HIV, AIDS, and Sexually Transmitted Infections

December 1 is World AIDS Day, but for EngenderHealth, the HIV and AIDS epidemic is an important issue every day. Every 24 hours, an estimated 6,800 people are infected with HIV (nearly 50 every minute!) and more than 1 million contract a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Currently, an estimated 33 million people are living with HIV, and in Sub-Saharan Africa—the region hit hardest by the pandemic—the majority of 15-24 year-olds living with HIV is female. The need for quality HIV, AIDS, and STI services is therefore more important than ever.

Current health care systems in most of the developing world are struggling to provide even the most basic health services. While HIV treatment is becoming more widely available in the developed world, it still eludes most people living in the world’s poorest communities. In these places, not only is medication often unavailable, but health care providers are not adequately trained to help patients prevent HIV/STIs or treat or counsel patients who are living with HIV or AIDS. Additionally, health workers often discriminate against people living with HIV and perpetuate the stigma surrounding HIV in their workplaces and communities. EngenderHealth is addressing these inequities in care by training health providers, improving health services, and advocating for national policies that respond to the needs of people living with HIV. EngenderHealth is:

* Improving access to critical HIV services, including: voluntary counseling and testing for HIV; treatment, care and support; and preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV
* Reducing the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS in health care settings
* Improving the safety and effectiveness of existing clinical services, including reducing the risk of transmitting HIV and other STIs
* Integrating HIV and AIDS services with sexual and reproductive health services to better meet clients’ needs
* Promoting the right of people living with HIV to sexual and reproductive health care, including family planning
* Providing women, men and youth with comprehensive information to make informed and voluntary decisions about ways to prevent HIV and other STIs
* Increasing access to adult male circumcision, a technology proven to reduce HIV risk
* Engaging men as partners in reproductive health

By joining forces with government health ministries, community-based organizations, and local health facilities, EngenderHealth is implementing programs that are resourceful, effective, and sustainable (Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and more).



Source: engenderhealth.org

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“Botswana and America celebrate life on World AIDS Day”

A hospice in South Africa once commemorated World AIDS Day by hosting a memorial to mourn those who had lost their lives to HIV/AIDS.

After the introduction of life-saving antiretroviral treatment, this hospice chose instead to mark World AIDS Day with a celebration of life, because the people who were once dying in their care are now living and thriving members of society.
In this spirit, on World AIDS Day 2008, we join the people of Botswana in celebrating life.

For more than 25 years, the world community has witnessed the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS. Until recently, many wondered whether prevention, treatment and care could ever successfully be provided in resource-limited settings where HIV was a death sentence. Just over five years ago, only 50,000 people living with HIV in all of sub-Saharan Africa were receiving antiretroviral treatment.
In 2003, U.S. President George W. Bush launched the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to combat global HIV/AIDS – the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease in history. Through PEPFAR, the U.S. Government has already provided $18.8 billion in HIV/AIDS funding, and the U.S. Congress has authorized up to $48 billion for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria over the next five years. America has followed through on its commitment by leading the world in its level of support for HIV/AIDS relief.

As one of the 15 focus countries supported by PEPFAR, Botswana received roughly $93 million in 2008 and about $300 million since 2004 to implement successful programs and launch new HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment and capacity building activities nationwide. Partnerships with government, non-government and private sectors brought about many new and exciting programs, including HIV testing campaigns targeting men, universal coverage of ARV treatment, the rollout of early infant diagnosis, behavior change campaigns and a new emphasis on programs that prevent and treat tuberculosis, the leading cause of death among people living with HIV/AIDS.
Botswana cannot conquer the HIV/AIDS pandemic through treatment and care alone. As has been noted throughout the history of public health; the best approach to treatment, care and all other challenges posed by HIV/AIDS is to prevent infection in the first place.

There are many success stories resulting from our partnerships in Botswana. One of these is the True Love Waits, a non-governmental, faith-based project supported by PEPFAR in the Ghanzi District, where more than 2000 young people have pledged to abstain from sex until after marriage. The program uses life skills training, movies and music to encourage in and out of school youth to wait for true love. True Love Waits focuses on abstinence as a means for young people to stay HIV free.

An HIV testing campaign involving the Botswana national football team has mobilized more than 6000 people in 60 villages to get tested for HIV. More than 60 percent of those testing have been men. The testing project, initially the idea of Peace Corps Volunteers in Botswana, is funded by PEPFAR. It is supported by the Botswana Government, Tebelopele, the Botswana Football Association, BOTUSA and others.

The number of people accessing voluntary counseling and HIV testing services in Botswana has quadrupled in the last five years, thanks to efforts supported by PEPFAR. However, fewer clients visiting these centers in 2007 were first time testers and officials estimate only about half of the adult Botswana population has ever been tested. While this number is actually progressive, especially in regional comparisons, the need to increase access to counseling and testing remains a focus of the PEPFAR plan.

These achievements are made possible because of courageous individuals in countless communities in Botswana that are choosing life, saving the lives of their fellow countrymen and women and creating hope for a future free of HIV/AIDS. On this World AIDS Day, we celebrate the lives saved as a result of Botswana’s commitment to fight this deadly disease.

Inaccurate and irregular reporting of HIV/AIDS and other public health data has plagued many African countries and problems often stem from poor information sharing between district and national levels. With the help of PEPFAR, Botswana is working to improve information management through the placement of information managers in the district health teams and the district multisectoral AIDS committees and the development of electronic databases to capture and analyze data and produce reports for use at both the central and district levels.

Because of partnerships with nations around the globe, PEPFAR is on track to achieve its aggressive goals to support two million people through treatment, prevention of seven million new infections, and care for 10 million people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, including orphans and vulnerable children. The U.S. Congress and President have established ambitious new goals for the next five years, and working in partnership with the people of many nations, we can achieve them.

Together, the people of Botswana and the American people have shown that strong partnerships enable ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
Ambassador Stephen Nolan
United States Ambassador to Botswana.


Source: sundaystandard.info

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CNN Student News Learning Activity: World AIDS Day

Students will learn about the history of the AIDS pandemic and the status of AIDS in the United States. Students will create ways to inform various demographic groups in the U.S. about the risk of HIV/AIDS.

Procedure

Inform students that December 1 is World AIDS Day. Since this day was first marked in 1988, people and organizations around the globe have worked to bring attention to the AIDS pandemic. The United Nations notes that in 2007, more than 33 million people worldwide were living with HIV or AIDS, and of this number, 2 million were children under the age of 15. According to the U.S. government, more than 1 million Americans are currently living with HIV/AIDS.

Next, refer student groups to the online resources provided to learn more about AIDS, the history of the AIDS pandemic and the status of this disease in the United States. Provide the following questions to guide the groups' research:

1. What is HIV? How is it different from "full-blown" AIDS? How is HIV spread? How does it affect the human body?

2. What are some ways in which individuals can protect themselves from contracting HIV?

3. What groups of people are at the greatest risk for contracting HIV in the U.S.? How have the demographics of those at risk for contracting HIV changed over the past two decades?

Then, assign each student group one of the following U.S. demographic groups that are at risk for contracting HIV: teens, Hispanics, African-Americans, women, health care professionals, drug users and homosexuals. Challenge student groups to act as CDC AIDS awareness committees for your state, and to devise strategies for informing their assigned demographic groups about the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. Direct each group to identify and research some of the problems that are associated with the prevention and treatment of HIV in its demographic. Then, ask each group to brainstorm a list of practical strategies aimed at stopping the AIDS epidemic in its assigned demographic group. Using the information gathered, instruct each group to create informational materials that it thinks would best target and inform its assigned demographic.

As groups present their HIV/AIDS information, ask them to discuss their choice of format, language used and information emphasized in their materials. Ask students to compare the similarities and differences in the student-created materials. Ask: Which materials do you think are best suited for each of the groups?

Correlated Standards

Health

Standard 1: Knows the availability and effective use of health services, products, and information

Level III (Grade 6-8)

Benchmark 2. Knows how to locate and use community health information, products, and services that provide valid health information

Standard 8: Knows essential concepts about the prevention and control of disease

Level III (Grade 6-8)

Benchmark 1. Understands how lifestyle, pathogens, family history, and other risk factors are related to the cause or prevention of disease and other health problems

Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education (Copyright 2000 McREL) is published online by Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) (http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/), 2550 S. Parker Road, Suite 500, Aurora, CO 80014; Telephone: 303/337-0990.


- edition.cnn.com

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World AIDS Day

WORLD AIDS Day, observed on December 1 each year, is an opportunity for governments, organizations, communities, and individuals to speak out for stronger action to prevent new cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and to continue to take action to end the suffering, discrimination, and stigma associated with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Living with the stigma of the infection still remains a major challenge. Many people who are HIV-positive keep their status secret because they fear rejection from their family and friends. Anti-retro viral drugs help many of those who are HIV positive to live a long and fulfilling life. Around half of all the people who became infected with HIV do so before they are 25 years old and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.

HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system, the body’s defense against diseases. While there is no cure for AIDS, treatment can keep the virus under control and the immune system healthy. Without effective treatment, the immune system will eventually become very weak and no longer be able to fight off illnesses.

Coming to terms with and HIV diagnosis and getting used to treatment can be very difficult, however, and people living with HIV will often need support from healthcare providers, family and friends, employers, and support organizations. HIV prejudice is often the result of ignorance about how HIV is passed on and the unfounded fear of becoming infected. Encouraging those around us to talk about HIV and finding out the facts can help overcome the fear of the disease.

Since the first World AIDS Day held in 1988, the face of the epidemic has changed in significant ways and world leaders are gaining better insight about HIV/AIDS every day. Some trends have been positive and leaders in most countries are fully awake to the threat of the disease. This year’s theme, "Leadership" highlights how leadership in the highest level of government or by a public figure can set the example of commitment, continued increase in resources, and the development of new tools to fight the disease.

Leaders are distinguished by their actions, innovation, vision, their personal example and engagement of others, and their perseverance in the face of obstacles and challenges such as the HIV/AIDS issue. In fighting HIV stigma, leadership has resulted in a better assessment of the dynamics of the epidemic by way of foreign policy, corporate social responsibility, and support from religious leaders and civil society.


- mb.com.ph

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Alexandra Holden Biography

Name : Alexandra Holden

Profession : Actress

Birth Details : born April 30, 1977 in Northfield, Minnesota, USA

Nickname : Alex

Spouse : Johnny Strong (? - ?) (divorced)

Alexandra Holden Detailed Biography

Alexandra Holden (born April 30, 1977 in Northfield, Minnesota, USA), is an American actress who has starred in a number of small roles. Holden played film roles in Drop Dead Gorgeous as Mary Johanson and in Sugar & Spice as Fern Rogers. She also starred in the low budget slasher film Wishcraft alongside fellow actor Michael Weston, whom she is seen often out and about with. Alexandra Holden has also had roles in TV and music video, she appeared in seven episodes of Friends most notably as Ross's girlfriend Elizabeth Stevens. Other TV roles include, Ally McBeal (6 Episodes, playing a character called Jane Wilco), Tru Calling (1 episode) and she appeared once in the Drama/Sci-Fi series Six Feet Under. In music, she appeared in Aerosmith's "Hole in my Soul" video.


Source: netglimse.com

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Alexandra Chando Biography

Date of Birth

28 July 1986, Pennsylvania, USA

Nickname
Ali

Height
5' 3" (1.60 m)

Trivia

Had big hopes of becoming an actress before signing on to As the world turns in 2006.

Was featured on MTV'S true life I'm getting my big break.

Enjoys singing, water sports, and cooking.

Native of Pennsylvania.

Also enjoys doing yoga along with singing in her spare time.

Her roommates are Marcy Rylan and Mandy Bruno from sister-soap, Guiding Light.

Where Are They Now

(July 2005) Currently playing Maddie Coleman on "As The World Turns"



Source: imdb.com

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Alexandra Bokyun Chun Biography

Date of Birth

11 February 1967, Korea

Birth Name
Bok Yun Chun

Height
5' 7½" (1.71 m)

Mini Biography

Alexandra Chun (born Bok Yun Chun) is an actress and filmmaker of Korean ancestry living in Los Angeles. She immigrated to the United States when she was seven years old. After attending a boarding school in Maryland, she pursued a study in Western Philosophy at St. John's College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Intent on becoming a medical doctor after graduation, she entered a relationship with Ottmar Liebert in her senior year which dramatically changed the course of her life to pursue the performing arts. Shortly after moving to Los Angeles for an acting career in film, she was cast for a regular role on the soap, "Another World" (1964) , which moved her to New York City. When her contract ended with the soap opera, she returned to Los Angeles to work in numerous film and television shows.

In 1999, along with three other theatre professionals, she founded and co-artistic directed a multicultural theatre company called Lodestone Theatre Ensemble.

In the Fall of 2004, as writer, director, and producer, Alexandra Chun launched a website of short films that take place in hotel rooms.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Xtermy

Trivia

Co-founder and co-artistic director of Lodestone Theatre Ensemble. Trained with Milton Katselas and Kim Stanley.


Source: imdb.com

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