HIV perceptions

I was attending a conference to present a pilot study to screen HIV among men who are having sex with men (MSM) in Lebanon last July. They had around 5 out of 225 who were living with HIV, and they showed the list of reasons why they do not use condoms and why MSM social gathering places do not offer condoms. Homosoexuality act is considered as a crime act in Lebanon, and the MSM social places are concerned to have several visits from the police if they consider distributing condoms at their place. One of the police officers, attending the conference, explained that the police is enforcing the law and they are trying to collaborate. I asked him if they screen MSMs at time of arrest and the answer was no, they only do it when they are sent to central prison in Beirut. MSMs are perceived as criminals but not their safety to be screened yet.

In addition to Hans talk to world perception, here talking about the end of poverty.

Pediatricians are assumed to perceive pediatrics immunology as taboo or complicated topic, however pediatrics HIV is becoming an important topic due to the fail of PMTCT to reduce it, due to different reasons. Immunopaedia is website targetting pediatricians and medical students with immunology pediatrics related information in South Africa www.immunopaedia.org.za The site offers free registration and it has free materials to download and case studies.

Many initiatives took place to support HIV drugs roll-out and reducing prices. Research papers always mention the effect of international donors to roll-out drugs. However, if the person looks closely who is stearing the agenda of HIV treatment plans, they are the activists who advocate for their rights and for patients' rights. It will be interesting to quantify and document the effect of each stakeholder on HIV treatment plans. This picture is my favourite one showing Zackie Achmat, chairperson of Treatment Action Campaign, with the minister of health in South Africa. Zackie is one the driving forces to support HIV patients' rights.

High life A collegue at work did share 'high life' concept among youngsters in Tanzania, because they lost hope of life when they started losing their social network due to HIV/AIDS, so they see living up to 45 or 40 with risky behavior is good to enjoy life, and what become known by High Life. 001 Concept used in Zimbabwe, which mean 0 breakfast, 0 lunch and 1 dinner. I wonder how HIV patients' life look like if they want to live on 001?

Ann, a Kenyan collegue was talking about the 'natural' male circumcision happening in the Kenyan population, among both of Christian and Muslim groups. She described them as religious versus non-religious groups in general. If I understood it well, she considered difference between the Christian and Muslim groups in their sexual behaviour, in the decision of how many partners to have etc... Ann assumes that HIV prevalence among Mulsim men group is much lower than the Christian men group although both are circumcised. Any sexual practice related reason or...? I tried to draw her discussion in the graph.