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Current Activities
OVC Caregiver Training Stakeholders Meeting Print E-mail
The USAID Team is pleased to invite you to attend the OVC Caregiver Training Stakeholders Meeting to be held Monday, February 09, 2009 at the Southern Sun Sun Pretoria, Gauteng.

Attached to this invitation are the following:
1) pdf Invitation letter 312.16 Kb
2) pdf Agenda 34.51 Kb
3) pdf Registration form 34.12 Kb
4) pdf Directions 7.99 Kb
5) pdf Survey Form 40.58 Kb

Please ensure that you complete the attached registration form and return it to Conference Call at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to reserve your space at the meeting; confirmation of your attendance will follow soon thereafter.  Space is limited so contact Conference Call soon if you would like to attend. If you require an accommodation reservation at the place to be determined, this will be from your OWN ACCOUNT.  We look forward to your response and participation in this meeting.
 
ARV site accreditation includes adults and children Print E-mail
Monitoring and Advocacy alert
 
Issue:
Clarify that accreditation of a site to provide ARVs means that it is accredited for adults and children

Background:
We are sending this through to you so that we can all be informed and use this in our advocacy and monitoring. There have been reports of a misunderstanding amongst many that there is a special accreditation process for sites to be able to treat children. This issue was raised via SANAC processes and a circular was issued by the Department of Health clarifying that the accreditation of sites to provide ARVS means that they are accredited to provide anti-retroviral treatment to all, (children and adults)
 
Action:
Monitor what is happening at accredited sites in your area and inform the network of what is happening so that this may be raised in the appropriate channels.

Are children being denied treatment and accreditation being used as a reason?

Are adults and children from the family being treated on the same day? Or are people having to make multiple separate trips to the same facility in order to access treatment for adults and then for children?

Is treatment provided for adults and children in different parts of the health facility even if it is provided on the same day?

Please send any information you have on this including the name of the site to Meera This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or via Fax at 031 307-6075.
Please circulate this widely throughout your networks

The attached document:
The attached circular was written and circulated by the Department of Health during October in order to address any confusion regarding the ARV site accreditation in terms of providing services to children. The circular is from Dr. David Kalombo the director of the Comprehensive Care, Management, and Treatment of HIV and AIDS (CCMT).

pdf Click here to download Accreditation of service point for adults & children 196.58 Kb
 
South Africa: 330,000 Lose Lives Due to ARV Delay Print E-mail

red-ribbonMore than 330,000 lives were lost to HIV/AIDS in South Africa between 2000 and 2005 because a feasible and timely antiretroviral (ARV) treatment program was not implemented, according to researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health. Under the leadership of Thabo Mbeki, who was president of South Africa during the period examined in the paper, the government restricted use of donated nevirapine and blocked funds for more than a year from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria awarded to the South African province KwaZulu Natal, the authors recount. President Mbeki formally resigned in September 2008. By comparison, neighbouring Botswana began a program for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission in 1999 and a national ARV treatment program in 2001. Using WHO "3x5" initiative data, the authors estimated that there was 85% ARV treatment coverage in Botswana and 71% in Namibia by 2005. Both Botswana and Namibia achieved >70% prevention of mother-to-child transmission coverage by 2005.

pdf South Africa: 330,000 Lose Lives Due to ARV Delay 921.68 Kb

 
Masibambisane Summit Process Print E-mail
The first Masibambisane Summit on HIV/AIDS was held in 2002 for NGOs, CBOs and key government stakeholders in the Western Cape. It is now being rolled out in all provinces, under the Mentoring Resource Network (MRN). The Forum co-sponsored the Summit held in Limpopo in March 2007.