Health, Population, and Nutrition

News & Notes 37/2002

A (nearly) weekly newsletter supported by GTZ
(Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit)

In this issue:

UPDATE OF E-MAIL ADDRESSES.....................................2

NEW BOOKS........................................................................2
The Tobacco Atlas - launched by WHO.......................................................................2

NEW ONLINE PUBLICATIONS............................................2

Handwashing for Diarrheal Disease Prevention..........................................................2
Using Microfinance to Improve the Quality of Reproductive Health Services...............2
Impact of HIV/AIDS on Fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa................................................3
Unsafe Medical Practices Fuel Africa's HIV/AIDS Crisis..............................................3
HIV/AIDS: Awareness and Behaviour..........................................................................3
Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) and Young People: a Summary Overview. .4
A Less Valued Life-Population Policy and Sex Selection in India................................4
Screening Tests to Detect Chlamydia Trachomatis and Neisseria Gonorrhoeae
Infections..................................................................................................................... 4

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES...............................................5
Radio E-mail in West Africa.........................................................................................5
HIV/AIDS: a Resource for Journalists..........................................................................5
A CD-ROM for Rural Women in Africa: Development of a New Information Tool........5

INTERESTING WEB SITES..................................................5

YoungPositive.............................................................................................................. 5
AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC)..................................................................6
JournAIDS website......................................................................................................6
Public Health Forum....................................................................................................6

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES...............................................7
Cours Intensif d’Initiation à la Recherche sur les Systèmes de Santé.........................7
Master en Recherche sur les Systèmes de Santé (MARSS).......................................7

VACANCIES..........................................................................7
Child Survival Manager - Mozambique........................................................................7

TIPS & TRICKS.....................................................................8

Working with Protected PDF documents.....................................................................8
Grouping files by the first letter of the file name...........................................................8
Microsoft WORD: Keep your tables intact....................................................................9
Update Virus Definition Files........................................................................................9

HPN-News & Notes - 37/2002 - page 1

UPDATE OF E-MAIL ADDRESSES
Gabriele Riedner <[email protected]>
Coordinator, Wellcome Trust STI Studies - Mbeya, Tanzania

***

NEW BOOKS
The Tobacco Atlas - launched by WHO

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/releases/pr82/en/

WHO's new Tobacco Atlas provides detailed data from countries on the differences and
similarities of the global tobacco control struggle. The Atlas is being promoted as a tool
for policy makers as they seek to formulate national and international regulations on
tobacco control. Tobacco consumption is increasing all over the world and will kill 8.4
million people a year by year 2020 if drastic control measures are not put into effect.
One in two of today's young smokers will die from tobacco-related causes. The
developing countries will bear the brunt of the death toll, accounting for over 70 percent
of the projected deaths.

For more information contact:

Helen Green - Information Officer
NMH Communications WHO, Geneva
Tel.: +41-22-791-3432
Fax: +41-22-791-4832
mailto:[email protected]

For copies contact: <[email protected]>

***

NEW ONLINE PUBLICATIONS

Handwashing for Diarrheal Disease Prevention

Story of a successful public-private partnership in Central America

Partnership for Child Health Care, Inc., Sept. 2001

http://www.dec.org/pdf_docs/PNACQ727.pdf

***

Using Microfinance to Improve the Quality of Reproductive Health Services

http://www.cmsproject.com/resources/PDF/CMS_Brief1_UgandaLoan.pdf

A microfinancing scheme that provides business-skills training and revolving loans to

small-scale private providers can increase client perceptions of quality of services and
client loyalty.

HPN-News & Notes - 37/2002 - page 2

Impact of HIV/AIDS on Fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa

Fourth Meeting of the Follow-up Committee on the implementation of the DND and the
ICPD-PA Yaounde, Cameroon 28-31 January 2002
Economic Commission for Africa

http://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/Major_ECA_Websites/icpd/fourth/FC4-05.%20Doc
%20Impact%20HIV%20on%20Fertility.htm

One of the impacts of HIV/AIDS on individual women and populations in severely

affected areas of sub-Saharan Africa is change in fertility levels. HIV/AIDS has
influenced fertility of individual women through proximate determinants of fertility,
namely, marriage, contraception, pregnancy, abortion, breastfeeding, postpartum
abstinence, pathological sterility and natural fecundity. Fertility may decline in the era of
HIV/AIDS because of delayed onset of sexual relations and age at first union, reduced
premarital sexual relations and remarriage and increased marital resolution. Desired
family size and condom use are also increased. HIV infected women experience
reduced pregnancy rate and rising levels of induced and spontaneous abortion.
HIV/AIDS induces sterility, increases foetal mortality and decreases frequency of sexual
intercourse and production of spermatozoa. In contrast, the epidemic may increase
fertility due to reduced extra marital relations, polygyny, breastfeeding, postpartum
abstinence, STD prevalence and spousal separation, increased infant mortality and
switching to condom use from more effective contraceptives. Examples of sites in
Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia indicate that fertility has declined in populations hard hit
by HIV/AIDS epidemic. However, it will take long durations of high HIV/AIDS prevalence
to reduce fertility at a national scale.

***

Unsafe Medical Practices Fuel Africa's HIV/AIDS Crisis

http://ippfnet.ippf.org/pub/IPPF_News/News_Details.asp?ID=2356

In countries in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere with high HIV prevalence and large
numbers of unsafe injections, personal risk as well as the share of the HIV epidemic
associated with unsafe injections may be an order of magnitude higher that many
experts have supposed.

***

HIV/AIDS: Awareness and Behaviour

http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/AIDS_awareness/index.html

Defeating the AIDS epidemic will require dramatic changes in sexual and reproductive
behaviour. This is the overarching conclusion of a new study released by the Population
Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, on the occasion of the first
anniversary of the special session of the United Nations General Assembly on
HIV/AIDS. The study, available in English and French, examines HIV/AIDS-related
awareness and behaviour in 39 developing countries, 24 from Africa, seven from Asia,
and eight from Latin America and the Caribbean. Among the major findings are:

 HIV/AIDS campaigns have raised awareness in many developing countries,

especially in urban areas, but, as yet, do not appear to influence individual risk
perception and behaviour;
 Even in countries where HIV prevalence is high, most people feel that their risk of

HPN-News & Notes - 37/2002 - page 3

 contracting AIDS is low;
 Women are generally less knowledgeable than men about HIV/AIDS, and this
gender gap is likely to be related to the status of women and the sensitivity of sexual
matters in many cultures;
 The single most important source of information about HIV/AIDS is the radio, with
radio messages make a significant contribution to awareness and knowledge of the
disease;
 Among young people, schools have had limited impact on raising awareness and
conveying a basic knowledge of HIV/AIDS;
 While considerable efforts have been devoted to promoting the use of condoms as
part of HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns, condom use among couples remains low in
affected countries; and
 Enormous challenges lie ahead in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, especially in
the rural areas of the developing countries.

***

Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) and Young People: a Summary

Overview

Family Health International (FHI), June 2002

Adobe PDF format, 39 pp., 997 kB:

http://www.dec.org/pdf_docs/PNACQ537.pdf

This summary provides an overview of evidence-based data, current experiences,

lessons learned, issues for consideration, strategies and recommendations for creating
an effective framework for VCT services for young people.

It is designed to be used by program planners; organizations providing services to

young people or intending to strengthen their existing services by catering to youth
populations; staff within government ministries including ministries of health, ministries
of youth and ministries of education; and current and potential donors.

***

A Less Valued Life-Population Policy and Sex Selection in India

http://www.genderhealth.org/pubs/MallikSexSelectionIndiaOct2002.pdf

Data from the 2001 Census of India reveal continuing declines in the ratio of girls to
boys ages 0-6 years old. This article presents a critical examination of the use of
modern technology to prevent the birth of girl children in India and the social and
political issues surrounding sex selection. The author also offers recommendations for
change.

***

Screening Tests to Detect Chlamydia Trachomatis and Neisseria

Gonorrhoeae Infections

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5115a1.htm

This new report contains recommendations for selecting laboratory tests for C.
trachomatis. In addition, these guidelines consider tests from an economic perspective
and expand the previous guidelines to address detection of N. gonorrhoeae as well as
C. trachomatis infections.

HPN-News & Notes - 37/2002 - page 4

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
Radio E-mail in West Africa

Deep inside the warm green interior of Guinea, centered in the frontal lobe of West
Africa, field personnel in the widely scattered village-towns of Dabola, Kissidougou and
Nzerekore now enjoy access to regular internet e-mail, directly from their desktops.
Here we have bridged the digital divide, and there isn't a telephone line or satellite dish
in sight. Instead we are moving the mail over distances of hundreds of miles -- over
jungled mountains and high palmy savannahs -- through wavelengths of high-frequency
(HF) radio. Our project is called Radio E-mail, and here is its story:

http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=6299

***

HIV/AIDS: a Resource for Journalists

Adobe PDf format, 54 pp., 463 kB

http://www.health-e.org.za/aidsbooklet.pdf

This booklet is a resource to help busy journalists cover the issue of HIV/AIDS
effectively. It is produced by Soul City: Institute for Health and Development
Communication in partnership with the South African National Editors' Forum, Health-e
and the Department of Health. It provides accurate information, reliable contacts and
resources. The media can help or hinder attempts to address the AIDS epidemic. The
booklet aims to strengthen the media's capacity to play a constructive role.

***

A CD-ROM for Rural Women in Africa: Development of a New Information

Tool

The International Women's Tribune Centre (IWTC), working in partnership with the
International Development Research/Eastern and Southern Africa Office
(IDRC/Nairobi), has developed a new information tool that offers direct access to
information for women who are among the most marginalized in development -- poor
women with little or no reading ability. The starting place for this initiative is Africa and
the starting point is a CD-ROM.

Have a look at:

http://www.iwtc.org/files/!start.html

For further information see:

http://www.wougnet.org/News/cdupdate.html
or contact:
Anne S. Walker <[email protected]>

***

INTERESTING WEB SITES

YoungPositive

HPN-News & Notes - 37/2002 - page 5

http://www.youngpositive.com

The Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+) and YoungPositive have
formed a new partnership that will give young people the opportunity to have their
questions heard and answered. The partnership will emphasise information
dissemination, interest representation, policy formulation and concrete activities to
enhance efforts to support young people aged 10 to 30 living with HIV/AIDS.
Specifically, GNP+ will help YoungPositive set up its organisational structure, translate
its website, and give financial assistance for joint activities.

For information or contact (they are looking for positive youth activists)
mailto:[email protected]

***

AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC)

http://www.avac.org/

The AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC) is a seven-year-old community and

consumer based advocacy organisation dedicated to accelerating the ethical
development and global delivery of vaccines against AIDS. The organisation provides
independent analysis, policy advocacy, public education and mobilisation to enhance
AIDS vaccine research and development.

***

JournAIDS website

http://www.journ-aids.org/

The JournAIDS website is a project of the Media Support Programme (MSP) of the
Centre for AIDS Development Research and Evaluation (CADRE).The MSP provides
support to media professionals to ensure in-depth, accurate and critical reporting on
HIV/AIDS. The website provides the following features:

 Contact and projects database providing story ideas

 Analysis of science journal articles
 Daily online media reports on HIV/AIDS, and an archive of articles on HIV/AIDS
 Breaking News
 Weekly Analysis of issues making the news
 Fact Sheets on topical issues

***

Public Health Forum

http://www.urbanfischer.de/journals/phf/health.htm

Seit Juli 2001 berichtet die Zeitschrift 'Public Health Forum' vierteljährlich über das
aktuelle Public-Health-Geschehen in der Bundesrepublik. Sie dient dem
Informationsaustausch zwischen Forschung, Lehre und Versorgungspraxis, ohne
jedoch eine rein wissenschaftliche Fachzeitschrift zu sein.

Jede Ausgabe des Public Health Forum widmet sich einem Schwerpunktthema, zu dem
neben einzelnen Übersichten Projekte über ihre Forschungsergebnisse berichten.
Erfahrungen und Beispiele aus der Praxis ergänzen die Darstellung. Daneben informiert

HPN-News & Notes - 37/2002 - page 6

das Public Health Forum regelmäßig über die Public-Health-Lehre und - Forschung in
Europa, Neuigkeiten aus den Forschungsverbünden und Studiengängen sowie über
Public Health relevante Veranstaltungen. Weitere feste Rubriken sind Veranstaltungen
und Literaturhinweise.

Schwerpunktthemen waren bisher: Arbeit und Gesundheit, Gesundheit im Alter,

Stadtentwicklung und Gesundheit, Public Health International, Patientenorientierung,
Neue Medien, Health Promotion, Public Health Outcomes, Genetik, Ernährung,
Prioritätensetzung im Gesundheitswesen, soziale Ungleichheit, Berufe im
Gesundheitswesen und Infektionskrankheiten. Die nächsten Ausgaben befassen sich
mit 10 Jahre Public Health in Deutschland, Gewalt, Kinder und Jugendliche.

***

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Cours Intensif d’Initiation à la Recherche sur les Systèmes de Santé
2 juin - 25 juillet 2003

Master en Recherche sur les Systèmes de Santé (MARSS)

juin 2003 - mai 2004

Universite Libre de Bruxelles

Ecole de Sante Publique
Departement Politiques et Systemes de Sante
Unite Politiques et Programmes de Sante dans les Pays en Developpe-
ment (Professeur Bruno Dujardin)

Tous les détails concernant ce cours se trouvent à l’adresse

http://www.ulb.ac.be/esp/ppsped
et
http://www.sante-publique.net

Renseignements complémentaires et formulaire d’inscription

Mme Agnès Malice (Secrétaire)

Tél.: +32-2-555-4800
Fax: +32-2-555-4049
mailto:[email protected]

Adresse postale:
Université Libre de Bruxelles, Ecole de Santé Publique
Département Politiques et Systèmes de Santé
Unité Politiques et Programmes de Santé dans les Pays en Développement
Campus Erasme - CP 597
Route de Lennik 808
B-1070 Bruxelles, Belgique

***

VACANCIES
Child Survival Manager - Mozambique

Health Alliance International (HAI), Mozambique

HPN-News & Notes - 37/2002 - page 7

Child Survival Program Manager wanted for 5-year extension of Health Alliance
International's child survival program in two provinces in central Mozambique. The
program interventions respond to the problems HIV/AIDS, malaria, and maternal care.
Program manager will provide overall management and direction for the CS project,
based in Beira, Mozambique, including planning of activities, training and supervision of
staff, oversight of implementation of interventions, fiscal over-sight, production of
program reports, and coordination of evaluation efforts. HAI has a well-established
program in the area in which staff work closely with the MOH, local NGOs, and
community groups to improve the demand for and access to quality health services.
Reports to HAI Country Coordinator in Mozambique.

Requirements:
Public health degree (masters level or above), Portuguese (or Spanish) fluency, good
written and verbal communication skills in English, and at least 3 years progressive
experience with community-level health programs in developing countries. Preference
will be given to Mozambican nationals and applicants having relevant work experience
in southern Africa.

For more information please contact <[email protected]>, or to apply please send

a current resume with three references and a cover letter summarizing your experience
and other qualifications to:

Loreen Lee
Health Alliance International
1107 NE 45th Street, Suite 410
Seattle WA 98105, USA
mailto:[email protected]

***

TIPS & TRICKS

Working with Protected PDF documents

You might have come across Adobe PDF documents that are copy protected so you
might not be able to print it or copy even parts of it.

If you still need to work with the document there is a way around - though a bit
cumbersome.

Open the document in Acrobat Reader and copy page by page into a Graphics
Programme:
 in Acrobat Reader click View | Fit Visible
 hold down the ALT key and press PrintScrn (for a Screenshot)
 open a Graphics Programme (.e.g. PhotoShop, PaintShop Pro, etc.)
 paste the copied Screenshots page by page into the programme
 save as .jpg or .tif images.

Open your Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Programme (Omnipage, FineReader

etc.) and let the OCR programme transform the graphics into editable ASCII characters
you can work with.

***

HPN-News & Notes - 37/2002 - page 8

Grouping files by the first letter of the file name

Did you know that you can tell Windows XP to show you files grouped by the first letter
of the file name? It's quite nifty, especially for picture files that have been renamed en
masse.

To do it, just go into Windows Explorer and click View | Icons and then Arrange Icons
by... | Show in Groups.

***

Microsoft WORD: Keep your tables intact

If you don't want a table in your Microsoft Word document to break up at the end of a
page as it spills onto the next one, you can tell WORD to keep it intact. How? Select the
table. If you use WORD 97: click “Table” on the Menu Bar and choose “Cell Height And
Width”. In the dialog box, click the “Rows” tab and click to deselect the option “Allow
Row To Break Across Pages”. For WORD 2000 users: click “Table” on the Menu Bar
and choose “Table Properties”. In the dialog box, click the “Rows” tab and click to
deselect the option “Allow Row To Break Across Pages”.

***

Update Virus Definition Files

Please be reminded that when you return from 'Dienstreise' or vacation and turn on your
computer again to read e-mail...that first you must make sure that your anti-virus
software has had its virus definitions updated. It's hard to resist the temptation of
reading the e-mail before attending to this important detail. Otherwise you may be a
sitting duck for the newest viruses -- which are probably already waiting to be launched
from attachments on your in-coming e-mail. (Despite the repeated warnings, people still
keep opening suspicious attachments.)

Best regards,

Dieter Neuvians
[email protected]

HPN-News & Notes - 37/2002 - page 9