves a record level of success this year with $5.7 million funds raised to mark it's 25th anniversary (find photos of the event on our website)

+ An article on the drought of affordable treatment and drugs in Uganda paints a bleak picture for many in Kampala suffering from AIDS

+ A U.S. survey reveals primary care doctors are having to handle the bulk of care for people with HIV

+ Rifts created as New York's GMHC moves location from gay-friendly Chelsea and plans to cut some much needed community services

+ The U.S. and Caribbean Community signed an agreement to expand aid programs to 12 other Caribbean nations at a recent gathering in Guyana (click here for alternate article)

May 5th - 11th Highlights

+ AIDS activist flees China for fear of governmental opposition after his organization uncovered a blood-selling scandal which led to HIV infection of almost 150,000 people

+ Read about one UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador's trip to Bolivia as she recalls local attitudes on HIV/AIDS 

+ Large amounts of killer T cells, only "broadly reactive" in most people, show immunity against HIV leading researchers to the assumption that with the right vaccine these cells might be "coaxed into action" 

+ Health experts warn of the growing AIDS epidemic after citing the failure of a 2003 deal by the WTO to allow importation of inexpensive drugs to developing nations

+ The new Keith Haring ASC Harlem Center opens, serving as a one-stop community resource for people affected by HIV/AIDS

+ A Miami clinic consultant was charged this week on counts he billed Medicare for HIV drugs that patients never received and for some who were not even HIV-positive

+ A new report by the Gay Men's Health Crisis struggles to identify upcoming challenges in treating HIV in an aging population, which still lacks concrete data on the long-term impact of the illness (video)

April 27th - May 4th Highlights

+ Results from the AIDSWatch conference put precedence on targeting black communities to track and address infection rates

+ A study showing 72% of Filipinos agree condoms curb HIV infection rates may help slow down increasing rates of transmission throughout the country

+ A report released in the Lancet journal showed that a focus on preventing HIV/AIDS was key to decreasing adult mortality rates from 1970 to 2010 in over 180 countries

+ Widespread inflammation in HIV-positive patients is blamed for the link to other complications, such as some cancers and a lack in general response to certain vaccines

+ A board meeting of the Global Fund sparks worry in NGOs after a  funding "ceiling" was suggested in the next round of HIV/AIDS-fighting grants to be given to developing nations

+ International health organizations called for more research and clinical trials to close the gap for children in developing countries to receive quality and affordable life-saving medicines

+ South African President Jacob Zuma, who tested negative for HIV, is praised for setting a good example for others to participate in the country's HIV campaign

+ Sen. Tom Duane (R-NY) is in support of a bill, recently vetoed by Mayor Bloomberg, stating that residents who receive housing assistance from HIV/AIDS organizations need not spend more than 30 percent of income on rent

+ The New York Senate passes a bill capping rent contributions at 30% of income for those living with HIV who receive rent assistance from the City HIV/AIDS Services Administration

+ China ends its ban on border entry for people diagnosed positive for HIV after a similar U.S. decision this past September  

April 20th - 26th Highlights

+ South Africans praise the new HIV Counseling and Testing Campaign held to encourage people in the country with the world’s highest number of HIV infections to get tested for the disease

+ Elton John writes a letter to commemorate AIDS casualty Ryan White, who helped change stigma of the virus as a “gay disease,” that pinpoints transformations of HIV/AIDS since 1990

+ An advocacy conference on HIV/AIDS and reproductive health in Uganda shows religious leaders still opposed to condom usage by  church followers
 

+ The head of the UN warns that HIV could spread rapidly in eastern Europe if measures are not taken to curb infections brought on from drug injections

+ Organizations worry for AIDS patients as Romanian government cites the recession as the reason the country is running out of AIDS drugs

+ The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative announced an 18-month agreement with biotechnology corporation Letigen to work on an AIDS vaccine relying on a synthetic version of the virus to test immunity

+ The Latino Commission on AIDS declares a state crisis after statistics from the health department show numbers are up for the Latino population, which shows faster rates of AIDS progression than any other ethnic or racial group  

+ A New York Times writer reflects on what having AIDS in the U.S. means for Americans today and how the "blame game" has changed

+ A research report shows a deadly link between taking birth control pills and heightened HIV infection

April 13th - 19th Highlights

+ Executive Director of Doctors Without Borders writes about the harm pharmaceutical agency trade agreements with India might have on the developing world

+ A documentary discrediting AIDS stereotypes that disproportionately affect gays and minorities provides some insight into the reality of the HIV virus 

+ Chicago Law Professor warns of a dismal fate for South Africa following the destruction of AIDS in Zimbabwe in recent years

+ Researchers at Georgetown University find that morphine protects neurons in the brains of rats from HIV toxicity, a finding that might help develop new neuroprotective therapies  

+ Human rights groups protest regulations in some states that force HIV-positive inmates to wear white armbands and live in special units

+ Needle exchange programs in five pilot cities, including neighboring New Jersey, are successful at reducing the transmission on HIV

+ A study done by a medical journal shows educational campaigns for women may be partially responsible for a decrease in infant mortality rates across the globe 

April 6th  - 12th Highlights

+ Athletes in D.C. are using educational sports campaigns to teach teens about safe sex and AIDS prevention

+ Some U.S. officials ask overseas health clinics to stop admitting new patients that seek life-saving antiretroviral drugs in an effort to tighten budgets

+ $9.7 million stimulus grant is awarded to LA BioMed for construction of a Chronic Disease Clinical Research Center that will specialize in HIV/AIDS among other illnesses

+ In a huge Medicare scam, two Miami brothers were found to have submitted about $14 million in medical bills for HIV therapies that were never undergone

+ Duane Reade becomes the first ever “presenting sponsor” for the AIDS WALK NYC happening on May 16th

+ The hundred-year-old St. Vincent’s Hospital in Greenwich Village closed with mounting debt, citing historic successes in AIDS treatment and post-911 emergency care response as major lifetime milestones

+ A study done by Pennsylvania researchers shows STD/HIV interventions done by community-based organizations increases consistent condom use among teenagers who participated 

+ The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced $1.84 billion in funding to ensure that people living with HIV/AIDS can have access to live-saving drugs

March 30th - April 5th Highlights

+ Researchers report they have discovered new information to help target certain antibodies appearing to “create a barrier” for HIV to get into cells

+ A CBS video reports on the progress of an American program in Uganda that provides affordable antiretroviral medication to the community
 
+ A PBS Newshour video looks at AIDS treatment in Peru where in some rare cases patients have shown immunity to the HIV virus
 
+ In a huge shift of health treatment policy in California, doctors have begun urging patients to take antiretroviral medications as soon as they find they have HIV

+ Media conglomerate Clear Channel begins a new effort to broadcast public service announcements that confront stigma around AIDS and promote testing

+ An article on PrEP, a method of taking HIV-fighting drugs before infection, discusses  benefits of treating those at risk of the disease before contraction

+ Canada decides to pull funding for one of the largest AIDS vaccine development organizations backing trials in the developing world

+ The story of a 76-year old woman from New Jersey recently diagnosed with HIV sheds light on rising numbers of senior citizens who are contracting the disease 

March 23rd - 29th Highlights

+ Medicare is now looking to provide funding for facial treatments, such as dermal fillers, for patients with HIV-related deterioration

+ University students in The Eastern Cape showed lower rates of HIV infection in a recent study, providing researchers clues on how education may lessen the risk of transmission

+ The Department of Health and Department of Education have teamed up to integrate HIV/AIDS awareness into curricula to slow down virus spread

+ An HIV positive woman in India previously “boycotted” by friends joins with AIDS organizations to raise awareness in a country where HIV is highly stigmatizing

+ A new technology called SMARTube may provide HIV testing data that can estimate how recently some have been infected with the disease

+ Civil society organizations pressure G8 nations into fulfilling their commitments to fight AIDS

+ An African study contradicts claims that Rwandan soldiers have lower rates of HIV infection than the general population

+ A groundbreaking testing and counseling AIDS campaign launches in South Africa starting this month

+ The Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University in New York writes an opinion piece on scaling up funding for the Global Fund that fights AIDS
 
+ Over 40 faith leaders to meet in the Netherlands to discuss how faith-based institutions can respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic instead of dismissing it as a "disease for the sinners"

+ Critics of Mayor Bloomberg's proposed budget cuts fear they will negatively affect Bronx residents living with HIV

March 22nd - 16th Highlights  

+ A New York Times article examines the effects of lifting the 1987 ban on HIV positive travelers 

+ Celebrities Ludacris and Jamie Foxx team up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to launch an awareness campaign called "I Know" that will focus on educating African Americans about HIV/AIDS

+ AIDS.gov highlights the growing concern about HIV within Native American populations as part of National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

+ Scientists at John Hopkins University find an antibiotic present in acne medication that effectively targets cells where HIV lies dormant, preventing them from replicating

+ Portuguese-speaking nations have signed on with the UN to tackle the growing number of HIV/AIDS cases in their countries

+ The mayor of Washington, DC is criticized for minimizing the need for HIV/AIDS care that has been outlined in the Third Annual Epidemiology Report on HIV/AIDS

+ UNAIDS chief speaks out against discriminatory laws that restrict gays from receiving proper medical care in many developing countries

+ Doctors Without Borders warns that many countries may lose access to affordable drugs that help fight AIDS once a trade agreement has been enacted with India and the European Union

+ Michigan study identifies a new potential inhibitor of HIV found in bananas

March 9th - 15th Highlights

+ Kenya collaborates with neighboring countries to halt the spread of HIV in migrant populations

+ New York Times looks at the progress made since Thomas R. Frieden took charge as the new director for the Centers on Disease Control and Prevention

+ CNN video on the distribution of free female condoms happening in Washington D.C., where the epidemic continues to grow

+ Pastor at Martin Luther King, Jr.'s church in Atlanta takes an AIDS test during services to combat the "silence, shame and stigma" that keep people from getting tested

+ House hearing highlights the debate between those who favor AIDS treatment investments and those who favor prevention methods

+ South African Cabinet approves a new plan to scale up HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs  

+ UCSF experts release the Positive Prevention Toolkit, a collection of resources for caregivers to help HIV positive patients prevent the spread of disease

+ Policy leaders gathered today to recognize Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and illuminate the growing needs of the female population with the disease
 
+ Researchers in Florida and Montreal may have classified the pivotal role of several molecules involved in HIV progression, providing insights into how blocking certain receptors may protect the immune system against the virus

+ An emergency meeting in London visits concerns the economic downturn will pinch poor countries' budgets and damper the fight against HIV/AIDS

March 2nd - 8th Highlights

+ U.S. researchers have identified a latent form of HIV that hides in bone marrow and surfaces when those with HIV stop taking their medication

+ Mayor Bloomberg's new budget plan for reshaping homelessness has some HIV/AIDS advocates worried that cutting services will negatively affect people with HIV on public assistance

+ Several U.S. Senators signed a letter today asking the FDA to lift a 1983 ban on donating blood for anyone who has had gay sex since 1977, saying the ban "is medically and scientifically unwarranted"

+ Washington D.C. becomes first U.S. city to offer female condoms at no charge in hopes that it will help curb HIV infections and unwanted pregnancies

+ Progress is hindered in Singapore for treating HIV/AIDS as many people seeking tests and medication must face over $1,500 in monthly fees for treating the disease

+ The 25th Anniversary of Anti-AIDS Drugs is celebrated by Elsevier, world-leading publisher of medical information, to review the progress made since 1985 when HIV-1 was an 'inherently untreatable' virus

+ Former President Bill Clinton is promoting the MassiveGood campaign, which offers air travelers the opportunity to make donations to fight malaria, AIDS, tuberculosis and other health threats in developing countries

+ At the 54th annual meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women, UNAIDS, together with artist Annie Lenox, launched a 5-year plan to address gender inequalities that put women and girls at risk for HIV

+ Regan Hofmann, editor-in-chief of POZ magazine, which focuses on HIV/AIDS news and prevention, shares the story of her 14-year struggle with the disease

February 23rd - March 1st Highlights

+ About 3 million of the world's 16 million estimated injecting drug users are thought to be HIV-positive, highlighting the need for prevention efforts on this front in developing countries

+ A mother of five, living in Francistown, dedicates her life to de-stigmatizing the HIV/AIDS virus for those living in the largest city in Botswana

+ Medical care for pregnant mothers with HIV still proves an obstacle as Haiti struggles to rebuild itself after the earthquake

+ Love Heals, an organization empowering youth to make smart choices, celebrates the fifteenth anniversary since the New York City Board of Education’s decision to implement the New York City AIDS Education Mandate

+ The UCLA AIDS Institute successfully removed a cell receptor that binds to HIV, leading researchers to believe long-term reduction of the CCR5 cell may be an effective strategy in preventing the disease

+ The invention of a “paper chip” that would allow patients in developing countries that often cannot get timely medical care to test their blood and send the results via cell phones for diagnosis is in the works

+ Nigerian leader meets with UNAIDS stating he is ready to “partner and cooperate with relevant agencies” to fight the pandemic

+ Human Rights Watch is investigating a case after a man from Uzbekistan was jailed for seven years for creating a brochure about condom and sterile needle usage to combat the spread of AIDS

+ PointCare Technologies, which use diagnostic and portable systems to monitor HIV/AIDS, has donated a month's supply of tests to Haitian clinics to ensure disease care.

+ A Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill suggests offenses punishable by death and the possibility of a backlash against human rights organizations that work on HIV/AIDS prevention. 

+ A man in Kenya commits suicide after visiting an AIDS testing center; stigmatization still runs strong in rural communities.

February 16th - 22nd Highlights

+ Researchers probing cancer links for those infected with HIV/AIDS could not find viable data to suggest a difference in age at cancer diagnosis among those living with the disease.

+ A battle between two Kenyan ministries threatens the success of citizens' access to life-saving HIV/AIDS drugs.

+ South Africa announced a $1.1 billion investment in AIDS prevention, a 33% increase from 2009 levels, making this the biggest contribution made by any developing country to date.

+ A study out of British Columbia presented at the 17th annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections showed a 50% decrease in new diagnoses among injection drug users since after 2007.
 
+ To the despair of researchers, the Canadian federal government has canceled an $88-million project to search for an AIDS vaccine.

+ Studies are underway to test if anti-retroviral drugs are effective at preventing the transmission of HIV in high-risk sexual encounters.

+ A Pennsylvania research team finds that gene therapy may be a possible weapon against HIV/AIDS, but more research is needed.

+ A doctor is proposing to test a plan later this year in South Africa to use anti-retroviral drugs to not only treat HIV/AIDS patients, but also to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS altogether.

+ A commentary focuses on benefits of implementing needle-exchange programs in the United States, modeled after recent success in reducing HIV infection in Canadian prisons.

+ According to a Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (JUNPS) report, 18,000 new cases of HIV are expected in 2012 in Swaziland, a country with over 16,000 new cases found in 2008.

+ Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is backing a new bill to address the disproportionate HIV infection rate among African-Americans.

+ The National Institute on Aging states that 25% of HIV/AIDS cases occur in those over the age of 50, suggesting the need for a new dialogue focusing on this demographic.

+ Somalia is engaging in new efforts to involve youth in fighting the spread of HIV.  More than 500 gathered at a recent panel discussion.

February 12th - 15th Highlights

+ Members of the Catholic Church have taken issue with the government in the Philippines for distributing condoms in light of a call for a controversial reproductive health bill

 + Medical officials in Kenya say country should ignore funding threats and begin producing its own antiretroviral drugs to combat AIDS

+   In a long-awaited decision, European and American medical agencies have approved heat-stable 100mg tablets of Ritonavir, the only approved antiretroviral booster, which may now provide a chance for improved treatment options.

Sexuality Education Advocacy Training 2010.  (December 11, 2009)

The 6th Annual SEAT will be held on March 20-23, 2010, in Washington,

DC! Apply Today. Applications are due on January 4, 2010.

Through workshops on community organizing, advocacy and anti-racism/anti-oppression, SEAT teaches youth, young adults and adult

allies how to advocate effectively as people of faith for comprehensive

sex education. SEAT welcomes and encourages applicants from ALL

spiritual/religious communities. The programs are grounded in Unitarian

Universalist, United Church of Christ and Reform Jewish values and faith

traditions, and work towards creating a diverse spiritual community in

which to learn, worship and advocate.

The Work/Play is playing through January 2010. (December 6, 2009) 

A wonderful play, The Work/Play, created by young people from Youth Onstage opened December 4th and will be playing through January 17th. Check out the brief video.

Youth Onstage!  offers young people, aged 14 to 21, the opportunity to perform on stage in plays that have something to say about the world and its future. In addition to its productions, Youth Onstage! has a free school, the Youth Onstage! Community Performance School, where professional theatre artists volunteer to teach classes and lead workshops for young people.  

Number of People Getting Lifesaving HIV Drugs Rises. (Oct. 2^nd, 2009)

In a significant advancement, about 42 percent of people in the developing world who are infected with the AIDS virus and should be taking antiretroviral drugs are now receiving them, according to a new report.

The greatest increase has been in sub-Saharan Africa, where most of the world's HIV-positive people reside. At the end of 2008, 2.9 million Africans were on the lifesaving therapy, up by more than one-third from the previous year.

Similar gains have been made in testing pregnant women for HIV and persuading infected ones to take antiretroviral drugs to prevent transmission of the virus to their babies. Overall, however, nearly six in 10 infected pregnant women are not given that option, resulting in hundreds of thousands of HIV cases.

The report, prepared by the World Health Organization and its sister U.N. agencies UNICEF and UNAIDS, depicts a glass that is nearly half-full but was certifiably empty at the start of the decade.

A decade ago, AIDS experts debated whether it was feasible or even safe to offer people in poor countries the complicated and expensive treatment. Since then, the cost of AIDS drugs in the developing world has fallen steeply because of "tiered pricing" by pharmaceutical companies and the arrival of generic versions made principally in India.

A year's worth of drugs now costs $200 to $500 in the poorest countries, and $700 to $1,000 in middle-income ones, De Lay said. In the United States and Europe, the treatment still costs $8,000 to $12,000. (more)

Transdiaspora Network, Inc. Enrolls with SBWire for Non-Profits Program. (Sept. 16, 2009)

Green Bay, WI and Brooklyn, NY -- SBWire, the online newswire for small to medium-sized businesses and organizations, has announced that Transdiaspora Network, Inc. has been enrolled in the SBWire for Non-Profits program.

The SBWire for Non-Profits program provides free press release distribution services and access to SBWire�s collection of online public relations tools and services to qualified non-profit organizations.

Transdiaspora Network will utilize SBWire�s press release distribution services to provide members of the media and individual subscribers with up-to-date information on Transdiaspora Network�s efforts to communicate culturally-oriented solutions to the next generation fighting HIV/AIDS and empowering at-risk youth to develop civic responsiveness within peripheral communities.

�It is our goal to help non-profit organizations spread the word about the positive efforts they are making,� said Daniel R. Jones, Managing Editor, SBWire. �SBWire is pleased to welcome Transdiaspora Network to the SBWire for Non-Profits program.� (more)

The Feminization of AIDS in the Caribbean. (May 12, 2009)

Inter Press Service on Thursday examined how an increasing number of women living with HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean face stigma, discrimination and gender-based violence that is linked to the spread of the disease. UNAIDS reports that women overall now account for half of the population living with HIV in the Caribbean, compared with 30% in 1999. Women ages 15 to 24 account for 62% of the entire HIV-positive population in the Caribbean. 

The Caribbean is being urged to do more to ensure its hospitals and healthcare facilities are safe and resilient in the face of natural hazards, amid calls for an enforceable Caribbean building code.

Speaking in Barbados at a recent symposium to mark World Health Day, Monica Zaccarelli, Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) Disaster Reduction Advisor in the Caribbean, discussed the findings of a Hospital Safety Index assessment conducted during April and May 2008, which assessed eight of the region's hospitals.

PAHO/WHO, partnering with the European Union, applied the index to Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Vincent, St Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla and Montserrat.

Following the exercise, each facility developed a safety improvement plan, with half currently engaged in the implementation phase. Jamaica, Belize, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago, have set 2010 as a goal for their hospitals to be evaluated.

Also underscoring the need for safe hospitals was Caribbean Programme Coordinator with PAHO/WHO, Dr Bernadette Theodore-Gandi, who recalled the catastrophic consequences of a collapsed wing of a Mexican hospital which resulted in the loss of 561 lives. In addition to the loss of valuable human life, the country's economy was severely impacted in terms of resources, as many of the victims included healthcare professionals trained to respond to mass casualties.

Michael Wood of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CrosQ) emphasised as well the need for the region to have and enforce a cohesive building standards code, as part of the initiative, to ensure safety in hospitals.

Major Milestone in Access to HIV/AIDS Medicines. (April 30, 2009)

The Clinton Foundation announced two important milestones in their HIV/AIDS work: 2 million people living with HIV/AIDS are benefiting from medicines purchased under agreements the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI) has negotiated � that's half of all people on treatment in developing countries � and 195,000 children are on treatment supported by the partnership between CHAI and UNITAID � representing more than two-thirds of the total number of children on treatment globally.

Secretary Clinton Announces $12.5 Million to Improve Dominican Public Schools Teaching. (April 18, 2009)

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced a $12.5 million dollar expansion of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Effective School Program during a visit to the Rosa Duarte Public Elementary School in the Dominican Republic.

This new five-year $12.5 million dollar increase in the USAID Effective School Program will allow an additional 450 public schools to access a full range of programming in reading, writing, math, and school administration. This project is fully supported by the Ministry of Education and will be implemented by USAID partner Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM).

The Effective School Program will train first through fourth grade teachers in improved methodologies and better use of available materials and classroom time. Additionally, it supports improved school management by increasing the capacity of school administrators and the community to participate in the shared responsibility of educating children.

Underdeveloped countries with an affordable solution for prevention of HIV transmission? (April 3, 2009)

A University of Louisville faculty member at the Owensboro Cancer Research Program (OCRP) has published research that supports the use of transgenic plants in HIV prevention.

The study indicates that growing large quantities of the protein griffithsin in Nicotiana benthamiana � a close relative of tobacco � serves as an affordable, preventive measure for HIV.

The published study was the result of a collaboration between Palmer and the scientists who discovered the drug, led by Barry O�Keefe, Ph.D., at the National Cancer Institute. Two Kentucky biotechnology companies, Intrucept Biomedicine, LLC, and Kentucky Bioprocessing, and scientists at Duke University and the University of London in the United Kingdom also participated in the study.

�This drug works by binding to sugar molecules on the surface of HIV, preventing the virus from infecting cells of the immune system.� O�Keefe said. Using plants to produce griffithsin will offer underdeveloped countries with an affordable solution for prevention of HIV transmission.�

According to Palmer, when manufactured in the form of a microbicide gel or film for topical application, the product�s selling price could compare to that of male condoms.

�Pedro: The Movie� premieres at MTV on April 1. (March 12, 2009)

Alex Loynaz stars as earnest Real World cast-member Pedro Zamora in this intimate biopic tracing the HIV-positive immigrant's rise from humble roots to becoming one of the most instantly recognizable HIV/AIDS activists in the United States as a result of his high profile role on MTV's pioneering reality... television series.

Born the youngest child in a close-knit Cuban family, Zamora arrived in the United States as part of the 1980 Mariel boatlift. His mother died when he was just thirteen, the pain of the loss prompting the already promising student to hit the books even harder. Three short years and numerous bouts of unprotected sex later, Zamora discovered that he was HIV-positive after donating blood to the Red Cross. It was a crushing blow to the ambitious young student, though one that would unexpectedly give his life new meaning as well. Watch the trailer

In the first nine months of 2008, one Chinese person died of AIDS every hour, according to official numbers given by the Ministry of Health, in mid February. AIDS has become the biggest killer in China, with the number of deaths caused by the HIV virus greater than those resulting from tuberculosis and rabies.

 According to the numbers provided by the Ministry of Health, 6,897 people died of AIDS between January and September 2008. Since the first cases were detected in the early 1980s, 34,864 Chinese died from complications related to AIDS. Officially, 264,302 Chinese people are infected with HIV.

In light of these strickingly precise numbers, and given the absence of systematic testing and reliable statistics, a reality emerges: after having denied the magnitude of the pandemic for years, and then having minimized its consequences, the Chinese government is no longer hesitating to communicate about the issue.

 The Ministry of Health has admitted that the official number of people reported as being carriers of the HIV virus could be an underestimation. According to the UN, there are 700,000 people infected with HIV in China.

--excepted from Le Monde online edition, February 27, 2009. Translated by Sophie Cardona

LIVE Webcast � First in New Series "U.S. Global Health Policy: In Focus." (Feb. 11, 2009)

On Tuesday, February 17 at 2:30 p.m. ET, the Kaiser Family Foundation will hold a live, interactive webcast from its Washington, DC studio with Michel Kazatchkine, M.D., Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, to discuss the next phase of the U.S. government�s role and involvement in the Global Fund.  The conversation will cover questions such as:

- What is the role of the U.S. in funding the Global Fund?

- How is that likely to change with the new U.S. Administration and 

  Congress?

- How is the U.S. role balanced with other donors?

- What has the Fund accomplished? What�s been disappointing?

Dr. Kazatchkine will speak with Kaiser Family Foundation Vice President Jen Kates and take questions from viewers, which can be submitted ahead of time or during the live program to infocus@kff.org.

This program is the first in a new webcast series from our studio entitled "U.S. Global Health Policy: In Focus," devoted to discussing current and critical issues facing the U.S. Each session will feature experts in the field tackling tough global health problems who will speak about the U.S. government�s role and answer questions from webcast viewers. To watch the webcast, click here.

$400 million For HIV/STI Prevention Included in Economic Recovery Bill. (Feb. 1, 2008)

The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved its portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Included in the economic stimulus package is $400 million for domestic HIV and STI testing and prevention programs as part of a $5.8 billion Prevention and Wellness Fund to prevent diseases and to reduce future healthcare costs.

"The AIDS Institute praises the Senate Appropriations Committee for including increased funding for HIV prevention at the CDC," commented Carl Schmid, Director of Federal Affairs. "Preventing disease, such as HIV/AIDS, will dramatically reduce future healthcare costs." The CDC estimates that the 56,300 new infections each year in the U.S. may result in $56 billion in medical care and lost productivity.

Obama Asks Abstinence-Only AIDS Coodinator to Stay. (Jan 15, 2009)

President-elect Obama's transition team has asked Ambassador Mark Dybul to remain in place as Global AIDS Coordinator, despite strong opposition by treatment access, HIV prevention, and women's rights advocates across the global HIV and AIDS community, many of whom signed letters calling for a change in PEPFAR leadership at this crucial time. While keeping Mr. Dybul on may be a stopgap measure for a new administration dealing with huge problems across the board, it is a decision that signals we may not be getting "the change we need" in global AIDS policies.

This step greatly undermines integration of HIV prevention with reproductive health programs, limiting efforts to slow the rapid spread of new infections among women in sub-Saharan Africa and denying HIV-positive women in prevention of maternal-to-child transmission programs support they need to space or limit births.

Motivation, Aspiration, Achievement for the Youth: The Caribbean Games. (Jan. 10, 2009)

To promote, encourage and assist sport, sport development and physical recreation throughout the Caribbean for the benefit of the nations and people of the Caribbean, these games are coming for the first time to the region in 2009 (12-19 July). They will also provide a platform to showcase elite Caribbean Athletes as a means of motivating young sportsmen and sportswomen to aspire to international standards and achievements. It is intended that the Games should expose Caribbean audiences to the best of the Caribbean athletes.

The events chosen for the Caribbean Games 2009 are Tennis, Track & Field, Boxing, Netball and Volleyball. As this is the inaugural Games and a wholly Caribbean endeavor, with Trinidad & Tobago as host, the Caribbean Association of National Olympics Committees (CANOC) is keen to present a memorable event. (Learn more)

Cell Phone Soap Operas Deliver Safe-Sex Message. (Jan. 5, 2009)

They are soap operas with a message. Rachel Jones, a nurse educator at Rutgers University, and Alan Roth, a Brooklyn-based filmmaker, have developed an education campaign using professional actors to spread the word that safe sex pays off.

Ms. Jones uses scripts based on focus groups with women in Newark and Jersey City. She filmed a series of 12 soap opera vignettes with a grant from the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, and recently received a $2 million National Institutes of Health grant to test the campaign's effectiveness. Women in the federal study will view the 20-minute episodes on their cell phones.
 
Ms. Jones says the scripts feature stories of risk and risk reduction that women can identify with. Viewing by cell phone ensures privacy and offers the viewer the chance to watch episodes again. (Watch the video)