Tag: HIV/AIDS

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The Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS has teamed up with Scotia Bank for this year’s Regional HIV Testing Day. Research has shown that getting tested and knowing your status is one way to stem this epidemic. Since many locations are offering free services (The Virgin Islands Daily News just posted a story on free testing services on St. Thomas and St. Croix), there is no excuse for not getting tested. Take your best friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, brother, sister or another loved one with you and have them get tested also. HIV rates is rising among young people in the Caribbean. And young women are increasingly being affected. It can be a difficult decision to get tested, but it is a necessary decision. And, while getting tested for HIV, it’s imperative that we also get tested for other STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis since having an STI increases ones risk for getting HIV. And for those not in the region, the US’s National HIV Testing Day is on Monday, June 27th.
Look below for your country and a location nearest you.
Country Test Locations Test Day
Anguilla The Valley Scotiabank June 24
Antigua Wood’s Centre Scotiabank June 27
High Street Scotiabank June 27
Barbuda June 25
AIDS Secretariat Office June 26
Bahamas Rawson Square Scotiabank June 24
Barbados Black Rock Scotiabank June 24 -25
Broad Street Scotiabank June 24 -25
Haggatt Hall Scotiabank June 24 -25
Holetown Scotiabank June 24 -25
Independence Square June 24 -25
Warrens Scotiabank June 24 -25
Rockley Scotiabank June 24 -25
BVI Virgin Gorda Scotiabank June 24
Road Town, Tortola Scotiabank June 24
Cayman Islands George Town General Practice June 27 – July 1
George Town Public Health Section June 27 – July 1
West Bay Health Centre June 27 – July 1
Bodden Town Health Centre June 27 – July 1
East End Health Centre June 27 – July 1
North Side Health Centre June 27 – July 1
Faith Hospital/PH Clinic – Cayman Brac June 27 – July 1
Little Cayman Clinic – Litle Cayman June 27 – July 1
Dominica Laplaine June 24
Grandbay June 24
Roseau June 24
Kalinago Territory June 24
French Guiana June 27
Grenada Grenville Scotiabank June 24
Grand Anse Scotiabank June 24
Esplanade Mall June 24
Guyana Robb Street Scotiabank June 24
Carmichael Street Scotiabank June 24
New Amsterdam Scotiabank June 24
Bartica Scotiabank June 24
Olivet Seven Day Adventist (SDA) June 25
Ephesus SDA June 25
Smyrna SDA June 25
Shiloh SDA June 25
Plaisance SDA June 25
Carmel SDA June 25
Moriah SDA June 25
Stanley Town SDA June 25
Philadelphia SDA June 25
Eden SDA June 25
City Mall (MARPS) June 25
Ashmins (MARPS) June 25
Parika Scotiabank June 26
Demico House Car Park (MARPS) June 27
For the Children Sake June 27
Haiti Port-au-Prince Scotiabank June 24
Carrefour Scotiabank June 24
Petion-Ville Scotiabank
(PubliGestion Parking)		 June 24
Hopital La Paix
(for Scotiabank – Delmas Branch)		 June 24
Institute Fame Pereo June 24
Hopital St. François de Salle June 24
Foyer St. Camille
– Plaine du Cul de Sac – Marin		 June 24
Centre de Development de la Santé (CDS)
– Plaine du Cul de Sac – Cazeau		 June 24
Promoteurs Objectifs ZeroSIDA (POZ)
– Centre Ville (Rue Alix Roy)		 June 24
Centre de la Croix-des-Bouquets June 24
Jamaica Sam Sharpe Square Scotiabank,
Montego Bay		 June 24
Barnett Street Scotiabank, Montego Bay June 24
Hagley Park Scotiabank, Kingston June 24
Premiere Scotiabank, Kingston June 24
St. Ann’s Bay Scotiabank, Ocho Rios June 24
Highgate Scotiabank, St. Mary June 24
Santa Cruz Scotiabank, St. Elizabeth June 24
Frankfield Scotiabank, Clarendon June 24
St. Kitts Princes Street Scotiabank,
Basseterre, St. Kitts		 June 24
Main Street, Nevis June 24
St. Lucia Castries Scotiabank June 24
Rodney Bay Scotiabank June 24
Vieux- Fort Scotiabank June 24
St. Maarten Phillipsburg Scotiabank June 25
St. Vincent Planned Parenthood Association, Frenches June 27 -28
Outpatient Dept. Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, Kingstown June 27
Ministry of Health, Wellness and Environment, Ministerial Buildings June 27
Suriname June 27
Trinidad Rio Claro Health Centre, Corner Dougdeen and De Verteuil Street, Rio Claro June 24
La Brea Health Centre, New Lands, La Brea June 24
Brian Lara Promenade
(opposite RBTT- near to the Cipriani Statue)		 June 27
San Juan Promenade June 27
St. James District Health Facility,
112 Western Main Road St James		 June 27
NWRHA Head Office. 39 Dundonald Street June 27
George Street VCT Clinic, George Street,
Port of Spain		 June 27
San Juan Health Centre, Real Street, San Juan June 27
Petit Valley Health Centre, Mornecoco Road, Petit Valley June 27
QPCC&C, COSTAATT Building June 27
Arima District Health Facility, Queen Mary Avenue, Arima June 27
Tacarigua Health Centre. El Dorado Road, Tunapuna June 27
Maloney Health Centre, Flamingo Boulevard, Maloney Gardens June 27
Chaguanas Health Facility, Cor. Montrose Main and Galt Street, Chaguanas June 27
Tropical Angel Harp Pan Yard,
Cor. Old Southern Main Road		 June 27
Mayaro District Health Facility, Main Road, Mayaro June 27
Sangre Grande Health Centre, Henderson St, Sangre Grande June 27
Cumuto Outreach Centre, Cumuto Main Road, June 27
Cumana Outreach Centre, Cumana Main Road, (By Triangle next to Health Centre) June 27
Accident and Emergency,
San Fernando General Hospital		 June 27
Kings Wharf, San Fernando June 27
Marabella Health Centre, Market Street, Marabella June 27
Siparia District Health Facility,
Cor Grell and High Street, Siparia		 June 27
UWI Health Services Unit (For Students ONLY), UWI Campus, St. Augustine June 27
Tobago Scarborough Health Centre, Bacolet Gardens, Scarborough, June 27
Canaan Health Centre, Guy Street,
Canaan Tobago		 June 27
Roxborough Health Centre,
Roxborough Main Road		 June 24
Turks & Caicos Scotia Centre June 24
Anglican Church Dillon Hall,
Pond Street Grand Turk		 June 24
Grace Bay Centre Scotiabank June 24
USVI Havensight Scotiabank, St. Thomas June 24
Sunny Isle Scotiabank, St. Croix June 24 
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Geneva, Switzerland – The International AIDS Society (IAS), in partnership with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the NIH-supported Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR), today announced the launch of a new round of the joint research grant programme, Creative and Novel Ideas in HIV Research (CNIHR).

The CNIHR programme supports projects intended to advance the scientific understanding of HIV by exploring new approaches to pressing scientific questions on such issues as the long-term survival of individuals with HIV infection, strategies to control viral reservoirs and research leading toward a cure for HIV/AIDS, and new approaches for the prevention of HIV transmission including treatment as prevention. “The NIH is delighted to continue this important international partnership, which is designed to promote innovative research and new ideas from early-stage investigators whose primary focus has previously been in fields of scientific inquiry other than HIV/AIDS,” Dr Jack Whitescarver, NIH Associate Director for AIDS Research and Director of the Office of AIDS Research, said. “The science of AIDS is making important strides, and we need to continue to generate innovative ideas and build multi-disciplinary collaborations. We must recruit and train tomorrow’s leading HIV researchers from across many areas of science, whose work will benefit not only HIV, but other fields of research as well.”

Given the limited resources available to pursue the rollout of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to all who need it, as well as the fact that in resource-limited settings, new infections continue to outstrip numbers of people on treatment by two to one, there is a strong need for continued investments to find new strategies to tackle the HIV epidemic. “In the current economic climate of treatment funding shortages and with a scale of unmet need that can only increase, the IAS is highly concerned by the long-term sustainability of antiretroviral therapy rollout,” Elly Katabira, IAS President, said. “Along with our partners, the IAS is committed to investing in finding better and more cost-effective options to curb the epidemic. One of the ways we can pursue this is through the CNIHR research grant programme.”

The first round of grants was announced in 2010. The joint programme awarded a total of US$3.4 million to fund the research projects of outstanding early-stage researchers. Each awardee is funded for up to two years with up to $150,000 (direct costs) per year plus applicable indirect costs .

“The truly international nature of this programme – it is open to candidates globally – enables it to select the best research projects from all over the world,” Prof Michael Saag , Director of CFAR at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, commented. “ The first 10 awardees come from a wide range of scientific disciplines and locations, including Australia, India, Mexico, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.”

The first step of the competitive application process is now open on the CNIHR website ( www.cnihr.org) and will close on 17 October 2011. Applicants will be asked to complete a two-step process to assess the quality of their research projects. Awardees will be selected by mid-April 2012 and will be able to start their research projects in June 2012. The research projects will be supported in collaboration with a CFAR institution with expertise in each candidate’s area of proposed research.

“Through this programme, promising young researchers have access to CFAR’s solid expertise and infrastructure, which is extremely important for the success of their projects,” Prof King Holmes, Director of the CFAR at the University of Washington, said. Awardees will also have the chance to take part in a networking and training programme at the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012), which will be held in Washington D.C. on 22-27 July 2012, where the results of the selection process will be announced.

 

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Highlights of health news from around the region

PANCAP urged to do more to fight disease in region

(Jamaican Observer) — GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — The Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), which ended a two-day meeting here on Wednesday, has been urged to vigorously promote the cause of elimination of HIV as a public health threat in the Caribbean.

Guyana’s Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy, who is also the chair of the PANCAP Executive Board said it was necessary to work towards a trajectory of long, healthy and productive lives for Caribbean citizens.

PANCAP, established in 2001, is the regional mechanism responsible for coordinating the Caribbean’s response to the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

Jamaicans making it difficult for gays to stay with one partner?

(Jamaica Observer) — ONE of the world’s leading bioethics publications, Developing World Bioethics Journal, says Jamaicans are making it difficult for men who have sex with men (MSM) to be monogamous. The publication also suggested that Health Minister Rudyard Spencer is unhappy with the fact that his government “continues to support legislation that contributes significantly to the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS among MSM”.

Sport for Health launched in Grenada

(Caribbean News Now) — ST GEORGE’S, Grenada—Principals and sporting ambassadors from each of Grenada’s 22 secondary schools attended the launch of the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation’s (WINDREF) Sport for Health Program. 

A collaborative program between WINDREF, St George’s University, the Ministries of Sport and Health, and the Grenada National Olympic Committee, the goal is to help reduce the public health problem of chronic disease by increasing awareness and educating the public about delaying or preventing the onset of chronic disease by leading a healthier lifestyle.

Grenada gets funds for poverty reduction

(The Guardian, Trinidad) — ST GEORGE’S—The United Nations’ rural development agency is to co-finance a US$7.5-million project in Grenada designed to alleviate poverty in the Caribbean country, benefiting an estimated 12,000 members of poor communities on the main island and the isle of Carriacou. The UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will provide US$3 million in loan to the six-year Market Access and Rural Enterprise Development Programme to create jobs, improve market access and support rural micro-enterprise projects in 50 communities, according to an agreement signed in Rome between the Fund and Grenada’s government.

Ministry of Health hold consultation on strengthening the health system

(Dominica News Online) — The Ministry of Health convened the first in a series of consultations on “Strengthening the Health Systems and Engaging the Private Sector” on Thursday March 31, 2011, at the Garraway Hotel.

Stakeholders from both the Private and Health Sectors participated in the half day consultation to dialogue on priorities for technical assistance in health system strengthening and private sector engagement. They were to provide a rationale for improving the sustainability of HIV/AIDS programming and the health sector, and also to develop a framework for future collaboration between the health and private sectors

Commentary: Poor indoor air quality a potentially explosive health crisis in the Caribbean

(Caribbean News Now) — On the outside the sunny Caribbean is known for its hot balmy weather mediated by cool island breeze, creating a literal tropical paradise. On the inside lurks the real culprit—high humidity and temperatures and the ever present mildew.

Because our building designs, laws, regulations and building codes have not taken into consideration the combination of outdoor and indoor air quality, workers and employers are now forced into an unnecessary standoff. Consequently, the Caribbean is on the verge of a worsening trend of sick building syndrome (SBS) as workers in several islands threaten employers with labour action unless they take serious stock of the poor quality of indoor air in their workplaces.

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Tuesday Deadline Caribbean HIV Conference Abstracts

Abstracts for the 2011 Caribbean HIV Conference are coming dues Tuesday, February 15th. This years’ theme is Strengthening Evidence to Achieve Sustainable Action. The conference takes place from November 11-21 in The Bahamas.

According to the website, the conference is expected to attract 2,000–2,500 participants and will highlight scientific research findings, implementation lessons learned, skills-building tools, and networking opportunities.

There are five conference tracks within which participants can locate their research: Special Populations, Legal, Ethical, Cultural, Spiritual, and Leadership Issues, Epidemiology, Basic Science and Vaccine Research,  Treatment, Care, and Support, Prevention: Social, Behavioral, and Biomedical Change.

Full information on the conference and each track can be found on their website https://www.2011caribbeanhivconference.org

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HIV testing in schools

Two news articles caught my attention today and both address HIV testing in high schools. First, at one high school in San Francisco, the senior class is getting tested for HIV for their class project. The idea for the testing project, which is voluntary, came from one classmate who volunteers with an AIDS doctor. The students hope to inform and educate teens on the importance of getting tested.

Halfway across the globe, South Africa is implementing a testing program across its school systems in hopes of getting all South Africans to know their status and to receive treatment if positive.

Although there are concerns about privacy and professionalism in both cases, young people ages 13 to 19 constitute a significant percentage of those testing positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. And, although the young students in San Francisco may mot be the target group for most HIV prevention efforts, their project could serve as a pilot program for other students in high-risk groups or geographical areas. Similarly, the South Africa program could influence other countries to start testing earlier.

There is a lot of literature on screening programs in public health and associated harms caused by false positives and associated issues. So, the efficacy of population-level screening has to be a concern. However, for countries or regions with generalized epidemics or in areas with concentrated epidemics, screening those most at risk, and starting screening early ‘might’ help mitigate the spread. I hope SA is planning on studying this issue. I would like to dee a published data. And maybe, Caribbean countries where young people ages 13 to 19 are at higher risk of acquiring HIV will consider implementing a similar policy.

To read more about the students in San Francisco, the article is available at WSJ Online. Visit AllAfrica.com to read about South Africa’s policy.