Tag Archives: Africa

A History of HIV & AIDS – 1997

Posted on May 27, 2012 by | Comments Off

As we prepare to enter our 25th year, we are reflecting on the global HIVevents from the last three decades.  HIV has swept across the globe touching communities on every continent.  Here’s an introduction to some of the key moments in the early global history of HIV.  Catch up on the story using the ‘Recent Posts’ link to the right.

For the first time since the AIDS epidemic became visible in 1981, the number of deaths from AIDS had dropped substantially in the developed world due to the advances of anti HIV medicine and combination therapy.  Within two years, death rates due to AIDS will have plummeted in the developed world. (See 1996 for why)

In New York City the decline was even more dramatic, with the number of people dying from AIDS falling by about 50 per cent compared to the previous year. The number of babies being born HIV positive had also declined dramatically.

In May, President Clinton set a target for the USA to find an AIDS vaccine within ten years.

In August UNAIDS estimated HIV/AIDS cases in India, Myanmar (Burma), Bangladesh and Nepal at 3 million, 350,000, 20,000, and 15,000 respectively.

Worldwide, 1 in 100 adults in the 15-49 age group were thought to be infected with HIV, and only 1 in 10 infected people were aware of their infection. It was estimated that by the year 2000 the number of people living with HIV/AIDS would have grown to 40 million.

September 2, “The most recent estimate of the number of Americans infected (with HIV), 750,000, is only half the total that government officials used to cite over a decade ago, at a time when experts believed that as many as 1.5 million people carried the virus.” article in the Washington Post.

Based on the Bangui definition the WHO’s cumulative number of reported AIDS cases from 1980 through 1997 for all of Africa is 620,000. For comparison, the cumulative total of AIDS cases in the USA through 1997 is 641,087.

December 7, “French President Jacques Chirac addressed Africa’s top AIDS conference and called on the world’s richest nations to create an AIDS therapy support fund to help Africa. According to Chirac, Africa struggles to care for two-thirds of the world’s persons with AIDS without the benefit of expensive AIDS therapies. Chirac invited other countries, especially European nations, to create a fund that would help increase the number of AIDS studies and experiments. AIDS workers welcomed Chirac’s speech and said they hoped France would promote the idea to the Group of Eight summit of the world’s richest nations.”

At the end of the year, UNAIDS reported that worldwide the HIV epidemic was far worse than had previously been thought. More accurate estimates suggested that 30 million people were infected with HIV. The previous year’s estimate had been 22 million infected people with an estimated 3.2 million cases of new HIV infections.

 STAY UPDATED
Follow LASS on Twitter

or subscribe via email
Related articles

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

A History of HIV & AIDS – 1995

Posted on May 25, 2012 by | 1 Comment

As we prepare to enter our 25th year, we are reflecting on the global HIVevents from the last three decades.  HIV has swept across the globe touching communities on every continent.  Here’s an introduction to some of the key moments in the early global history of HIV.  Catch up on the story using the ‘Recent Posts’ link to the right.

By 1st January 1995, a cumulative total of a million cases of AIDS had been reported to the World Health Organisation Global Programme on AIDS.  Eighteen million adults and 1.5 million children were estimated to have been infected with HIV since the beginning of the epidemic.

AIDS had become the leading cause of death amongst all Americans aged 25 to 44.

Two research reports provided important new information about how HIV replicates in the body and how it affects the immune system.

The South African Ministry of Health announced that some 850,000 people – 2.1 percent of the 40 million population – were believed to be HIV positive. Among pregnant women the figure had reached 8 percent and was rising.

By the autumn of 1995, 7-8 million women of childbearing age were believed to have been infected with HIV.

By December 15th, the World Health Organisation had received reports of 1,291,810 cumulative cases of AIDS in adults and children from 193 countries or areas. The WHO estimated that the actual number of cases that had occurred was around 6 million. Eight countries in Africa had reported more than 20,000 cases.

Other organisations estimated that by the end of 1995, 9.2 million people worldwide had died from AIDS.

Worldwide during 1995, it was estimated that 4.7 million new HIV infections occurred. Of these, 2.5 million occurred in Southeast Asia and 1.9 million in sub-Saharan Africa. Approximately 500,000 children were born with HIV.

The WHO estimated that by the end of the century, 30 to 40 million people would have been affected by HIV.

British DJ and entertainer Kenny Everett dies from AIDS on 4 April 1995.

STAY UPDATED
Follow LASS on Twitter
or subscribe via email

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Yoga Session Brings in £650 for The Global Natural Health Care Trust

Posted on March 23, 2012 by | Comments Off

It can be easy and pleasurable to generate funds to help support HIV work, both in the UK and Africa.  The following story is an example of how Yoga classes, an Auction and a Barbecue can help raise money for good causes.

The Global Natural Healthcare Trust (GNHCT) are a UK based registered charity founded by Cornish local Annette Montague-Thomas.  Annette has over 25 years experience in Africa where she has worked for UNICEF in Nairobi in Kenya, and in the past 9 years has been assisting young children who are afflicted and affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa.  Overseas, they are based on The Orange Farm informal settlement which is about one and a half hours South of Johannesburg.

The settlement is home to over 4 million Africans of varying tribes. The settlement is not only the largest in South Africa, but in the whole of Africa. It is fair to state that not even one quarter of the residents have any work and many are surviving at near starvation level.  They live in abject poverty with homes that are usually no more than shacks with no sewerage system.  Many of the homes don’t even have running water.

A recent event by “Yoga Rocks” at Lusty Glaze Beach raised £650 for he Global Natural Health Care Trust and this money will help support the charity’s work in Africa to help people affected by HIV.

The evening of yoga classes with some of the UK’s top teachers included a charity auction and a barbecue provided by chefs at Lusty Glaze and enjoyed by more than 150 people.

The charity runs a herbal clinic in the country’s worst-affected area, helping to save lives on a daily basis as well as providing homes for more than 10,000 orphans in its foster care system.

Yoga Rocks’ founders are yoga teacher Rhoda McGivern, Debbie Luffman from Finisterre and Gemma Ford from Love Yoga Online.

Mrs McGivern said: “The atmosphere was so lovely, we can’t believe how many people turned up on a rainy Monday evening to help us to raise money for a charity so close to our hearts.”

They have thanked everyone who volunteered to make the event happen, especially the team from Finisterre whose energy and enthusiasm were “simply amazing”.

The Yoga Rocks’ team is organising future events to be held in various venues around Cornwall, with potential venues also in London and America.

To offer help, please contact rhomcgivern@gmail.com or visit their websites:

Original article compiled from the above sources and thisiscornwall

STAY UPDATED
Follow LASS on Twitter
or subscribe via email

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Big Increase In Repeat Pregnancy Rates In HIV-Positive Women In UK & Ireland

Posted on January 13, 2012 by | Comments Off

Rates of repeat pregnancies among HIV-positive women in the UK and Ireland have increased substantially since 1997, investigators report in the online edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

In 2009 over a third of all pregnancies involved women who had at least one other pregnancy. Younger age and geographic region of origin were associated with having a subsequent pregnancy.

“A substantial and increasing proportion of pregnancies in diagnosed HIV-infected women are occurring in those who have already received HIV-related care in one or more previous pregnancy,” comment the authors. “The main demographic characteristics independently associated with repeat pregnancies were younger age…and being born in Middle or Western Africa.”

A large proportion of HIV-positive women are of childbearing age. However, mother-to-child transmission can be prevented in most cases with appropriate antiretroviral treatment and care. This low risk of transmission combined with the excellent prognosis provided by modern antiretroviral treatment means that HIV-positive women in resource-rich countries can realistically consider childbearing.

In the UK and Ireland the number of pregnancies in HIV-positive women has increased significantly over the last decade. A significant proportion of these women have experienced at least one other pregnancy while receiving HIV care. Given their often complex medical, obstetric and social needs, the care of this group of women can be complex.

Despite this, little is currently known about the demographics and health status of HIV-positive women who experience repeat pregnancies.

Therefore investigators from the National Study of HIV in Pregnancy and Childhood examined 20 years of data obtained from pregnant HIV-positive women in the UK and Ireland. Data from 1990 and 2009 were included in the study.

The investigators’ aims were to characterise the pattern and rate of repeat pregnancies and to establish the demographic and clinical characteristics of HIV-positive women with two or more recorded pregnancies.

A total of 14096 pregnancies were recorded in HIV-positive women during the study period. Just over a quarter (2737; 26%) were repeat pregnancies. This figure included 2117 women who had two pregnancies, 475 with three pregnancies and 145 with four or more pregnancies.

Outcomes were recorded for 13,355 pregnancies. In all, 11,915 (89%) resulted in a live birth, 121 (1%) in a still birth and 10% in either miscarriage or termination.

Both the number and proportion of repeat pregnancies increased significantly. There were 158 recorded pregnancies in 1997, and 32 (20%) were repeat pregnancies. By 2009, the total number of pregnancies had increased to 1465, with 565 (37%) being repeat pregnancies.

Further analysis of the 2009 figures showed that 28% were second pregnancies, 7% were third and 3% were fourth or subsequent pregnancies.

“The increase in repeat pregnancies over the last two decades is likely to reflect a combination of factors including the accumulation of diagnosed HIV-infected women who have already had pregnancy,” suggest the investigators. “Major improvements in quality of life and AIDS-free survival of people living with HIV, and substantial reductions in the risk of mother-to-child-transmission are also likely to have had an impact.”

Overall, the rate of repeat pregnancies was 6.7 per 100 woman-years.

The median interval between first and second deliveries was 2.7 years, with an interval of 2.3 years between second and third deliveries, with the same interval between third and fourth deliveries.

Analysis of the factors associated with repeat pregnancy was restricted to women who received care after 2000. A total of 11,426 pregnancies in 8661 women were therefore included. Just over a quarter (26%) were repeat pregnancies.

The probability of a repeat pregnancy declined significantly with increasing age (p < 0.001).

Women born in central African countries and West Africa were more likely to experience sequential pregnancies than women born in other regions.

“This pattern is likely to reflect a complex range of cultural, behavioural and migratory factors such as fertility patterns in women’s countries of origin and the demographics of women who migrate from different regions,” write the researchers.

There was no robust evidence that either CD4 cell count or health were associated with repeat pregnancies.

“The number of diagnosed HIV-infected women in the UK and Ireland having more than one pregnancy has increased substantially and is likely to continue to grow,” conclude the authors.

They stress the importance of understanding the characteristics of these repeat pregnancies. “Variations in the probability of repeat pregnancies, according to demographic characteristics, are important considerations when planning the reproductive health services and HIV care for people living with HIV.”

Original Article via Michael Carter at NAM

STAY UPDATED
Follow LASS on Twitter
or subscribe via email
Related articles

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , ,

HIV and TB activist Winstone Zulu has Died

Posted on October 13, 2011 by | Comments Off

The prominent HIV and TB activist Winstone Zulu has died at the age of 47 in hospital in Lusaka.

Mr Zulu was diagnosed with HIV in 1990 and was the first person in Zambia to make a public statement about his HIV status.

He began to take antiretroviral treatment in 1996 and contracted tuberculosis in 1997. After effective treatment for TB he became one of the first HIV activists to champion the need to address TB. One of 13 children, Winstone Zulu lost four brothers and two sisters-in-law to TB between 1990 and 2003.

Not only was Winstone Zulu a hero in the fight against AIDS, but he was also a pioneer in bringing AIDS activism to the hitherto barren and civil society free zone of tuberculosis prevention, treatment, and care,” said Mark Harrington, executive director of Treatment Action Group.

“Winstone was lovely, a courageous, insightful, gentle and eloquent activist and a real pioneer of the HIV and TB access movements for Africans in Africa. He was also that rare thing, a heterosexual man who was honest, wise and funny about male sexuality. He didn’t just defy three epidemic diseases (he had polio as well as HIV and TB), he also survived AIDS denialism,” said Gus Cairns of NAM.

Winstone Zulu stopped HIV medication in 2000 after encountering AIDS denialist views that HIV did not cause AIDS.  He resumed treatment in 2002 after a huge decline in his CD4 cell count left him once again seriously ill.

He continued to play a prominent role in AIDS and TB activism and was praised by Nelson Mandela as a pioneer of TB activism at the 2004 World AIDS Conference. In 2006 he was awarded the Stop TB Partnership Kochon prize for his contribution to TB control.

Speaking at numerous international conferences and events, Winstone sounds the alarm on the links between HIV/AIDS and TB and advocates for increased financial resources and improved programs to combat TB and TB-HIV. During recent trips to Japan, Winstone has garnered over a dozen media hits, including several front page articles in major outlets, particularly around his meetings with the then Prime Minister of Japan and the current Deputy Prime Minister.

Winstone’s experiences and actions make him a leader in TB advocacy and speak volumes to the social attention and political will that can be generated by just one individual using his voice.

In the following video, Winstone addresses the TED conference on 8th October 2008.

“Winstone Zulu worked tirelessly to change the world, at no small cost to his own health and wellbeing,” said Mark Harrington. “His legacy is a stronger link between HIV and TB activists, but his inimitable calm and passionate voice of reason will be deeply missed.

Winstone Zulu is survived by his wife Vivian and their four children.

Original Articles via NAM and Action.org

STAY UPDATED
Follow LASS on Twitter
or subscribe via email
Related articles

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , ,

HIV Could Spread If Birth Control Injections Increase, Warn Scientists

Posted on October 5, 2011 by | Comments Off

Researchers call for new guidelines for women using family planning services in Aids-hit areas.  Campaigns to increase the number of women opting for long-lasting contraceptive injections in Aids-hit parts of the developing world could be helping to spread the epidemic, scientists are warning.

New research shows that women who use hormonal contraceptives may double their risk of contracting HIV and of passing it to their male partner, throwing up a new dilemma for global development.

The authors of the large-scale study, published in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases, call for urgent guidance to be drawn up and given to women using family planning services in HIV-endemic areas. The study showed particularly that the risk of HIV transmission was raised by the long-lasting injections that are most widely used and most popular in the sub-Saharan regions worst hit by the Aids epidemic.

The results present a significant problem for global health and development. Unwanted pregnancy is a threat to a woman’s life and can lead to greater poverty and deprivation for her family. The more children she has, the harder it will be to feed and educate them.

While family planning is still resisted in parts of the developing world, campaigns to promote injectable contraception have met with some success. Many women have sought out the injections that last for months and that they can sometimes get without their husband’s knowledge if he refuses permission.

But the study of 3,800 couples shows that there is a risk which has previously been suspected but unconfirmed. The risk was present for those who took the pill too, but it was not statistically significant because most women in the study had opted for injections.

“These findings have important implications for family planning and HIV-1 prevention programmes, especially in settings with high HIV-1 prevalence”, said Jared Baeten from the University of Washington, Seattle, one of the study’s authors.

“Recommendations regarding contraceptive use, particularly emphasising the importance of dual protection with condoms and the use of non-hormonal and low-dose hormonal methods for women with or at risk for HIV-1, are urgently needed,” said lead study author Renee Heffron, also from the University of Washington.

More than 140 million women worldwide use some form of hormonal contraception.

The study group comprised 3,790 couples where one partner had HIV (usually the woman) although the other did not. They were drawn from two existing studies of HIV incidence in seven African countries – Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The researchers found that women who did not have HIV were twice as likely to be infected by their partner if they were using hormonal contraception. Those who had HIV themselves were twice as likely to give it to their partner. Tests showed that women with HIV using injectable contraception had raised concentrations of virus inside the cervix. Researchers are unclear why and a larger study specifically designed to look at this issue should be carried out, they say.

Meanwhile women should be told there may be an increased risk of HIV infection if they use hormonal contraception and should be counselled that condoms will give them dual protection.

In a comment published by the journal, Charles Morrison from Clinical Sciences, Durham, USA, said: “Active promotion of DMPA [injectable contraception] in areas with high HIV incidence could be contributing to the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa, which would be tragic. Conversely, limiting one of the most highly used effective methods of contraception in sub-Saharan Africa would probably contribute to increased maternal mortality and morbidity and more low birth weight babies and orphans—an equally tragic result. The time to provide a more definitive answer to this critical public health question is now; the donor community should support a randomised trial of hormonal contraception and HIV acquisition.”

Original Article by Sarah Boseley, health editor at The Guardian

STAY UPDATED
Follow LASS on Twitter
or subscribe via email
Related articles

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,