South Africa and AIDS

Check out this article on the AIDS crisis in South Africa. The government's stance is hardly a shock to anyone who's watched the news lately - especially following vice-president Jacob Zuma's admission that he had casual sex without a condom. Great example...

Editorial Observer

For People With AIDS, a Government With Two Faces

By TINA ROSENBERG

At the AIDS conference in Toronto this month, South Africa's booth includedlemons, garlic and beets as part of its recommended treatment for H.I.V.South Africa's health minister has long touted salad, vitamins and assortedquack cures over antiretroviral drugs, which she has called toxic.

Such embarrassments are normal for the government of President Thabo Mbeki, who said not too long ago that he knew no one with AIDS. This in a countrywith the world's biggest AIDS epidemic. At the Toronto conference, StephenLewis, the United Nations special envoy for AIDS in Africa, broke all diplomatic conventions, saying South Africa's views were more worthy of alunatic fringe than of a compassionate state.

And yet, more than a quarter million South Africans — more people than inany other nation — are now taking antiretroviral drugs. Most of them get the medicines free through the government health system. The AIDS budget hassoared over the last two and half years. Among people being treated, deaths and hospitalizations have dropped tremendously. Can this lunatic government be compassionate as well?

South Africa is doing AIDS treatment on a mass scale even though the healthsystem is close to nonexistent in some areas, clinics often have few nursesand no doctors, and rich countries are luring English-speaking health workers away.

But top officials can take little credit. They delayed the antiretroviralrollout, threw up obstacle after obstacle and have left large pots of moneyunspent. The program's progress so far is really a lesson in the power of balanced government and citizens' groups.

The courts have forced the government into action. This week an appealscourt ordered officials to begin antiretroviral treatment for prisoners with AIDS and held the government in contempt for ignoring a June ruling to start doing so. Some regional governments, especially in the provinces containingJohannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, have leapt at the chance to provide antiretrovirals, and that is mainly where people are being saved.

The most important factor, however, is the Treatment Action Campaign, probably the world's most effective AIDS group. It was founded by Zackie Achmat, who chose not to take the antiretrovirals he needed until the government had agreed to make them available to all.

The group, financed largely by international and local foundations and European governments, became famous for distributing its "H.I.V. Positive" T-shirts — Nelson Mandela wore one — and organizing mass protests like its 2003 civil disobedience campaign, which pushed the government into the antiretroviral rollout.

Mr. Mbeki and his health minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, have now largely gone silent about AIDS — undoubtedly an improvement. It would be a further improvement if Mr. Mbeki fired her, as many in South Africa have long demanded. The government should also be pushing the provinces that lag behind and encouraging South Africans to get tested and take their drugs.

What the government says and doesn't say still matters, unfortunately. I met some South Africans who can get antiretrovirals free at their local clinic but still prefer herbal medicines. They could live, thanks to the government's highly reluctant actions. Instead, they will die because of its words.

Me on TV

Catch me on CTS TV (channel 37 on most people's cable) this Friday at 2pm, talking about AIDS and abstinence (among other issues). The general consensus was that abstinence can be a useful prevention measure when combined with other methods (eg condoms, the newly developed microbial gel - the latter being one of the few HIV/AIDS prevention measures in which women actually have a choice), and where people can choose to abstain - this doesn't apply to the vast majority of women in the developing world.

Anyway, watch it and see what you think.

AIDS conference comes to a close

The 16th International AIDS Conference in Toronto came to a close today, with impassioned pleas from the key speakers to improve access to treatment and work harder on prevention (click on the post title for press release from the conference website).

Harper's government failed to come through, with no appearance from the Prime Minister himself and federal Health Minister Tony Clement saying some conference delegates made it impossible to have a 'rational discussion'. By the close of the conference, there was no word from the government on its planned HIV/AIDS funding, and no news on whether or not the needle exchange for drug users in Vancouver would remain open.

The conference contained lots of plans for change and some key medical announcements (like the new drug to tackle HIV and the fact that circumcision could boost prevention - although the latter could bring about a dangerous sense of immunity and would only directly benefit men), but it remains to be seen whether or not these will translate into action. Stephen Lewis, UN special envoy for AIDS in Africa, said action is long overdue especially with regard to women - it's finally time to deliver.

Blog from a conference delegate

Check out this blog written by an AIDS Conference delegate from CBC Radio. It gives some interesting insights into some of the sessions, especially one headed by an Egyptian doctor who explains misconceptions about HIV/AIDS in his country.

There's also been a lot of hoo-ha about Stephen Harper not showing up to open the conference. I realize he can't be in two places at the same time, but I think it's pretty strange that he prioritized Arctic sovereignty over a conference on the world's biggest humanitarian challenge. Then again, Harper has made a lot of strange decisions (like the one about not letting the media cover the return of fallen soldiers) that haven't been great for PR.

Well, hopefully he and his government will fix that later this week, as they unveil their future commitments on HIV/AIDS funding. There's even a rumour that Harper himself will come to the conference to announce the plans. That would go a long way towards mending some bridges.

One Life

Last Saturday I visited the World Vision 'One Life Experience' on the corner of University and Adelaide in downtown Toronto (click on the title above for more details).

It was very well put together - you start by collecting an MP3 player from the front desk, which contains a series of tracks that guide you through the exhibit. You can choose from 4 stories (2 boys and 2 girls). Our World Vision Hope Child is a boy, so that's who I chose. His name was Timothy.

My tour began with some information about Malawi, Timothy's home country. Over three-quarters of the population lives on $2 a day, and most farmers can barely make enough to feed their families. Population is 12 million, with 1 million living with HIV/AIDS. Life expectancy is 38.5 years.

Timothy is 4 years old when he notices his father getting weaker and weaker. It's unclear how the father contracts the virus, but the exhibit mentions that many African men have to travel for work and end up using the services of sex workers.

The experience is dotted with information boards and props (like the little grave pictured left), as well as being decorated to look like an African village.

When Timothy's father dies, his mother is left to take care of the farm and her children. But she has the virus too, and also dies. Timothy is an orphan and has to go and live with relatives.

The part where it really hits home is where you have to go and sit in a clinic, and the narrator tells you that you (Timothy) have got the virus from your mother.

There's hope for Timothy because he has a sponsor through World Vision, and his story ends there.

The exhibit continues, though, with an African-style chapel full of pictures of people with HIV/AIDS, followed by a wall which you can pin written prayers to (it's good to take some time to read other people's prayers, especially the children - one says 'I hope my mommy can sponsor three kids'!!).

The final section involves dunking your thumb in orange ink and using it to sign a petition, asking the leaders and finance ministers of the G8 countries to earmark a minimum of 12% of HIV/AIDS funding for children.

You can also pick up a free bracelet which (hopefully) will act as a conversation piece so you can spread the word about the exhibition.

There's also the opportunity to sponsor a child yourself - and if you're not sponsoring a child at the moment, please please consider it. It only costs $40 a month and gives a child (with HIV/AIDS, if it's a 'Hope Child') medicine, schooling, food and everything else he or she needs. For some reason fewer people sponsor little boys, so I'd recommend giving one of them a chance.

Having said that, girls with AIDS generally have a harder time than boys. You can see it at the One Life Experience - the girls have been raped or have to drop out of school or become sex workers to look after their families, and have little say over who they marry. The agony is multiplied if they pass the virus onto their babies through childbirth or breastfeeding.

So if you go to the experience, I'd recommend choosing to see it through a girl's eyes - the reality of the HIV/AIDS crisis will probably hit home a lot harder.

On a related note, check out Bill Gates' address regarding women and HIV/AIDS at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto.

You can watch/listen to live coverage of the conference here, and view webcasts here.

Canada's Time to Deliver

Check out this article in the London Free Press on the Global AIDS Crisis: Four Steps for Canada plan released in the run-up to the International AIDS conference in Toronto next week. The four steps include:

1. A timetable to boost Canada's development assistance to 0.7% of gross national income;
2. Investing in the healthcare systems of developing countries;
3. Cancelling these countries' debts so they can free up resources to fight HIV/AIDS;
4. Following through on commitments to make ARV drugs more affordable.

In other news, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is giving $500m to the Global Fund to fight diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Microsoft's software may be annoying and evil, but at least some of the money is going somewhere good.

And Ontario's chief medical officer has pointed to an alarming rise in the AIDS epidemic in Ontario, citing complacency as the chief cause. Dr Sheela Basrur said: "There is a sense that AIDS is no longer newsworthy. For the average person on the street, they may be more worried about bird flu than HIV." See my earlier post on bird flu - nice to know someone agrees.

HIV/AIDS - join the fight this month

Whether you're a seasoned warrior on behalf of those with HIV/AIDS, or you're just dipping your toe in the water, this month has loads of opportunities to get involved.

The World Vision One Life Experience
This tour of a 3,000 square foot reconstruction of an African village in the heart of Toronto looks absolutely excellent. Admission is free and the tour takes 30 minutes. Visitors will hear from children with HIV/AIDS and learn what their lives are like.
The One Life Experience runs from August 12-18, 8-6:30pm every day, on the corner of University Avenue and Adelaide St. I'm definitely going - look out for photos/report of the event!

AIDS Walk for Life Toronto
The funds from this walkathon will be going towards people with HIV/AIDS in Toronto and not Africa, but it's still a great cause. It takes place on Sunday September 17, with registration from 11am at Church St Public on the corner of Church and Alexander. The walk itself begins at 2pm.

16th International AIDS Conference
Taking place from August 13-18 in Toronto, this conference will involve the leading figures in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The focus this year will be on the promises and progress made to improve treatment, care and prevention. Although pre-registration has now closed, there's lots of fun pre-conference stuff like the Global Village, and you might be able to get a conference place if you register onsite. Worth a shot!