The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief - July 2006 NewsletterWashington, DC  PDF version
In this Issue: Ukraine: Maternity hospital training reduces HIV/AIDS stigma [more]
Maternity hospital training reduces HIV/AIDS stigma For Viktoriya, who lives in eastern Ukraine, the last year has been an emotional roller coaster ride of joy mixed with distress: first she discovered that she was pregnant, and then she learned that she was HIV positive. Viktoriya, 24, decided to give birth at a maternity hospital that works with HIV-positive mothers, one of 16 maternity hospitals in eight oblasts of Ukraine that are implementing the Mother and Infant Health Project (MIHP) with support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Emergency Plan/ PEPFAR). As with Viktoriya, a large number of HIV-positive women in Ukraine learn that they are HIV-positive when they are tested during pregnancy. In the past, many of these women were attended to by medical personnel who did not know a lot about HIV/AIDS and were afraid to interact with HIV-positive patients. In addition, HIV-positive mothers were placed in separate wards where their special needs were ignored. To address this large problem, MIHP organizes educational seminars, trainings and roundtables for women’s clinics and maternity hospitals. Doctors, nurses and social services workers are taught that HIV-positive patients are the same as other patients. Health care workers are trained about interventions, such as antiretroviral drug prophylaxis and formula feeding, which can help to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. “The health staff did not ignore my problems,” said Viktoriya. “They talked to me, they helped me psychologically, and I think my child was treated with the best attention.” In the hospitals where MIHP is working, the percentage of women and their newborns receiving antiretroviral prophylaxis to help prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission has increased from 80 to 100 percent. At these hospitals, HIV-positive mothers are no longer isolated in separate wards; they are placed with other pregnant women and give birth in the same delivery rooms. Today, while Viktoriya realizes that many challenges lie ahead, she is prepared and upbeat: “At this maternity hospital, I was taught to live with HIV and to fight for my child’s life.”
Counseling and testing program reaches out to at-risk populations Vietnam’s HIV/AIDS epidemic is concentrated primarily among injecting drug users, commercial sex workers and men who have sex with men. Outreach workers regularly walk into neighborhoods in Hai Phong City with the hope of reaching these at-risk populations with information about HIV/AIDS and voluntary counseling and testing (VCT). The outreach workers encourage individuals to seek HIV counseling and testing at the Community Health Counseling Center in Hai Phong City. The Community Health Counseling Center is one of over 50 VCT sites operated by the Vietnamese Ministry of Health with support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Emergency Plan/PEPFAR). VCT services in Vietnam have expanded rapidly, and are currently located in the 40 provinces with the highest HIV prevalence. These sites serve 40,000-45,000 clients annually and reach out to the country’s most stigmatized individuals by offering flexible hours and confidential services free of charge. As of March 2006, VCT sites had provided services to over 88,000 clients, of whom 80 percent were members of high-risk groups. Seventeen percent of those tested were HIV-positive, and over 90 percent of HIV-positive clients were referred for follow-up services. The VCT program is having an impact. “This intervention, VCT, helps HIV-negative people maintain their negative status, assists HIV-infected people to avoid HIV transmission to others and to live healthy lives, and links infected people to care and treatment services,” said Huynh Thi Nhan, a counselor at a Ministry of Health VCT site in Can Tho City. Launched at the end of May, a new communications campaign will help to expand the reach of the VCT program. The campaign targets potential clients with information about HIV counseling and testing and the locations of VCT sites. Billboards and posters encourage clients to talk with counselors to discuss feelings of fear and concern, and to answer questions related to HIV/AIDS. The campaign also emphasizes the importance of testing as a crucial step in improving overall health and quality of life.
New book on HIV/AIDS in Tamil Nadu released Nearly two decades ago, the first case of HIV infection in India was reported in the state of Tamil Nadu. Now, a new book has been released which chronicles the history of the epidemic in Tamil Nadu, highlighting the coordinated effort of the Government of India, the U.S. Government, and non-governmental organizations in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The first copy of “Tamil Nadu Response to HIV/AIDS, 1986-2005: Conquering a Silent Epidemic” was given to David Hopper, U.S. Consul General in Chennai, on June 23, 2006. Hopper spoke at a dissemination workshop that coincided with the release of the book. The University of Madras and the India Clinical Epidemiology Network (IndiaCLEN) coauthored the book with support from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Emergency Plan/PEPFAR). Hopper recognized the importance of the book and congratulated the authors. “This document will certainly help in showcasing to the world that our collective efforts in Tamil Nadu have resulted in success,” said Hopper. Efforts to turn the tide against the HIV/AIDS epidemic are beginning to have an effect and HIV infections in Tamil Nadu are on the decline. After reaching a high point of 1.13 percent in 2001, the prevalence rate in Tamil Nadu has decreased to 0.5 percent. Implementers gather to share best practices Durban, South Africa hosted the 2006 U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Emergency Plan/ PEPFAR) Annual Meeting and the 2006 HIV/AIDS Implementers’ Meeting. The theme of the meetings was “Building on Success: Ensuring Long-term Solutions.” Attendance at the Durban meetings reflected the rapid growth of President George W. Bush’s five-year, $15 billion initiative to combat HIV/AIDS. Only 100 people attended the first meeting in 2004, while close to 500 attended last year’s meeting. This year, meeting attendance doubled as the conference expanded and the focus shifted towards implementers and sharing best practices. Hosted by PEPFAR, the Implementers’ Meeting drew approximately 1,200 delegates from around the world, including PEPFAR partners and other HIV/AIDS program implementers, to discuss the successes and ongoing challenges of the expansion of HIV/AIDS services around the world. In a videotaped welcome address on June 12, President Bush highlighted the Emergency Plan’s role in supporting the fight against HIV/AIDS. “America has the unique ability and calling to defeat the disease,” said President Bush. “Together, we will turn the tide against this disease.” Conference sessions allowed implementers to share lessons learned from the implementation of HIV/AIDS programs, focusing on the areas of prevention, treatment, care and cross-cutting issues. A main objective of the Implementers’ Meeting was to discuss the future directions of HIV/AIDS programs and the importance of building local capacity and coordination among partners. “For too long, the world has expressed sympathy without action,” said Dr. Mark Dybul, Acting U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, during his opening address. “We need to rededicate ourselves to saving lives. There can be no higher calling.” Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator |
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