Also In Global Health News: New HIV Program in Philippines, Countries Examine Gender, Discrimination and HIV
New U.N., Government Initiative Hopes To Reduce HIV/AIDS Cases in Philippines By 2015
The government in the Philippines and UNDP announced on Wednesday they were teaming up to offer a multisectoral anti-HIV/AIDS program to target the growing numbers of HIV/AIDS cases in the country, Business World reports. The program will be supported by a three-year, $1.23 million budget, funded by the Australian government, UNAIDS, and the UNDP Bangkok and Colombo regional centers (Business World, 5/7).
Gender Inequality Addressed in Caribbean, Nigeria
- Inter Press Service examined the link between sexual violence and the transmission of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean. In the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean island nations where HIV/AIDS is mainly transmitted by heterosexual sex, the proportion of women living with HIV/AIDS is increasing at an "alarming" rate. Myrna Flores Chian with the Dominican nonprofit Profamilia, said, "the feminization of AIDS is due above all to social discrimination, gender inequality and lack of empowerment for women" (Vilardo, IPS, 5/7).
- As part of Nigeria's review of its National Strategic Framework (NSF) to fight HIV/AIDS, experts have "identified women as a priority group to be targeted by programmes under the framework," This Day/AllAfrica.com reports. The review assessed issues such as health, education, agriculture and law to determine whether they help with the implementation of NSF goals (Iroegbu, This Day/AllAfrica.com, 5/6).
Viet Nam News Examines How Discrimination Makes Combating HIV/AIDS More Difficult
Discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS only exacerbates the spread of the disease, a group of international experts speaking in Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City said Wednesday, Viet Nam News reports. The panelists called for new programs that would help to educate people about HIV/AIDS and ensure people living with HIV/AIDS have access to care. A representative from the HCM City Volunteer Force said the city is planning to retrain health staff at consulting centers for HIV/AIDS and drug addiction (Viet Nam News, 5/6).
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