An estimated 1.1 million HIV infections among children under 15 have been averted, as new cases declined by over 50 per cent between 2005 and 2013, according to data released by UNICEF ahead of World AIDS Day. From UNICEF:
“If we can avert 1.1 million new HIV infections in children, we can protect every child from HIV – but only if we reach every child,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “We must close the gap, and invest more in reaching every mother, every newborn, every child and every adolescent with HIV prevention and treatment programmes that can save and improve their lives.”
The sharpest declines took place between 2009 and 2013 in eight African countries: Malawi (67%); Ethiopia (57%); Zimbabwe (57%); Botswana (57%); Namibia (57%); Mozambique (57%); South Africa (52%) and Ghana (50%).
But the global goal of reducing new HIV infections in children by 90 per cent between 2009 and 2015 is still out of reach. Only 67 per cent of pregnant women living with HIV in all low- and middle-income countries received the most effective antiretroviral medicines for PMTCT in 2013.
Disparity in access to treatment is hampering progress. Among people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries, adults are much more likely than children to get antiretroviral therapy (ART). In 2013, 37 per cent of adults aged 15 and older received treatment, compared with only 23 per cent of children (aged 0-14) – or less than 1 in 4.
AIDS mortality trends for adolescents are also of significant concern. While all other age groups have experienced a decline of nearly 40 per cent in AIDS-related deaths between 2005 and 2013, adolescents (aged 10-19) are the only age group in which AIDS-related deaths are not decreasing.
UNICEF’s Statistical Update on Children, Adolescents and AIDS provides the most recent analysis of global data on children and adolescents from birth to 19 years of age.
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Global Health and Development Beat
AIDS activists are trying to stem a troubling resurgence in Uganda of HIV, which now infects more than 500 young women between the ages of 15 and 24 each week, according to the Uganda AIDS Commission. Between 2007 and 2013 the number of Ugandans infected with HIV rose from 1.2 million to 1.6 million, according to Uganda’s Ministry of Health.
The death toll from ebola has jumped to 7,000 according to WHO data released on Saturday, This is a sharp increase of 1,200 since the previous update by the WHO last Wednesday.
Mali has no more confirmed cases of Ebola after the last patient known to be suffering from the virus was cured, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said on Saturday.
Correspondent Philip Reeves tells NPR’s Rachel Martin that the Taliban is gunning down polio vaccine health workers in Pakistan, who are suspected of being spies.
Nigerian author Jude Dibia said gay people in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa are increasingly fearful of “outing” themselves because of laws and other repressive measures that discriminate against them, and these restrictions on free expression are driving LGBTI communities further underground.
Nearly a thousand gay rights activists marched through central New Delhi on Sunday to demand an end to discrimination against gays in India’s deeply conservative society.
The Gambian government has lashed out at Western donor nations that have criticized a new law that punishes some homosexual acts with life in prison.
In Liberia, the number of new cases of Ebola is going down, but the risk has not been eliminated. To help contain the disease, schools are set to be closed until March. But a national Senate election, which was postponed once, is now set for mid-December. That means campaigning — which means crowds.
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Buzzing in the Blogs
The USAID blog highlights some of the emerging leaders on nutrition in Uganda. An excerpt:
In Uganda, the rate of stunting in children under age 5 is 38 percent. Stunting limits children’s ability to learn and impacts their future earning potential. Unfortunately, trained nutritionists with strong technical and leadership skills that can improve nutrition behaviors are scarce. Hoping to inspire more young people to become leaders in the field of nutrition, SPRING/Uganda’s internship program focuses on building the knowledge and skills to produce meaningful results. The program requires interns like Adera and Carol to design a work plan, outline specific objectives and produce targeted deliverables due at the end of the training.
Both Adera and Carol used social and behavior change communication (SBCC) strategies to promote nutrition behaviors at the community level. They counseled mothers and fathers with children under age 2 to adopt targeted nutrition behaviors such as exclusive breastfeeding. They provided nutrition services using the nutrition assessment, counseling and supportapproach (NACS), and worked with pharmacies and hospitals to ensure a steady supply of iron folic acid, or IFA, supplements for pregnant women.
Looking back on their experiences, Adera, who worked in the Ntungamo Districtwith district officials, sub county officials, health workers and village health teams, said she was inspired by the strong rapport she built with community members, who, after a year of working together, trusted her and accepted her into their community.
For Carol, being able to translate theory and academic knowledge to real people in the community was an incredibly rewarding experience. She felt more confident in her facilitation and communication skills thanks to the training and support she received through USAID’s SPRING/Uganda.
Having the opportunity to see the impact of their work was a formative experience for both Adera and Carol. SBCC programs for nutrition are challenging, but when new behaviors are formed and lasting improvements in health are made, the payoff is immeasurable. As Adera and Carol were developing their nutrition skills, they were also helping the community to learn and grow.
In May 2014, Kyambogo University and SPRING/Uganda signed a memorandum of understanding to continue their partnership to support new nutritionists with training. A group of six new nutrition trainees just joined SPRING/Uganda this June. Now, it is Adera’s and Carol’s turn to share their knowledge and lessons learned with the new group.
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Capital Events
Monday
1:00 PM – Introduction of Good Clinical Practice in China – O’Neill Institute
2:00 PM – Measuring Maternal Health in Post-MDG World – Wilson Center
Tuesday
1:30 PM – Slow Food Movement in France – Georgetown
Wednesday
12:30 PM – Ebola: The Intersection of Cultural, Historical, and Political Dynamics in West Africa – SAIS
6:30 PM – Changing the Food Game with Lucas Simons – WAC
Thursday
10:00 AM – Media Matters: How Media, Connectivity, and an Open Internet are Changing the World – CSIS
12:00 PM – Living Through Extremes: Building Livelihood Resilience Across Sectors and Countries – Wilson Center
Friday
9:00 AM – Violence Against Women: Moving Towards Evidence-Based Solutions – IADB
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By Mark Leon Goldberg and Tom Murphy
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