13 June 2017
Over 6,000 adolescent girls in Zimbabwe have benefited from the DREAMS initiative, funded by USAID and coordinated by the National AIDS Council. The DREAMS director, Masimba Nyamuchena, reported that 30% of young women in urban Gweru, Mutare and Bulawayo were retained in employment to date, after completing a six-month internship under the DREAMS initiative. Family planning uptake has also improved among adolescent girls…
14 June 2017
A staggering 2,000 girls and young women are infected with HIV every week in South Africa. Basic Education Deputy Minister Enver Surty presented the department's integrated policy on HIV, TB and STIs and said the implementation of the policy was the responsibility of all managers within education and health systems. Another department staff, Amanda Rozani, said the policy will be the first of its kind which addresses HIV…
6 June 2017
The Zambezi Region of Namibia faces a raft of developmental challenges hampering efforts to remedy sexual reproductive health rights and HIV and AIDS. Some health facilities in the region are not accessible to residents that find themselves in the vast sparsely populated region. To reach health facilities for some residents that are mostly destitute means having to walk over 10 kilometres, risking crossing paths with…
13 June 2017
A survey conducted in South Africa among 650 young women (ages 16-24) found that 1 in 20 women not receiving HIV treatment reported uncaring, judgmental health staff as the primary barrier to care. The report states that the number of mentions of rude‚ untrustworthy and unsupportive care from nurses is notable and worrying.
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12 June 2017
Many countries have increased treatment of HIV-infected pregnant women to lower their chances of infecting their babies, but most countries do not automatically continue treatment for those women after delivery - important for keeping them healthy long-term. Dr. Chewe Luo of UNICEF she said adolescent girls (10-18 year olds) are too often ignored by global HIV testing, prevention and treatment programs. Without protecting…
1 June 2017
A new study published Thursday examined what stalled an early attempt at an anti-HIV gel, and found certain types of vaginal bacteria broke down the protective medication before it had time to work. “This is an important study, it does tell us that this is another factor we have to consider.” said microbiologist Sharon Hillier of the University of Pittsburgh.
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Data from the Minnesota Department of Health HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report (2015) show that African-born women continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV. In 2015, these women accounted for more than half (54%) of all new cases of HIV reported among females in Minnesota and 34% of all known female cases in the state.The primary objective of this study was to gain an insight into the strategies that will limit the spread of HIV infection…
2 June 2017
The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) through funding from the Global Fund and support from the Kenyan government has launched a Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) project in Turkana County that aims to address HIV risk amongst the adolescents and young women aged between 15-24 years. The project that was launched on 31 May 2017 in Kalokol, Turkana is being spearheaded by KRCS and National AIDS & STI Control Programme (NASCOP…
5 January 2017
Canada has one of the world’s strictest legal standards when it comes to criminalizing HIV non-disclosure, resulting in a high prosecution rate for people living with HIV. Ground-breaking PhD research from SFU health sciences graduate Sophie Patterson, a physician, finds that women living with HIV are more likely to face a legal obligation to disclose their HIV status compared to men. She says this is because women face…
5 June 2017
Some 315 vulnerable girls and women were happy graduates on May 26 as they completed a mentorship and skills course managed by a three-year project of Plan International Uganda and Uganda Youth Development Link (UYDEL). Rogers Kasirye, executive director of UYDEL, said they graduated after being trained in skills like catering, electrical engineering, bakery, plumbing, welding and sweater knitting, among others. He added…
1 June 2017
The report titled, ‘Reinvigorating the AIDS response to catalyse sustainable development and UN reform’ (A/71/864), finds that progress on reducing new HIV infections among adults has stalled, women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected by the AIDS epidemic, particularly in Africa, and financing for a global response is not sufficient. The report further highlights challenges related to higher risks of…
Adolescents are one sixth of the world's population and account for 6% of the world's global burden of disease and injury. Over 3,000 adolescents die every day from largely preventable causes. In 2015, the top causes of adolescent girls' included HIV/AIDS and maternal conditions. This guidance assists governments to support country implementation to improve the health of their adolescents through evidence, case studies, a summary document, a…
A cross-sectional survey among migrants' wives in two rural villages of Chitwan district, Nepal aimed to measure knowledge and attitudes around HIV and STIs and to understand women's risk perception of HIV due to their husbands' sexual behavior. Results found that nearly all (94%) of women had a good knowledge of HIV, yet, nearly half the women reported being unable to talk to their husbands about HIV and STIs, even if they suspected risk of…
This report draws on analyses of national survey data and literature review results to provide an overview of the evidence on key aspects of sexual and reproductive health among very young adolescents aged 10–14 living in developing regions. Analyses showed that while most young adolescents report never having experienced sexual intercourse, some had begun to explore non-coital sexual activities. Many young adolescents who had experienced…
Malawi has undertaken a "test-and-treat" approach to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, known as Option B+. This approach offers all pregnant and breastfeeding women with HIV lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) regardless of CD4 count or clinical stage. A cross-sectional, qualitative study explored experiences surrounding Option B+ for patients and health care workers in Malawi. Results found that patients and health care…
30 May 2017
Amanda Soto's life was turned upside down in 2012 when she learned she was HIV-positive. Feeling lost, Soto was referred to Newly Empowered Women, a facility that helped her move on with her life. "I'm very proud of her. I'm proud of the fact that this program was able to make a difference in her life," Michelle Durham, executive director of BEAT AIDS, a nonprofit organization, said.
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29 May 2017
Uganda is committed to having an HIV free generation and is working towards realizing zero new HIV infections and zero AIDS related deaths. But one critical question still hangs unanswered. The problem of stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS and society’s attitude to it is still a big question that needs an answer. Women living with HIV often experience domestic violence, the non-provision of basic needs,…
22 May 2017
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says girls account for nearly 80 per cent of new HIV infections in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dr Felicitas Zawaira, the Director, Family and Reproductive Health Cluster, WHO Regional Office for Africa, said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday. Zawaira said most recent data from the organisation showed that only 13 per cent of these adolescent girls, and nine per cent of adolescent boys…
22 May 2017
Community health workers (CHWs) are members of a local community who are chosen to provide basic healthcare and to promote healthy practices and illness prevention. However, despite the crucial service they provide in rural communities with limited access to healthcare or in places where reliance on traditional healers and birth attendants is the norm, community health workers remain unpaid for their service. Community…
19 May 2017
Age-disparate sexual relationships are associated with new HIV infections among young women in Zimbabwe, particularly for young women with partners ten years older or more. The findings come from a 15-year study by Imperial College London, Zimbabwe’s Biomedical Research and Training Institute and the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care, and is the first large scale study to track the association between…