CNS

Cervical and Breast Cancers: Killers On The Prowl

A week before the United Nations (UN) Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) opens, reviewing outcomes of a new global analysis on breast and cervical cancers is warranted. In developing nations, breast and cervical cancers are rapidly replacing complications from pregnancy and childbirth as the leading causes of death in women below 50 years of age. In the Middle East and North Africa, nearly 40% of all breast cancer deaths are in women of reproductive age, compared to 10% in Europe. In countries such as Bangladesh, the fraction can be higher than 50%. India has a population of 366.58 million women aged 15 years and older who are at risk of developing cervical cancer.

Voluntary medical male circumcision protects against HIV. "There are over 40 observational studies among heterosexual men, which show that circumcised men have about a 60% reduced risk of HIV compared to uncircumcised men. There were then three randomised controlled trials conducted in Sub Saharan Africa that showed circumcised men were at 60% less risk of HIV than uncircumcised men. All these three trials were stopped by independent Data Safety Monitoring Boards as the effect was so strong and it was thought unethical to not offer circumcision to men in the control arm" said Dr Helen Weiss, Reader in Epidemiology and International Health, The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Dr Weiss works mainly on HIV and biomedical behavioural prevention strategies focussing mainly on sub-Saharan Africa and delivered a plenary address at the AIDS Vaccine 2011 conference in Bangkok, Thailand (12-15 September 2011).

Way back in 1997, an article ‘Hepatitis C: Waiting for the Grim Reaper’ by Alex Wodak published in Medical Journal of Australia, warned of a potential Hepatitis C epidemic, ringing the alarm bells for Australia. The author called this viral infection a public health problem comparable in magnitude with HIV, and argued that as injecting drug use is undeniably the major mode of transmission, encouraging drug users to adopt non-injecting routes of administration may be the most effective way of controlling it.

In June of this year, world leaders including the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, the Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (The Global Fund) Dr Michel Kazatchkine and 5 former presidents and prime ministers, formed the Global Commission on Drug Policy, and released a report after reviewing the global body of evidence. The report’s very first sentence succinctly describes their findings: “The Global War on Drugs has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world.”

Lessons From Japan Film Festival 2011 is being organized in Lucknow to raise awareness about dangers of nuclear power whether used for civil or military purposes. The Lessons From Japan campaign promotes the use of indigenous energy resources such as coal, gas, hydro (small, micro dams or run of the river categories), solar, wind energy, biogas etc., and ensuring our future energy supplies from Iran and other countries in West and Central Asia. India’s future energy policy should be low carbon and no nuclear.

A new study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington shows that insecticide treated bed nets (ITN) have a dramatic effect on child mortality due to malaria, reducing it by 23%. The study, “Net benefits: a multi-country analysis of observational data examining associations between insecticide-treated mosquito nets and health outcomes,” was published in PLoS (Public Library of Science) Medicine recently. The results of this study confirm that children who live in households that own at least one insecticide-treated bed net are less likely to be infected with malaria and less likely to die from the disease. The paper is focused on Africa, but the findings apply to all regions that have a significant malaria risk.

Annie Besant. Maulana Azad. M. K. Gandhi. Binayak Sen. What do they have in common? They were convicted under Section 124(A) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) or the Sedition Act! This draconian British era legislation "criminalizes the ‘disaffection’ towards the government by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations". Unfortunately, this law, introduced in 1860, is still being (ab)used across the country to silence many forms of democratic expression and struggle.

Fuelled by the HIV pandemic and the spread of drug-resistant strains, tuberculosis (TB) has re-emerged as a major threat to global health. TB is a curable disease that continues to affect millions of people globally each year, and is a leading cause of death in HIV positive people. According to the 2009 WHO Report on Global TB Control, there were 9.4 million new TB cases in 2008, out of which 1.4 million (14%) were HIV positive (78% of them were in Africa and 13% in Southeast Asia). Mortality from TB was 1.7 million, and about 0.5 million of these deaths were in People Living with HIV (PLHIV), who are at a much increased risk of contracting TB. In high burden HIV settings (like the sub Saharan region) more than 70% of TB patients are living with HIV. So, universal access to HIV care cannot be achieved without addressing TB.

'Production of quality affordable generic medicines is key in access to life saving /life-extending treatments for people who need it, and narrow national economic interests should not take precedence over a global commitment to save lives of People Living With HIV (PLHIV)...'. This message was brought out clearly at the recently concluded 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP), held in Busan, Korea.

The Busan Police turned violent on peaceful demonstrators at the 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP), which was attended by over 2500 delegates and one of whose main issues is to protect the human rights of populations affected with HIV/ AIDS. Activists including people living with HIV (PLHIV) from all over the world, who attended the 10th ICAAP joined Korean activists in a peaceful anti-Free-Trade Agreements (FTAs) march. Korea is in the process of signing FTA treaties with USA and the European Union (EU), and this is likely to block the production of generic medicines and increase the prices of essential medicines including antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, thus further limiting their access to those for whom they are intended.

HIV/AIDS is a serious health challenge, and the law itself is in crisis in responding to this epidemic in the Asia and the Pacific Region. The legal impediments to universal access, which also enhance stigma and discrimination, were discussed at length at the recently concluded 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP) in Busan, South Korea.

The 10th International Congress on AIDS In Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP) recently held in Busan, South Korea, clearly brought out the need to engage the key affected young population of the Asia and Pacific region in ownership and leadership of HIV responses. It would not be possible to achieve the three zeros - Zero new HIV infections, Zero discrimination and Zero AIDS related deaths - without meaningful participation of the young community.

The Commission on AIDS in Asia report (March 2008) gave an Asian perspective to HIV epidemic and had put forth evidence-based recommendations to improve HIV responses locally. “The Commission on AIDS in Asia report had a major impact because for the first time somebody has said very clearly about Asian epidemic. Otherwise generally all epidemics in the world are put in the same bracket along with Africa and same solutions are prescribed to everybody” said Dr JVR Prasada Rao, Senior Adviser to UNAIDS Executive Director. Dr Rao gave an exclusive interview to CNS at the 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP).

For thirty years now, HIV has continued to spread across all levels of our societies, killing 30 million people and infecting another 30 million. In order to realize the goal of the three zeroes - Zero New Infections, Zero AIDS Related Deaths, and Zero Discrimination and Stigma it is imperative to tackle the last one to achieve the first two. This message was brought out clearly during the 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP) held in Busan, Korea.

The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), Asha Parivar and Citizens for Healthy Lucknow initiative, have demanded a strong action against reported corruption and malpractices in public healthcare facilities in Lucknow. There are increasing numbers of reports of patients in government healthcare facilities being referred to private clinics for diagnostics or treatment when such facilities exist within government hospitals itself, or government doctors and other healthcare staff indulging in private practice or government healthcare staff not providing their services to people at appointed and designated duty hours.

Thirty years into the AIDS epidemic, and on the occasion of the 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP), being held at Busan, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) released a new report on the HIV epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region. The report titled ‘HIV in Asia and the Pacific: Getting to Zero’, provides the latest regional and country-level data on the HIV epidemic and response, and offers perspectives on the situations, opportunities and challenges currently at play.

Voices from the Women's Community Forum at ICAAP

The Women's Community Forum organized in lead up to the 10th International AIDS Congress in Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP) in Busan, South Korea, has undoubtedly made it clear: women and girls need to be recognized not only as key affected populations but also as equal partners at all levels of HIV responses in local contexts.

Indians are known all over for their strong faith in religion and religious gurus (leaders) and for their trust in their local community leaders. This got a stamp of approval during the polio eradication drive. Their large scale involvement in the drive proved fruitful in motivating people to get polio drops administered to their children. Now, once again these religious and community leaders are set to play a key role in the society – this time it is to bring a change in the lives of millions of widows living in India.

[Audio podcast] Stigma within healthcare settings blocks access of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender populations to existing services to an alarming level. "The Asia Pacific Coalition on Male sexual health (APCOM) has been looking at this issue of stigma within healthcare settings which prevents people from accessing services and in fact kills people if nothing else. So what NFI and APCOM are doing is engaging more with the UN system, WHO, and other stakeholders to improve quality of education for the health sector, to engage in issues around health sector reforms and to improve services at grassroots level" said Shivananda Khan, Chief Executive of Naz Foundation International (NFI) and Co-Chair of Asia Pacific Coalition on Male sexual health (APCOM) at the 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP) in Busan, South Korea.

[Audio podcast] Policies that criminalize same-sex behaviour and punitive laws continue to impede access to existing healthcare services for those at heightened risk of HIV such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender populations. The 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP) is being organized in South Korea - a country where a lot more needs to be done to provide safe, supportive and dignified access to services for LGBT community. "South Korea doesn’t have a very good record regarding programming around sexual minorities and HIV. If you look at the data, one of the highest number of people dying among young LGBT people are here. There is a whole issue around shame and culture that impacts upon their lives. The government is not very responsive, and no education system exists on these issues" said Shivanand Khan, Chief Executive of Naz Foundation International and Co-Chair of Asia Pacific Coalition on Male sexual health (APCOM).

More than 2000 people including students and faculty members of India's noted management and engineering institutes such as Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) have formally endorsed the petition seeking support for Anna Hazare's fast against corruption by skipping one meal in the day so long as he continues with his fast.

In the lead up to the 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP), an issue-focussed and time-limited online consultation was facilitated on the issue: key affected women and girls, on SEA-AIDS by the Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (APA) and Citizen News Service (CNS) during 1-20 August 2011 [The summary report of this online consultation is online here. It will be released at the Women Community Forum of 10th ICAAP too on 25th August 2011].

The 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP), which is being convened in Busan from 26th August to 30th August, 2011, promises to promote equal access to prevention, support, treatment and care for all people. It raises our hopes to address the needs and rights of key affected women and girls (who include those living with HIV, female sex workers, female drug users, transgender women, wives/partners of drug users, wives of men-who-have-sex-with-men - MSMs) in HIV programmes.

....Thus spoke Mr Myung Hwan Cho, Congress Chair of the 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP) which is being convened in Busan, South Korea from 26th to 30th August, 2011. ICAAP, the largest HIV/AIDS Forum in Asia Pacific Region, is a biennial gathering for the release and discussion of scientific, programmatic and policy developments in the global response to the issues of HIV/AIDS.

Download the Summary Report: What more should India do to stop smokeless and smoking tobacco use? here
Stronger measures should be in place to control smokeless tobacco and 'bidi' smoking as majority of tobacco use in India is in those forms, while India strengthens measures to control cigarettes. A report released in Lucknow on 16 August 2011 (download here) made a set of recommendations to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, to strengthen programmes addressing smokeless tobacco use and 'bidi' smoking in India.

Growing number of students and faculty members of India's noted management and engineering institutes such as Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) are supporting Anna Hazare's fast against corruption by skipping one meal in the day so long as he continues with his FAST (sign the petition here). Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Dr Sandeep Pandey who is currently teaching a course at IIT Gandhinagar has also signed this petition in support of Gandhian crusader against corruption Anna Hazare.

In a thriving democratic set up like the one that India has, access to justice for all would seem like a cake walk. More so with the Indian Constitution ensuring that there are enough legal safeguards within the system, well established edifices of justice and a very proactive judiciary. Nevertheless the challenges of a huge backlog leading to delay which in turn retards the process of timely delivery of justice are some of the cracks in the system through which the weak and disadvantaged groups fall through when it comes to seeking justice.

We are told that there is a clamour for Sachin Tendulkar to be awarded the Bharat Ratna. The government has moved to change its rules so that sports can be included as a category to be considered for giving the highest award of the land. It can be said almost with certainty that the next category that would have to be included for eligibility for this award will be entertainment when there will be a bigger clamour for giving this award to Amitabh Bachchan. After all, Amitabh’s fan following in the country and globally is greater than that of Sachin's.

Under the joint initiative of NACO (National AIDS Control Organisation) and RNTCP (Revised National TB Control Programme), the ‘National Framework for Joint HIV/TB Collaborative Activities’ was revised for strengthening HIV-TB collaborative activities across the country. The National Technical Working Group for HIV/TB — comprising key officials from NACO and the Central TB Division---ensures: 1) fast tracking of patients co-infected with HIV and TB; 2) adherence to treatment guidelines; 3) appropriate training of medical officers posted at ART centres on TB diagnosis and treatment. The intensified HIV/TB package of activities includes routine offer of HIV counseling and testing for all TB patients and linking of all the identified HIV/TB patients to CST including treatment for TB, other OI and ART.

[Photos] This was the message, that came out loud and clear, during a lively seminar: Lessons From Japan on ‘Nuclear Radiation Health Hazards’, held on 6th August at IMA Bhawan in Lucknow on the occasion of Hiroshima Day. It was the culmination of a month long campaign titled Lessons From Japan, which focused attention on issues around peace, nuclear disarmament and clean energy options, by holding interactive dialogues with the students of various educational institutions.

The high level UN Summit on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), due to be held in September 2011 in New York, is the second such High Level Meet (HLM) on a global health issue—the first one held 10 years ago was on HIV/AIDS. The outcome of this meeting is expected to create the political momentum to galvanize funds and commitments for prevention and treatment interventions in resource poor settings in developing countries, where morbidity and mortality due to NCDs is increasing rapidly.

[Photos] Lessons From Japan 2011 campaign reached Unity College, Chowk, Lucknow, to raise awareness about nuclear radiation hazards, and promote dialogue and mobilize public opinion among young people for non-nuclear clean energy options. WHO International Awardee and Adviser, Lessons From Japan campaign 2011, Professor (Dr) Rama Kant said: "Radiation can trigger unconscious long-term effects which are usually even more dangerous. Some of the lethal effects of nuclear radiation exposure due to long-term agreements are as follows: cancers (particularly blood cancer or leukemia), premature aging, nervous system disorders, reproductive and genetic mutation."

The Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (APA), Citizen News Service (CNS) and SEA-AIDS eForum Resource Team have launched the topic 2 of online consultation in lead up to the 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (10th ICAAP). The Topic 2 is open for comments during 1-20 August 2011. GUIDING QUESTION is: What strategies would you priorities to address the needs and rights of key affected women and girls? In your response, please clarify who you consider key affected women and girls and what are the main challenges in ensuring a more enabling environment for these women and girls? Please share examples. Have your say! (send comments to bobby@citizen-news.org)