OSISA - HIV and AIDS

HIV and AIDS Programme

Tue, 29 May 2007 09:41:53 -0400

Few public health issues have been as socially stigmatized as HIV and AIDS.

In the last few decades as the world has responded to the challenge of the global epidemic, it has become clear that the fight against AIDS is a fight for human rights, dignity and respect.

OSISA is committed to addressing the issue of HIV and AIDS at all levels. As an employer OSISA provides a non-discriminatory environment in which all people, regardless of their sero-status are able to contribute towards the realization of the ideals of an Open Society. In its grant-making and advocacy work, OSISA supports the rights of people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS, particularly those who are socially marginalized in other ways, to participate fully in decisions that affect them.

VISION

A region whose citizens enjoy health and well-being and have full access to information, skills and services related to the full attainment of their health, including access to the information, commodities and services necessary to prevent, manage and treat HIV AND AIDS.

HIV and AIDS funding guidelines

Tue, 29 May 2007 09:29:47 -0400

[see also General guidelines]

OSISA will endeavour to support initiatives that –

Use methods and processes that are empowering and participatory
Promote the active involvement of women, young people, people with disabilities and people living with HIV AND AIDS, as well as other vulnerable groups
Are innovative and catalytic in nature
Support and promote the ideals of an Open Society, especially the use of the media as a tool for monitoring, advocacy and awareness raising
Promote the role and capacity of states to manage the HIV and AIDS response in a responsible and transparent manner, particularly education, health and institutions responsible for social security
Promote greater transparency and accountability in HIV and AIDS funding and the administration of programmes
Promote partnerships and coordination amongst CSOs and government
Promote a mainstreaming approach.

HIV and AIDS resources

Tue, 29 May 2007 09:25:52 -0400

Links to more HIV and AIDS resources:

For further information, e-mail: hiv.aids@osisa.org

HIV and AIDS programme

Wed, 18 Jan 2006 02:26:18 -0500

All people have a right to achieve the highest standards of health. This is only possible in societies that respect and promote access to information and full participation in all aspects of public life.

OSISA has traditionally supported a number of initiatives focused on HIV and AIDS, and the organization is committed to ensuring that HIV and AIDS issues are fully integrated into all areas of work. In April 2005, the OSISA HIV and AIDS programme began full operations.

The programme works to support civil society organisations involved in:

advocacy to promote the implementation of HIV and AIDS policies and laws;
monitoring resource flows and expenditures on HIV and AIDS, both nationally and internationally;
promoting civil society engagement in policy and law making processes;
promoting access to care, support and treatment for socially and geographically marginalised and vulnerable groups of people.

Programme Guidelines to follow...

For further information, e-mail: hiv.aids@osisa.org

Botswana achieves MDG-6 on HIV

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:41:29 -0500

Botswana Achieves MDG-6 On HIV
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USA
A multidisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Botswana, together with their counterparts at the University of Pennsylvania has been granted an award of P12 million for five years to develop research capacity for the investigation of HIV/AIDS issues pertaining to adolescents.At a launch held at UB last week, the Minister of Health, Professor Sheila Tlou, said the objective

Aids spreads in rural Zimbabwe

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:28:08 -0500

Aids spreads in rural Zimbabwe
The Times - Johannesburg,Gauteng,South Africa
Farm communities have not changed their sexual behaviour and are contributing greatly to HIV-Aids prevalence in Zimbabwe, the Herald newspaper reported ... This was according to Health and Child Welfare Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa who said settlers in farming areas were scuttling government efforts to reduce the HIV prevalence rate. He was addressing a gathering at Mahume Business Centre in Murehwa at belated provincial World Aids Day commemorations at the weekend. World Aids Day is commemorated annually on December 1 ... In an interview with the Herald, Mebras Zengeya of Mahume Primary School said throughout the year, women, especially widows, and orphans of different ages sell fruits along the Harare-Nyamapanda Road trying to make a living. But they exposed themselves to HIV and Aids by selling sex to haulage truck drivers who use the road ...

Namibia: maternal death rate doubles

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 03:06:27 -0500

Namibia: Maternal Death Rate Shoots Up
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USA
Namibia is experiencing reversals on child, infant and maternal health despite being one of the leading countries in reporting progress on child survival. Infant and under-five mortality rates have increased, while the number of women who die during pregnancy, delivery or shortly after giving birth has doubled ... The data that the Ministry of Health and Social

Angola: cross-border HIV infections

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 02:01:01 -0500

Angola: Aids Epidemics Has Neighbouring Countries Influence - Study
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USA
Angolan deputy minister of Health, José Van-Dunem, said Tuesday in Luanda that studies indicate that Aids epidemics has an inward trend and a certain certain influence from neighbouring countries with border provinces operating as entry routes for the disease ... The deputy minister said the provinces of Cunene

Education and abuse in Botswana

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 01:32:26 -0500

Botswana: Stop Teacher-Student Sex!
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USA

The pervasiveness of teacher-student sexual affairs is alarming. In the late eighties and early nineties, such cases were prevalent but the authorities moved in and instituted drastic measures to arrest the situation. However, lately, there are increasing reports of teacher-student "love" affairs. Surely, love does not form the basis of such a union ... Just last week, we reported complaints by some University of Botswana students who accused some lecturers of demanding sexual favours in exchange for good grades. We are just wondering whether what is traditionally known as a "cooperation fee" in some West African tertiary institutions, is also becoming institutionalised in Botswana. The behaviour of these teachers and lecturers are not only psychologically destructive to our children but also expose them to infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS ... Botswana Secondary School Teachers' Union (BOSETU) president, Eric Ditau, reportedly said they "can only take action if the members violate the union constitution". But a constitution can be amended to make it bite. The least that unions can do right now is to take the approach as explained by Botswana Teachers' Union president, Japhta Radibe. The union embarks on own investigations and should the concerned members be found to have erred, then the union offers them no protection. But we still believe the unions should also compile a register of convicted teachers and ban them from getting close to students ever again. We cannot agree more with UB Professor Richard Tabulawa's wish that the "nation could come up with a law to restrain elders, not just teachers, from engaging in sexual relationships with students ...

HIV status and stigma in Zambia

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 01:13:23 -0500

Zambia: Stigma - Greatest Enemy to HIV/Aids Fight
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USA

"HAVING gone for Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) and disclosed my status, was the worst thing that I regret having done because it subjected me and my family to all kinds of discrimination and name calling from my community," these were the words of Hildah Siatwiinda, 45, of Livingstone's Libuyu Township. Ms Siatwiinda says she regrets having gone for an HIV test and disclosed that she was positive after being advised by the medical personel at Maramba Clinic that she should disclose her status to close friends and her relatives ... Because HIV is sexually transmitted, it is often presumed that those living with the virus have brought the disease upon themselves by having many sexual partners. Women are especially vulnerable to this prejudice, and they may also be blamed for infecting their children even though the father may have been the first one to be infected. Victims of stigma suffer physical and social isolation ... Stigma does not just cause agony to individuals, but also hampers prevention and care programmes ... HIV-related stigma and discrimination remains an enormous barrier to the fight against the scourge not only in Zambia but worldwide ...

Zambia strives to meet HIV targets

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 06:22:12 -0500

Zambia: Country Strives to Meet HIV Targets
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USA
THE presence of HIV and AIDS has posed big challenges to all countries including Zambia, and the call for universal support is just inevitable. As the year 2015 draws near, every country is striving to meet most, if not all, of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in line with the United Nations set targets. For Zambia, it has particularly made tremendous

Lesotho: health cooperation with China

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 05:44:21 -0500

Lesotho Aims To Increase HIV/AIDS, Health Cooperation With China ...
Kaiser network.org - Washington,DC,USA
Lesotho hopes to increase cooperation with China on HIV/AIDS treatment and other health issues, Lesotho's ambassador to Beijing, Anthony Thibeli, said ... China's first medical team to Lesotho arrived in 1997, and the second

Elderly caregivers in Swaziland

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 05:27:57 -0500

SWAZILAND: Elderly caregivers get little assistance
Plus News - South Africa
MBABANE, 25 January 2008 (PlusNews) - The widowed Gogo (SiSwati for "granny") Thwala, 72, lives a life that relies heavily on her survival skills as she single-handedly raises three grandchildren, but not a trace of resignation or despair clouds her smile. "Yes, when the Lord

Taiwan withdraws health support from Malawi

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:35:36 -0500

Taiwan pulls medics from Malawi after China ties
Reuters South Africa - Johannesburg,South Africa
By Mabvuto Banda MZUZU, Malawi (Reuters) - Taiwan has withdrawn medical staff and equipment from a 300-bed hospital it built in Malawi after the southern African country severed diplomatic ties in favour of China, health officials said on Wednesday. Impoverished Malawi ended 41 years of relations with the island

Botswana: teacher transferred in HIV case

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 03:24:54 -0500

Botswana: Teacher Transferred for Speaking Out
AllAfrica.com - Washington,USA

The stigmatisation and discrimination case reported in the Voice last year September of a female teacher whose HIV/AIDS status was exposed has taken another twist. As related in the Voice, a woman teacher at Kgabophuti Primary School in Moshupa allegedly had her status revealed to other teachers, as well as potentially to students passing by the general meeting at the school. It was alleged that the teacher who is on antiretroviral treatment, was exposed and further insulted by the headmaster, Oteng Wadipodi on September 18th 2007 over a trivial matter. The latest turn of events has it that as a consequence of telling the truth, and supporting her co-worker and fellow teacher, Joyce Baison has been transferred to another local school in Moshupa, Bakoko Primary School ... After the initial exposure meeting, whereupon she had been branded a "f***n bloody s**t", the teacher was apparently called to another senior management team meeting in November 2007, where she was again called to reveal the names of teachers who are supportive of her case ... Mr Uyapo Ndadi of BONELA, the Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS has been representing the HIV-positive teacher in this sad saga. He told The Voice that the Moshupa issue is sadly not unique."HIV/AIDS stigma in the Botswana workplace is worsening and it manifests as discrimination. The workspace is made intolerable ...