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Global Fund official delivers speech at ICASA closing plenary session

The 16th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) ended on Thursday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where "the final plenary session ... left the audience with a notion of hope and urgency that despite the Global Fund's cancellation of Round 11 disbursements, the organization will continue to campaign, raise funds and place pressure on governments in both the donor and recipient arenas," an ICASA news article reports (12/8).

9 Dec 2011

Addressing gender-based violence through PEPFAR programs

Daniela Ligiero of the State Department, Sasha Mital of the CDC, and Diana Prieto of USAID, who are co-chairs of the PEPFAR Gender Technical Working Group, write about the "intersection between gender-based violence (GBV) and its impact on HIV risk and access to HIV prevention and treatment for most-at-risk populations (MARPs)" in this post on the State Department's "DipNote" blog.

9 Dec 2011

VDF, CDC and VDC to educate women about gender-specific DVT risks

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in the deep veins in the legs. These clots can break loose and travel to the lungs, causing a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism (PE). Even when they don't, they can cause permanent damage to the leg veins that results in long-term pain, swelling, and disability of the leg.

9 Dec 2011

Goal of AIDS-free generation achievable through 'AIDS transition'

In this Foreign Affairs opinion piece, Mead Over, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development, says the goal of an "AIDS-free generation" is attainable, "[b]ut not if treatment continues to take precedence over prevention."

9 Dec 2011

Innovative taxes can be used to fill AIDS funding gap, UNAIDS head says

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday that donors looking to fund the fight against AIDS "could raise funds through taxes," according to the news agency.

9 Dec 2011

Study: Tart cherry juice improves overall sleep efficiency

Americans seeking a better night's sleep may need to look no further than tart cherry juice, according to a new study in the European Journal of Nutrition. An international team of researchers found that when adults had two daily glasses of tart cherry juice, they slept 39 minutes longer, on average, and had up to 6 percent increase in overall sleep efficiency (significantly less non-sleep time in bed), compared to when they drank a non-cherry, fruit cocktail.

9 Dec 2011

Study contradicts premise of framing effect on making health decisions

The behavior of consumers who are faced with making decisions about their health is not significantly influenced by the way health messages are worded or framed, according to a large, new study by researchers at the University at Buffalo and other institutions.

8 Dec 2011

AIDS.gov blog posts mHealth Summit update

This post by AIDS.gov Director Miguel Gomez in the AIDS.gov blog provides an update on the second day of the mHealth Summit taking place in Washington, D.C.

8 Dec 2011

Global plan of action needed to end AIDS

After "President Obama threw the full weight of the U.S. government behind a vision" to end the AIDS epidemic in a World AIDS Day speech, "[n]ow the question is: How will we achieve this goal? What are the priority actions to take today, tomorrow, and years from now?" Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC: Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention, writes in the Huffington Post's "Impact" blog.

8 Dec 2011

Myanmar appeals for assistance in HIV/AIDS fight, develops 5-year national HIV/AIDS

"Myanmar appealed on Tuesday to the international community to increase assistance in combating HIV/ AIDS, as AIDS response in the country has entered a critical stage," Xinhua reports, adding, "The appeal was made by participants attending" a round-table discussion on reaching zero AIDS-related stigma and discrimination in the country.

8 Dec 2011

MENA region among top two regions with fastest growing HIV epidemic, report shows

"A report on the HIV epidemic in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) shows that while the overall HIV prevalence in the region is still low, the rise in new infections since 2001 has put the MENA region among the top two regions in the world with the fastest growing HIV epidemic," UNAIDS reports.

8 Dec 2011

PrEP shows promise against HIV infection

A new weapon has emerged to prevent HIV infection. Called pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, it is a strategy of providing medications to at-risk people before they are exposed to the virus. Having shown great promise in recent phase 3 clinical trials, PrEP may soon be rolled out for public use.

8 Dec 2011

Obama administration to promote and protect LGBT rights through foreign aid, diplomacy

"The Obama administration said Tuesday that it will intensify efforts to fight discrimination against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people as a major element of its foreign policy," the Washington Post reports.

8 Dec 2011

Headache affects one of every two HIV/AIDS patients

A University of Mississippi study of headaches among HIV patients is being hailed as a critical step to improving treatment and reducing unnecessary medical costs among sufferers.

7 Dec 2011

Integration of family planning, HIV programs 'makes sense'

In this Knowledge for Health (K4Health) blog post, Elsie Mwaniki, a communication specialist at K4Health, reflects on the integration of family planning and HIV services, writing, "Many HIV-positive women have an unmet need for family planning (FP) services," so providing these services together (FP/HIV integration) "makes sense."

7 Dec 2011

UNAIDS, PEPFAR announce 5-year action framework to scale up voluntary medical male circumcision for HIV prevention

UNAIDS and PEPFAR on Monday at the 16th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in Africa (ICASA) "launched a five-year action framework to accelerate the scale-up of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) for HIV prevention," according to a UNAIDS press release.

7 Dec 2011

Incorporate other diseases into fight against AIDS

"The public and private sectors have achieved remarkable success in Africa in the battle against AIDS, and the question now is: Where do we go from here?" James Glassman, founding executive director of the George W. Bush Institute and former under secretary of state for public affairs and public diplomacy, writes in this Forbes opinion piece.

6 Dec 2011

Bush launches Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon project in Zambia

"Zambian President Michael Sata on Friday told former U.S. president George W. Bush that the West should help fight the scourge of maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa," Agence France-Presse reports, adding, "Bush is in Zambia on the second stop of a three-nation trip aimed at promoting efforts to fight diseases like cancer, AIDS and malaria."

6 Dec 2011

Fully funding global health initiatives critical in AIDS fight

"With donor support flagging around the world, U.S. leadership is crucial. Congress must fully fund its global health programs, especially the Global Fund" to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Joyce Kamwana, a Global Fund "HERE I AM" campaign ambassador, writes in The Hill's "Congress Blog."

6 Dec 2011

Proposed bill in Nigeria would affect gay rights, possibly HIV/AIDS donor funding, AP reports

The Associated Press examines the potential impact on HIV/AIDS funding of a proposed bill in Nigeria that would outlaw gay marriage; assisting a gay couple in marriage; "'public show of same-sex amorous relationships directly or indirectly'"; or "organizing, operating or supporting gay clubs, organizations and meetings."

6 Dec 2011