World AIDS Day Coverage, my perspective

DAYS OF UPS AND DOWNS THE WORLD AIDS CONFERENCE

I HAVE SKIPPED THE MARCH AND THE SERVICE OF HEALING BECAUSE I SO WANTED TO GET THE GREAT NEWS OUT AND THE UPDATE WITH MY HOPEFUL U-TUBE VIDEO, ALL OF WHICH HAVE TAKEN ME MUCH LONGER TO EDIT HORRIBLY, AND TO TRY TO MOVE OVER TO JOHN’S COMPUTER, AND TO CONTEMPLATE THE LAST FEW DAYS.

VIENNA IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY, AND GENERALLY A VERY FRIENDLY ONE. BUT, AS WE WATCH PRESENTATION AFTER PRESENTATION FROM SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, AND PONDER THE EFFECTS OF COLONIALISM ON THIS BEAUTIFUL CONTINENT, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT HELPED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVESTATION OF PERSONS THERE FROM HIV/AIDS. AND, THEN WE HAVE TO MOVE ON TO THINK ABOUT GENDER ISSUES, AND THE WHOLE ISSUE OF CRIMINALIZATION OF ADDICTION, A SICKNESS IF YOU WILL, THAT ANY ONE OF US MIGHT HAVE.

WE HAVE WATCHED SOME AMAZING NEWS AND PRESENTATIONS, MOSTLY FROM THE WEST (OR NORTH), LOOKING AT WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS. GREAT PRESENTATION FROM TONY FAUCI WHO BROKE DOWN THE WHOLE ISSUE OF VIRUS AND HOW IT SPREADS AND WHAT WE CAN AND ALREADY HAVE DONE TO PREVENT IT’S GETTING INTO THE BODY. EVEN I COULD UNDERSTAND MOST OF IT.

BUT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER EACH PIECE OF GOOD NEWS WAS SOME WELL PRESENTED, RESEARCHED AND PREPARED PRESENTATION OF HORRIBLE PROPORTIONS ABOUT LACK OF CARE, LACK OF ACCESS TO CARE OR MEDICATIONS, SUB-TREATMENT, AND MOST DIFFICULT, OF GENDER VIOLENCE.

WHEN I HEAR CRITICISMS OF “FOCUS ON AFRICA” OR EVEN WORSE, “FOCUS ON WOMEN”, I CRINGE WHEN I HEAR THESE PRESENTATIONS AND THESE STATISITCS REGARDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS. DO 10 YEAR OLD GIRLS REALLY CRAVE, WANT AND DESIRE TO HAVE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH 29 YEAR OLD MEN? MY HOUSEKEEPERS DAUGHTER IS 10, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SHE IS MOST INTERESTED IN PLAYING WITH BALLS, DOLLS, AND WHATEVER BOOKS I BRING TO MOSHI YEAR AFTER YEAR. WE TALK TO HER ABOUT THE DANGERS OF MEN, AND SHE IS FULLY AWARE AND TAKES BACK ROADS TO SCHOOL AS SHE WALKS EACH MORNING, IN ORDER TO AVOID THE FANCY CARS WHO ARE ALWAYS MOVING UP AND DOWN LEMA ROAD LOOKING AT THE PRETTY LITTLE GIRLS WHO WALK TO SCHOOL. SO, I REASONABLY SURE THAT THESE 10 YEAR OLD GIRLS ARE NOT INTERESTED IN BEGINNING THEIR SEXUAL ACTIVITY AT THIS TIME. THEY MIGHT WANT A SODA, A BRACELET, A DOLL, A PRETTY PAIR OF SHOES….BUT NOT WHAT COMES WITH SEX. AND DO WIVES REALLY WANT TO BE BEATEN? HOW CAN THAT BE? AND IF IN FACT MARRIAGE IS A RISK FACTOR FOR BECOMING HIV-INFECTED, WHATEVER WOULD CAUSE A WOMAN TO BE MARRIED. YET, ISN’T THAT WHAT MANY WOMEN STRIVE FOR? BECAUSE I HAVE A WONDERFUL, STABLE MARRIAGE WITH NO VIOLENCE, CAN I EXTRAPOLATE MY MARRIAGE TO ANYONE ELSES AND BELIEVE THAT THE WOMAN IS AT FAULT????

THE NEW MINISTER OF HEALTH IN SOUTH AFRICA HAS BEEN PRESENT ALL DAY EVERY DAY SPEAKING ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA’S DEDICATION TO UNIVERSAL ACCESS. WOW, WHAT A CHANGE. AND ERIC GOOSBY, OUR OWN PEPFAR DIRECTOR IS SO CLEARLY ON POINT. HE IS LIKE OBAMA. HE IS SO INTELLECTUAL, AND UNDERSTANDS THE ISSUES SO WELL, THAT, WELL, WE NEED TO JUST KEEP TALKING TO HIM. FOR ALL THE ACTIVISM IN MY HEART, I HEAR HIM AND BELIEVE HIM, AND I BELIEVE THAT OBAMA CARES AND BELIEVES. IN ONE VOICE HE TALKS ABOUT HILLARY, AND INDEED BILL CLINTON HAS BEEN HERE FOR THE LAST 3 DAYS TALKING UNTIL HE IS ONCE AGAIN CRACKING UNDER THE STRAIN. THEY ARE THINKING IN DIFFERENT WAYS. HOW CAN THE MONEY COME, AND HOW CAN IT COME MOST EASILY WITH THE NEW TEA PARTY LOVERS. PONDER.

OH DEAR. WHAT IS IT IN MY HEART THAT WRENCHES WHEN I HEAR THAT 33% OF CHILDREN IN A CLINIC IN UGANDA DIED WHILE THEY WAITED FOR ARV’S BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO OLD TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE UNIVERSAL TREATMENT PROGRAM. (< 1) I JUST CANNOT ACCEPT THAT THIS IS FAIR. I HAVE A GRADDAUGHTER WHO IS 15 MONTHS OLD. HOW COULD SHE BE DENIED MEDICATION BECAUSE SOMEHOW SHE WAS TOOOO OLD? NO.

BUT THEN THE NEWS OF THE DAY. HERE I WILL TRY TO ADD A U-TUBE. IT IS AMAZING. THE FIRST MICROBICIDE TRIAL IS LOOKING VERY PROMISING. NEARLY 50% OF THE PEOPLE WHO ENROLLED WERE PREVENTED FROM BECOMING HIV INFECTED. THESE WERE WOMEN IN KWA ZULU NATAL WHO ARE 51% HIV INFECTED BY THE TIME THAT THEY ARE 20! SO, IF WE CAN BEGIN TO PREVENT INFECTION THROUGH WOMEN’S CONTROL, A MICROBICIDE, WE HAVE ENTERED THE DREAMLAND THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS. LET US HOPE FOR THE BEST.

WITH THAT SAID, I HAVE BEEN MOVED BY BRAHMS’ IN THE CEMETARY, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO COSSI FAN TUTTI OUTDOORS.

WEEPING, LAUGHING CHEERING. HOPE. WOW.

A PS on the Wow...I have to cut my utube video of the great study. Check it out in the latest Science Magazine, or any thing on line about CAPRISA004. We saw the release on BBC last night. Amazing, and I will try to get some live footage by tomorrow.