HIV and AIDS

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has condemned homophobia in all its forms.

TAC is concerned about the inhuman and homophobic legislation being proposed in Uganda and a wider crackdown against gays and lesbians in other African countries.

The organisation says as a continent, Africa is failing to uphold the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex (LGBTI) individuals.

The Treatment Action Campaign's (TAC) general secretary, Vuyiseka Dubula-Majola and chairperson, Nonkosi Khumalo, have received the John M Lloyd Foundation Leadership Award in Los Angeles.

Dubula-Majola and Khumalo shared the award which endeavours to recognise, develop and empower AIDS advocacy leaders that have not been extensively acknowledged.

AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA), an alliance of NGOs engaged in work on HIV and human rights in the Southern African Development Community region, says that the world is less than halfway to achieving universal access to treatment.

ARASA advocacy coordinator, Paula Akugizibwe, points out that about four million HIV patients are getting AIDS drugs worldwide, but 10 million are not getting treatment.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) says cellphones may become a key weapon in the war against HIV/Aids in Africa, allowing counsellors to reach greater numbers of people.

UNAIDS executive director, Michel Sidibe, argues that, Africa, which despite widespread poverty has a relatively large numbers of mobile phone users, should take advantage of the digital revolution to reach out widely.”

"It is time to reinforce our capacity to use the modern technology differently," explains Sidibe.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria says a world where all children are born free of HIV infection is possible in only five years if donors continue to fund global efforts to combat the virus.

The fund states that in addition tuberculosis (TB) transmission will be halved by 2015 and malaria will be eliminated as a public health problem by 2020 if it increases funding for its programmes.

HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria continue to be the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in Sub-Saharan Africa. The region remains home to 62 percent of global HIV infections and 72 percent of global AIDS mortality - mainly amongst women and children. It is estimated that there are 33.4 million people living with HIV. Most of them continue to face illness and death if they are unable to access treatment.

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has urged President Jacob Zuma to take leadership and responsibility for himself, those around him and South Africa in fighting HIV/AIDS.

In its latest newsletter, the TAC says that Zuma's leadership on AIDS need some constructive scrutiny.
The organisation says that it does not want to impose moral judgements on people, especially on their private matters, adding that, "In a country without a serious HIV epidemic, it might be arguable that his extra-marital affairs are for him and his family alone to resolve."

The pessimist in us all waited with baited breath to criticise the Finance Minister and point fingers at the lack of response towards social and economic drivers stifling the growth of South Africa and its future aka our young people. However, the 2010 budget speech by Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, presented what seems like a good balance between economic development imperatives and social services. This not only made the pessimist take a backseat as we listened in anticipation, but caught the attention of at least every NGO, NPO and company striving to uplift the country.