THE fight against AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria requires innovative ways to expedite interventions that centre on expanding outreach to the affected populations, especially those in remote, developing countries. At the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) being held in Washington DC, experts from India, African nations and United States explained how they are reaching populations through new media - social media! The expert eluded to breakthroughs taking place in India, South Africa, Zambia, United States and Guatemala where doctors are having questions answered and patients are getting better treatment through e-learning. Apart from capacity of the medical personnel, technology has also been used to diagnose patients and administer treatment.
At home, Bhekizitha Sithole, a Swazi student at the Stellenbosch University based in Cape Town, South Africa, and currently on TB treatment for extrapulmonary TB, was fortunate to be awarded a scholarship by the John Hopkins University through American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmfAR). It was his first time to attend the International AIDS conference in Washington DC. Like many other delegates, he was elated to be greeted by AIDS 2012 opening ceremony marked by the presence of great people like veteran actress Sharon Stone and other United Nations and political figures. This year’s conference has attracted about 24,000 registered delegates and about 2000 accredited journalists.
At the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) in Washington DC, the Regional
Inter-Agency Task Force on Children and AIDS of eastern and southern Africa
(RIATT-ESA) argued that children affected by AIDS also have rights to
essential services but HIV often threatens their access to services.
This is so because it impoverishes families and reduces the parents' ability to
care for their children as they would have wished otherwise. Children become more vulnerable to adverse HIV related impact because adults often fail to behave responsibly despite so much of investment and efforts to sensitize adults on preventing transmission, stigma, discrimination among other impacts of HIV. The response to meet the HIV related treatment, care and support needs of children is appalling and urgently require strategic interventions that cater for early childhood, pre-school age and teenage ages.
At home, Bhekizitha Sithole, a Swazi student at the Stellenbosch University based in Cape Town, South Africa, and currently on TB treatment for extrapulmonary TB, was fortunate to be awarded a scholarship by the John Hopkins University through American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmfAR). It was his first time to attend the International AIDS conference in Washington DC. Like many other delegates, he was elated to be greeted by AIDS 2012 opening ceremony marked by the presence of great people like veteran actress Sharon Stone and other United Nations and political figures. This year’s conference has attracted about 24,000 registered delegates and about 2000 accredited journalists.