RxPG News : Africa

African Union and UN Agencies launch HIV Prevention Acceleration in Africa

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 12:15:00 PST

In an attempt at stepping up the pace of HIV prevention in the continent, the AU and United Nations system in Africa will on Tuesday 11 April 2006 launch the Acceleration of Prevention of HIV Initiative in the African Region in Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, Ouagadougou and Khartoum. This is a follow up to the Declaration by the African Ministers of Health in 2005 to declare 2006 as a Year for Acceleration of HIV Prevention in the African Region, and called on Member States to intensify HIV prevention efforts.
Africa must now seize the moment to stop HIV, says AU Commission Chairperson, Prof. Alpha Konare.

53 African countries meet in Brazzaville to discuss scaling up of HIV prevention

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 22:02:00 PST

Two hundred and fifty-nine participants from 53 African countries, representing governments, parliamentarians, national AIDS councils, faith-based organizations and civil society organizations, including people living with HIV, and development partners are gathered in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, for a continent-wide consultative meeting on scaling up HIV prevention, treatment, care and support in Africa towards Universal Access. Eight country delegations are headed by their respective ministers of health.

Impact on child mortality of removing user fees in Africa

Thu, 06 Oct 2005 21:48:00 PST

Abolishing user fees (charges for health care at the point of use) could prevent approximately 233,000 child deaths annually in 20 African countries, say researchers in recent BMJ.

HIV/AIDS trials under-represented in sub-Saharan research

Thu, 06 Oct 2005 21:48:00 PST

People in sub-Saharan Africa carry the heaviest burden of HIV and AIDS, yet very few trials have been conducted on the African continent over the past two decades, say researchers in recent BMJ.

Notable Success in KwaZuluNatal Malaria Crisis

Wed, 05 Oct 2005 04:48:00 PST

The resurgence of malaria remains a major global concern. Artemisinin-based drugs are increasingly seen as one of the best hopes for, at last, making progress in the battle against malaria. Trials of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) in control programs in Southeast Asia have been very encouraging. However, we need to know whether similar levels of effectiveness are achievable in Africa, where the majority of the world's cases of malaria are found.

91 per cent drop in Measles cases in Africa

Thu, 08 Sep 2005 01:14:00 PST

The results from a new study published in The Lancet today demonstrate that high-quality measles immunization campaigns and improvements in routine immunization services have reduced measles cases by 91% in 19 African nations* from 2000-2003, preventing an estimated 90,000 child deaths in 2003 alone.

Discriminatory Attitudes of Health Workers against People Living with HIV

Tue, 19 Jul 2005 14:02:00 PST

Anecdotal evidence suggests that health-care professionals in Nigeria may discriminate against and stigmatise people living with HIV/AIDS(PLWA). In a study in the August issue of PLoS Medicine, Reis and colleagues set out to characterise the nature and extent of discriminatory practices and attitudes in the health sector, and indicate possible contributing factors and intervention strategies

WHO appoints Dr Pascoal Mocumbi as Goodwill Ambassador for maternal mortality reduction in the African Region

Mon, 04 Jul 2005 22:37:00 PST

The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) has appointed Dr Pascal Mocumbi of Mozambique as the Goodwill Ambassador for maternal, newborn and child health, with special attention to mortality reduction, in the WHO African Region.

Road Map to Intensify Action Against TB in Africa

Wed, 04 May 2005 18:22:00 PST

At a groundbreaking meeting of the global Stop TB Partnership today, leading African and international health and development officials unveiled a detailed "Road Map" to halt Africa's spiraling epidemic of tuberculosis, which in combination with HIV is overwhelming many health services in the region.