HIV/AIDS and TB Newsletter

Newsletter from the national HIV/AIDS and TB Programme, Pretoria

News from Secure the Future

Grant for Epidemiological Research at Correctional Services Institutions

The Uphando Research Unit in George and the University of Stellenbosch are to benefit from a research grant totalling R 4.7 million. The grant, handed over at a function at the Uphando Research Unit, forms part of the Secure The Future ^TM programme.

The grant will fund a study to establish the prevalence of communicable diseases such as HIV, TB, STD, Hepatitis and substance abuse in Correctional Service Institutions within South Africa. The research, to be undertaken as a joint initiative between the University of Stellenbosch, Uphando Research Unit and the Department of Correctional Services, will also seek to investigate the modes of transmission of these diseases within CSIs using epidemiological and laboratory support to confirm these findings.

Dr. Shaheen Mehtar, principal investigator for the programme said: "Globally, prisons are a reservoir for the spread of communicable diseases such as HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STDs. Women, children and juveniles are particularly vulnerable to such diseases. The study will be invaluable in helping to identify the risk factors prevalent in CSIs and hence assist policymakers in making evidence-based recommendations."

"Allocating medical grants to support innovative epidemiological research substantially increases South Africa’s capacity to manage the debilitating epidemic," said Ms Beryl Canham, Project Manager for Secure The Future’s HIV Research Institute. According to Ms Canham, capacity building and good clinical practice are critical to producing conclusive and insightful research.

The CSI project in George is a collaborative effort of investigators from the University of Stellenbosch, Medunsa and Uphando Research Unit as well as participants from Howard University in the United States.

"A research project of this nature is another step closer towards improving the overall understanding and treatment of HIV/AIDS within South Africa", concluded Canham.

Secure The Future ^TM programme has to date invested more than R25-million in HIV/AIDS related research projects in the Western Cape

ABOUT THE SECURE THE FUTURE^TM PROGRAMME

Secure The Future™ began as a five-year, $100 million commitment to southern Africa: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland. On 14 March 2001 Bristol-Myers Squibb pledged an additional $15 million for four countries in western Africa: Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Burkina Faso. More information on Secure the Future ^TM can be found at www.securethefuture.com

Traditional Leaders HIV/AIDS Programme

Traditional leaders are well placed to convey AIDS messages in rural areas as they have standing in the community and access to their people. They can also play a very important role in the destigmatisation of HIV/AIDS.

Traditional leaders were called together for a summit in March 2001 and one of the resolutions that were taken was to do capacity building in the sector. A resolution was also taken that a task team be established to oversee the AIDS related interventions in the sector.

The National Traditional Leader HIV/AIDS Forum was officially established and the eighteen members have received training in HIV/AIDS/STI/TB and human and legal rights.

The programme is now to be rolled out to the rest of the country and an Indaba on AIDS was suggested to consult with traditional leaders across the country. The purpose of the Indaba was to get buy-in from all the traditional leaders of the country as well as their commitment to the HIV/AIDS Programme.

Summary of resolutions of the Indaba

• HIV/AIDS is seen to pose a genuine threat to all the people in the communities, from the leaders to the smallest members.
• It was acknowledged that Traditional Leaders, in partnership with government, need to engage in preventive and support programmes in their communities so that they may help to extend the life and productivity of those already infected for as long as possible and curb the occurrence of new infections.
• The lack of a policy framework to guide the sector’s HIV/AIDS initiatives was identified as a critical gap the sector currently faces.
• Capacity building under the traditional leaders (HIV/AIDS/TB/STI, project management skills needs to be undertaken.).
• Establish and maintain of a communication network as well as resource centres in the communities, linking people with resources and services.
• Involvement of all the role players in the provinces (NGOs, government, faith based organisations)
• Initial focus on six provinces: KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Free State, Limpopo, Eastern Cape and North West.
• It was agreed that building an effective response must include the active participation of both affected and infected people, and equity in access to services and opportunities.
• Participants agreed to give feedback to their respective organisations on the process and outcomes of the Indaba.

All role players were consulted and government, national, provincial and local will be contracted as full partners in this initiative.

National Traditional Leader HIV/AIDS Forum

The National Traditional Leader HIV/AIDS Forum consists of 20 members comprising of the following:

• 15 traditional leaders
• 3 officials of the Houses
• 2 Department of Health officials

The committee will be responsible for the following:

• Oversight of the programme
• Provision of strategic guidance to the programmes
• Review and approval of project implementation plans
• Ensuring synergy between all partners
• Review of progress of project implementation including financial implementation

Provincial Chapters

The Traditional Leaders AIDS Programme was expanded to six provinces, with the provincial chapters taking charge of activities at local level.