Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, is the main advocate for global action on the epidemic. It leads, strengthens and supports an expanded response aimed at preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV/AIDS, and alleviating the impact of the epidemic.

Monitoring the global spread of HIV, AIDS and STIs is a joint effort of WHO and UNAIDS, coordinated by the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group on Global HIV/AIDS/STI Surveillance. The Working Group develops surveillance guidelines, regularly updates the global database and prepares Epidemiological Fact Sheets and Global Reports on HIV/AIDS.

THE COMMUNICATION INITIATIVE is a partnership between The Rockefeller Foundation, UNICEF, USAID, The CHANGE Project, WHO, BBC World Service, CIDA, Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, The European Union, Soul City, The Panos Institute, UNAIDS. It includes information, ideas, linkages and dialogue on communication, development and change (including some coverage of health and development).

OPINION: The writing is on the wall for UNAIDS. The exclusive focus on HIV promoted by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is damaging health systems and distorting health financing, and UNAIDS should be closed down immediately, writes an expert in this weeks BMJ. We are spending far too much on HIV relative to other health needs, writes Roger England, Chairman of the Health Systems Network. Some of the money would be better spent on strengthening general health services and funding more effective interventions in other diseases such as pneumonia and diabetes that kill more people, he adds.

More than 4000 scientists, activists and medical experts are due to converge on Durban this week for the third South African AIDS Conference.

The SADC Secretariat with the support of the International Cooperating Partners organized an Experts Think Tank Meeting on HIV Prevention to reflect on the key drivers of the epidemic in the region and to provide suggestions for accelerating HIV prevention. The meeting titled: Expert Think Tank Meeting on HIV Prevention in High- Prevalence countries in the SADC Region, was held on 10-12 May 2006, in Maseru, Lesotho.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has announced it will donate 500 million US dollars (R3.5 billion) over the next five years to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

NGOs in both developing and developed countries and disease burdened communities have expressed concern about the lack of resources needed to fund their fight against HIV and AIDS.

The Minister of Health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has called for a positive projection of the work done by South African communities and government to address the challenge of HIV and AIDS at the next months United Nations Special Session on HIV and AIDS.

The Minister of Health Dr Manto Tshabalala, called for sustainable financing of HIV and AIDS programmes to ensure better planning and improve effectiveness of these programmes.