Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report - Mon, 3 Dec 2001
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* Pfizer to Offer Free Diflucan to AIDS Patients in Six African Na-
tions
* World Leaders, American Cities, Nations Recognize World AIDS Day
* Nations Use Innovative Techniques to Recognize Day
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Pfizer to Offer Free Diflucan to AIDS Patients in Six African Nations
Pfizer Inc. on Saturday announced it will provide its antifungal
medication Diflucan free of charge to people with AIDS in six African
nations, Reuters reports (Reuters, 12/1). Pfizer will sign memoranda
of understanding with Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Uganda, Namibia and
Swaziland to launch Diflucan programs in early 2002 (South African
Press Association, 12/1). Diflucan treats cryptococcal meningitis and
esophageal candidiasis, two infections that are common among people
with AIDS (Reuters, 12/1). Pfizer currently operates a Diflucan pro-
gram in South Africa, where citizens can receive the medicine free of
charge through the country's public health system (Kaiser Daily
HIV/AIDS Report, 12/4/2000). The program also helps train health
workers (Reuters, 12/1). Pfizer spokesperson Imraan Munshi said that
the company looks forward to providing additional training, education
and treatments as the Diflucan program expands into other African na-
tions (South African Press Association, 12/1).
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World Leaders, American Cities, Nations Recognize World AIDS Day
Following UNAIDS' announcement Wednesday that an estimated 40 million
people worldwide are HIV-positive, world leaders, nations, cities and
community groups recognized World AIDS Day on Saturday. With the
theme "I Care ... Do You?" many of the day's events focused on youth,
minorities and increasing the number of people who receive HIV tests.
The following lists summarize speeches given by world leaders, poli-
ticians and scientists, events that took place around the world and
newspaper articles appearing in response to the annual event.
Leaders, Scientists Respond to World AIDS Day
The following are summaries of World AIDS Day statements made by sev-
eral political and health leaders:
* Gro Harlem Brundtland, WHO director general: In a written statement
to mark the annual event, Brundtland said, "The world is now ready to
turn back the epidemic learning from those who have blazed a trail,
scaling up best practice and confronting AIDS systematically" (BBC
News, 12/1).
* President George Bush: In his World AIDS Day proclamation, Bush
said, "We must develop and implement better ways to communicate to
youth about abstinence and other effective measures that will help
them to avoid the disease and to envision a future filled with possi-
bility. We must also continue our efforts to develop a vaccine that
will protect individuals from becoming infected with HIV/AIDS, and
the United States will not weaken in its resolve to lead the world
towards that goal. ... We resolve to stand together as a nation and
with the world to fight AIDS ... to provide the resources necessary
to combat HIV/AIDS ... [and] to ensure that those suffering with
HIV/AIDS receive effective care and treatment, compassionate under-
standing, and encouraging hope" (White House release, 11/30).
* Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases: In a written statement, Fauci said that NIAID
will continue its role on the "global team" fighting AIDS, adding,
"Our ultimate success will require a sustained effort involving peo-
ple from all walks of life, a robust commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS
by the governments of rich and poor countries and the resources and
expertise of both the public and private sectors" (NIAID release,
12/1).
* Pascal Lamy, European trade commissioner: Speaking for the European
Commission on Saturday, Lamy said that the commission "will do all in
its power to make sure that safe, affordable drugs are available to
all who need them in the struggle to combat HIV/AIDS and other killer
diseases, especially in the world's poorer countries" (Agence France-
Presse, 11/30).
* Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa: Mandela said at
his third public appearance during World AIDS Day, "There is no
difference whatsoever between somebody who is HIV-positive and
myself. We should approach people who are HIV-positive. We must give
them love and support and not marginalize them" (Cohen, AP/Deseret
News, 12/2). Mandela continued, "Nothing threatens us more today than
HIV/AIDS ... AIDS is a scourge threatening to undo all the gains we
made in our generations of struggle. For those who are HIV-positive,
we must ensure they get the proper treatment and drugs which are go-
ing to help them resist the pandemic" (Boye, Reuters, 12/1).
* Pope John Paul II: Speaking to a group of health care volunteers at
the Vatican, the pope "encouraged" medical researchers to "keep up
their efforts" to find a cure for HIV/AIDS and said, "Dear brothers
and sisters sick with AIDS, don't feel alone! The pope is near you
with love and supports you in your difficult path" (Associated Press,
12/1).
* Romano Prodi, European Union president: In a statement "con-
firm[ing] the E.U. executive body's commitment to the battle against
AIDS," Prodi said, "We are going to increase our work and improve our
results. We must not abandon those who are ill" (Agence France-
Presse, 12/1).
* Tommy Thompson, HHS secretary: In a written World AIDS Day state-
ment released on Friday, Thompson said that the "worst mistake we can
make is to let our guard down." He added that there are "signs of
hope" and "pledge[d]" that "HHS and this administration will not give
up the fight." Thompson announced that Patricia Funderburk Ware had
taken the position of executive director of the Presidential Advisory
Council on HIV/AIDS. He also announced the launch of a new NIH Web
site, worldaidsday.nih.gov, that will provide HIV/AIDS information to
the public and health care professionals (HHS release, 11/30).
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Nations Use Innovative Techniques to Recognize Day
To commemorate World AIDS Day, countries around the world held a va-
riety of events. In the Asia-Pacific region, some 50,000 balloons
were released in 19 countries on Saturday, co-organized by the Inter-
national Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and local
organizations in the region (Xinhua News Agency, 12/1). Additional
international events are highlighted below:
* Bangladesh: On Saturday, the country issued a commemorative World
AIDS Day stamp featuring the slogan "I Care ... Do You?" with pic-
tures of a sick man on a hospital bed and a pregnant woman (Associ-
ated Press, 12/1).
* Cambodia: Government officials "trumpeted" the country's success in
lowering HIV infection among pregnant women to 2.3% at the end of
last year, down from 3.2% in 1997 (AP/Baltimore Sun, 12/2).
* India: The largest forum of prostitutes in Calcutta urged lawmakers
to legalize their profession, saying it would "improve access to
medical facilities and reduce the incidence of AIDS" (Reuters, 12/1).
* Ivory Coast: President Laurent Gbagbo "received thousands of demon-
strators" in the country's capital Abidjan, and his wife "ceremoni-
ally" presented him with a condom to promote awareness in a country
where nearly 7% of the population is HIV-positive (Agence France-
Presse, 12/1).
* Portugal: Putting pharmacies frequented by drug addicts "in the
front line of its campaign against AIDS," the country, maintaining
the highest infection rate of any country in the European Union,
wants "pharmacies that give addicts drug substitutes [to] also give
medicines to HIV carriers" (Associated Press, 12/1).
* South Africa: In Pretoria, traditional healers denounced myths
"which have taken hold" there, including one that having sex with a
virgin will cure AIDS (Agence France-Presse, 12/1).
* Sudan: Bringing an "en[d] to years of silence" about AIDS, govern-
ment officials launched a "big" AIDS awareness campaign. The
AP/Baltimore Sun reports that the disease is "spreading fast in the
war-ravaged African country" (AP/Baltimore Sun, 12/2).
* Venezuela: Volunteers in the country marked World AIDS Day by of-
fering free blood screenings and "informing the population about the
dangers of unprotected sex" (Associated Press, 12/1).
* Zimbabwe: Approximately 500 people attended a rally, during which
officials "urged men to practice safe sex." In addition, drum major-
ettes marched through Harare, the country's capital, in an effort to
raise AIDS awareness (AP/Baltimore Sun, 12/2).
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The Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report is published for kaisernetwork.org,
a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, by National
Journal Group Inc. c 2001 by National Journal Group Inc. and Kaiser
Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
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