Welcome to .za!: 1/20/08

SABCNEWS (24/1/08) - Local scientists are upbeat that the first human testing of HIV vaccines will go ahead. Leader of the study, Glenda Gray, says the vaccine is completely different from the Phambili study (see below) which was abandoned last year. Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang issued an order last year that no HIV trials would be done before she received a detailed report on why the Phambili study had failed. A report recently criticized South African authorities for allowing corruption and mismanagement to undermine attempts to defeat the pandemic of HIV/AIDS.
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Why Am I In South Africa?

This is a picture of me in the Cape Flats during my first trip to South Africa in 1998. I fell in love with the place at first sight. In fact, most people that I know who have come here share the same sentiment. The warmth and diversity of people, the stunning landscape and the dynamic progressiveness make this country so inviting. I almost consider it to be like a United States of Africa because it is a nation ripe with potential in the post-apartheid era. The economy is booming. All of the “buzz” in the country is centered on hosting the 2010 World Cup. Yet, one thing continues to perplex me. Why are so many people affected by HIV/AIDS? With approximately 5.5 million people (1 in 9 South Africans) estimated to be HIV positive, South Africa has the second largest population in the world living with the disease. After years of the government garnering headlines for its seemingly controversial stance and policies on HIV/AIDS, many experts warn the problem could get worse before it gets better. This month, the South African government has released an updated strategic plan on HIV/AIDS with the goal of cutting the rate of new infections by 50 percent by 2011. So I felt this was an important time to be here… not only to witness policy that could turn the tide against this widespread epidemic, but also to highlight the work that grassroots organizations in my area (Washington, DC) are doing on the ground to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS. I am using this blog to chronicle part of my journey. Eventually the full reports will air on WJLA/NewsChannel 8 in Washington DC, where I am based as a reporter. This opportunity was made possible through a fellowship from the International Reporting Project (IRP) at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies(SAIS).

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Local scientists upbeat over HIV vaccines

Why Am I In South Africa?

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