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Special Edition Focussing On 13th ICASA Conference September 25, 2003

Study Challenges Experts To Rethink Main Mode Of HIV Spread

NAIROBI (AANA) September 25 - A new study conducted by one Prof David 
Gisselquist has cast doubts on World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNAIDS 
assertion that HIV/AIDS is mostly spread through sexual intercourse.

Instead, the study, published in the International Journal of STD (sexually 
transmitted diseases) and AIDS, indicates that unsafe health care practices 
could be the major cause of new HIV/AIDS infections in Africa.

Prof Gisselquist, who is a member of Safe Health Care and HIV/AIDS working 
group, said at the ongoing 13th International Conference on AIDS and 
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in Africa (ICASA), that reuse of 
injections, transfusion of unscreened blood and non-observance of simple 
internationally accepted practices by health care providers, was 
contributing highly to new HIV infections in Africa, "even more than 
unprotected sex".

The conference, which started on September 21 and continues to September 
26, has attracted about 6,000 delegates from Africa and the rest of the 
world, representing a cross-section of parties involved in the war against 
HIV/AIDS.

Prof Gisselquist said that in Africa, unsafe deliveries now contribute 60 
percent of new HIV infections, and that close to 25 percent of all blood 
transfused is unscreened.

According to data obtained by the professor, Africa's HIV trend does not 
follow the pattern of STDs.

In Zimbabwe, in the 1990s, HIV infections increased by 12 percent a year, 
while overall STDs declined by 25 percent.  There was a marked increase in 
condom use among high-risk groups.

Yet, states the report, "HIV is much more difficult than most STDs to 
transmit via penile-vaginal sex".

Prof Gisselquist pointed out that several general behaviour surveys 
suggested that sexual activity in Africa was not much different from that 
in North America and Europe.

In fact, places with the highest level of risky sexual behaviour, such as 
Yaounde in Cameroon, have low and stable rates of HIV infection. 
"Informationfrom the general population shows most HIV in sexually less 
active adults," Prof. Gisselquist noted.

According to Eric Friedman, a policy research associate with Physicians for 
Human Rights, new estimates from Safe Blood for Africa indicate that in 
sub-Saharan Africa, about 15 percent of the blood supply and transfused in 
patients is infected with HIV, and 20 percent with Hepatitis.

"Far too little attention has been paid to the systematic correction of 
these widespread unsafe practices that result in disease transmission," 
says Friedman.

Some study in Burkina Faso shows that including single-use syringes on 
essential drugs and supplies lot, and the resulting increased availability 
of syringes, was largely responsible for a 90 percent drop in the 
proportion in unsafe injections in the period between 1995-2000.

According to Lillian Salerno, spokesperson of the Safe Blood for Africa, 
there is little attention given to the role of the needle in the 
transmission of AIDS and other blood-borne diseases in Africa.

"Instead, the WHO/UNAIDS has focused on the role of sexual transmission in 
Africa to the point of excluding virtually all other causes," she notes.

The debate about the proportion of transmission attributable to unsafe 
injections is now becoming more intense.

The WHO estimates, widely viewed as conservative, is 2.5 percent, but a 
substantial body of evidence suggests that the figure may be higher.

Reported by Henry Neondo

Traditional Healers Demand Recognition In Battle Against AIDS

NAIROBI (AANA) September 25 - African traditional healers have demanded 
recognition by governments and involvement in the management of HIV/AIDS 
pandemic in the continent.

Dr Erick Gbodossou, president of the Association for the Promotion of 
Traditional Medicine (PROMETRA) has said that since 85 percent of Africans 
in sub-Saharan African used traditional medicine, and that traditional 
healers held positions of authority and respect in their communities, they 
(traditional healers) could supplement efforts in the fight against spread 
of the pandemic.

Dr Gbodossou, who is Senegalese, said on Tuesday at the continuing 13th 
International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) in Nairobi, 
during a press conference.

He observed that trained traditional healers were valuable in providing 
information and education, and pointed out that various studies had 
demonstrated that they had useful knowledge in the treatment of diseases in 
general, and opportunistic infections in particular.

PROMETRA, through its president, thus demanded that use of traditional 
medicine be legalised in all countries, and that appropriate treatment and 
care for HIV positive include safe and effective traditional healing
therapies.

The PROMETRA president recommended the strengthening of trust and 
collaboration between conventional and traditional medicine for the benefit 
of patients.

This, he said, should be backed by financial support for collaborative 
research between the two types of medicines. He also recommended training 
of traditional healers as information, education and communications agents 
for local populations.

The head of African traditional healers noted that since they lived within 
communities affected by HIV and AIDS, and that people relied on them for 
medicine, care and understanding, they could play a significant role in the 
fight against the scourge.

"We have varied and valuable experience in treating AIDS related illness, 
and accept the great responsibility of continuing to do so," said Dr
Gbodossou.

He called for change of the mindset of people who considered traditional 
healing as inferior and primitive.

Reported by Joseph K'Amolo

Guilty Verdict For WTO, Drug Manufacturers And Kenya Govt

NAIROBI (AANA) September 25 - A "people's tribunal" held here on Tuesday 
passed a "guilty" verdict on World Trade Organisation (WTO), big 
pharmaceutical companies Kenya government, stigma, discrimination and 
denial as major obstacles to AIDS treatment for Kenyans in need.

The "accused" were tried at the "tribunal" organised by the Kenya Coalition 
for Access to Essential Medicines (KCAEM), a volunteer group of Kenyan and 
international organisations that work together to address lack of treatment 
for life-threatening diseases such as AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

The chairman of KCAEM, Gitura Mwaura, said the "tribunal" was meant to 
raise attention on the urgent need for affordable access to AIDS treatment 
in Kenya.

"Everyday, around 700 people die from AIDS, and almost all people living 
with AIDS who need treatment are denied their rights," said Mwaura, adding: 
"Around a quarter million people are in dire need of treatment, but they 
are too poor to buy the medicine."

During the "tribunal", different "witnesses" (people living with HIV/AIDS) 
presented moving testimonies on what it meant to be denied treatment and 
how the actions of different "suspects" affected their lives and that of 
their families and friends.

Patricia Achieng, 35, who is a counsellor living with HIV in a slum 
dwelling in the outskirts of Nairobi, deplored the numerous problems facing 
thousands of widowed mothers living with HIV/AIDS.

She pointed an accusing finger at the Kenyan government, saying that if 
antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) were availed to them, the prevalence of AIDS 
orphans would have been minimised.

Another sufferer, Rosemary, a widowed mother of seven who has been living 
with HIV for 15 years, poured out her grievances concerning how she was 
stigmatised after she went public with her HIV-positive status in 1993.

"My customers ceased from buying my wares, my neighbours lobbied for me to 
move and my son dropped out of school to escape ridicule, and now am living 
in debts.  (It's) funny I went through all these just because of educating 
Kenyans," she said amidst sobs.

Rosemary is now a trained community nurse and an AIDS counsellor, but since 
she is unable to work all the time, being able to afford ARVs is a dream 
only the government can help her realise.

The "tribunal", which was held outside the Kenyatta International 
Conference Centre, the venue of the 13th International Conference on AIDS 
and STIs in Africa (ICASA), stole the limelight momentarily when members of 
the press the public and some delegates deserted some events in the 
conference to follow the proceedings at the "tribunal".

In a statement, the KCAEM said they were giving a voice to those who did 
not get the opportunity to participate in the conference.

The "elders" presiding over the "tribunal" were Fr Emmanuel Ngugi of the 
Catholic Church, renowned Kenyan singer, Mercy Myra, and a member of the 
Kenya Children Cabinet, Anthony Kaguara.

Reported by Anthony Nabiliki

FBOs Are Doing Well In Supporting AIDS Orphans - Research

NAIROBI (AANA) September 25 - Latest research findings show that 
faith-based organisations (FBOs) in Africa have generally done well in 
responding to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children, especially 
those affected by HIV/AIDS.

A report containing the findings, released here September 23 by World 
Conference on Religions for Peace (WCRP) and UNICEF, says there has been a 
proliferation of FBO responses to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), 
"without significant external facilitation and financial support".

According to the joint WCRP-UNICEF research, which was conducted in six 
African countries namely, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia. Swaziland and 
Uganda, faith communities started initiating responses to children affected 
by AIDS during the 1990s. The only incentive was their willingness to offer 
support.

"Recently, the trickle became a flood. Nearly two-thirds of congregational 
responses were established in 1999-2002," says the report, titled Study of 
the Responses by Faith-Based Organisations to Orphans and Vulnerable
Children.

"This  reflects the motivation of local religious groups who commit their 
own time and resources to ensure the future well-being of vulnerable 
children," continues the report.

WCRP and UNICEF also found during their study, conducted between 2002 and 
2003, that over 85 percent of recently established FBO responses were 
community-based, and involved provision of religious support, material and 
educational assistance, HIV prevention, home visiting and counselling.

About 97 percent of the FBOs studied were found to be offering some support 
to OVC.

The findings thus contradict belief that communities with severe epidemics 
were disintegrating and support systems faltering.

Says the report: "One reason why little financial support has been provided 
to community groups is that such groups are said to lack capacity to manage 
grants.  The study demonstrates that this notion is erroneous."

Talking about the findings, Geoff Foster, who was in charge of the research 
team, said the study illustrated that the organisational capacities of FBOs 
were at per with those of better funded and larger non-governmental 
organisations.

"The fact that religious groups have established and expanded their 
initiatives despite limited financial and human resources, is an 
illustration of their organisational ability," reiterates the report.

This, according to Foster is due to "strong insider understanding" of how 
communities should respond to orphaned children.

According to UNICEF, the study is the first part of a strategy designed to 
increase the numbers of vulnerable children cared for by religious 
organisations.

"As a result of the study, it is anticipated that partnerships between 
religious organisations and inter-governmental [agencies] such as UNICEF, 
donors and other organisations, will be strengthened so that the work FBOs 
are doing at community level to address the needs of children affected by 
HIV/AIDS can be expanded," said Stanley Ngalazi Phiri, UNICEF regional 
adviser of children orphaned by AIDS, in a statement.

Emphasising the need for such partnerships, James Cairns, the director of 
Programme on Children at WCRP, revealed that already, UNICEF, WCRP, and 
UNAIDS were collaborating to produce an information and action kit for 
faith communities, on HIV/AIDS and its impacts on children.

The kit, he said, will be ready by the end of this year, and will serve as 
resource material to "enable religious leaders to further engage their 
communities and better equip them to respond to the various issues arising 
from the pandemic".

Latest statistics indicate that there are about 34 million orphaned 
children in Africa, 11 million being as a result of AIDS.  According to 
Nicholas Alipui, UNICEF country representative in Kenya, the latter figure 
is likely to rise to 25 million by 2010.

Reported by Elly Wamari