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Sex Workers In Pakistan Give Recommendations On HIV Prevention To Health Officials
Although the recorded HIV prevalence in Pakistan is relatively low, health officials are concerned that a concentrated epidemic of the virus among injection drug users could carry over to commercial sex workers and other high risk groups in the country, IRIN/PlusNews reports. To address the issue, the National AIDS Control Program and the United Nations Population Fund recently held a meeting, called the National Consultation on HIV and Sex Work, in an effort to improve HIV prevention efforts targeted at sex workers by consulting with workers in the field.Sex workers at the meeting made various recommendations, including HIV testing, referrals and increased efforts to decrease stigma. The Ministry of Health reports that from 2006 to 2007, female sex workers were at a high risk of HIV in 12 cities across Pakistan. A survey of 4,639 female sex workers found that less than 25% reported condom use; 10% had a partner that had used injection drugs during the past six months; and that illiterate sex workers were less likely to use condoms than those with a higher level of education. A female sex worker at the meeting said, "It is very hard for us to convince [partners] to put on a condom, but I feel that a female condom would put us in a position where we can protect ourselves against HIV and sexually transmitted infections." She added that female condoms are not widely available. Legalizing sex work would make it easier for sex workers to protect their rights, another female sex worker at the conference said. She added that often, outreach workers face barriers from police forces. Daniel Baker, UNFPA"s country representative for Pakistan, said that sex workers should have greater involvement in creating and implementing HIV programs. He added, "The female sex workers have to be in there as managers, workers and leaders to benefit in the long run." Safdar Kamal Pasha with UNFPA agreed that the recommendations from sex workers are critical points to address in future programming. "The female sex workers agreed that there should be vocational training and the means for alternative work opportunities for those who want to move out of sex work, as well as those who are past their prime and do not find sustainability in sex work," Pasha said (IRIN/PlusNews, 5/14).
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HIV Awareness, Testing Efforts In Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky Target Black Community, Others
Religious leaders, health care workers, community organizations and government agencies in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky have begun a number of HIV and sexual health awareness efforts that encourage members of the black community, and others, to get tested, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. To increase the number of people being tested, the Northern Kentucky Health Department is providing HIV testing in people"s homes and the Cincinnati Health Department, along with other organizations, is conducting HIV testing in bars and clubs. Cincinnati also is a pilot site for the Black AIDS Institute"s "Test One Million" campaign. Separately, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections is nearing the end of a two-year pilot program in one prison that is testing inmates for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections upon their release. Other efforts in the states include condom distribution and HIV education (O"Farrell, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6/5).
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A Selection Of Recent Studies And Surveys
National Cancer Institute: Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Mortality Are Not Driven by Estrogen Receptor Status Alone -- "Black women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher probability of dying from the disease than white women, regardless of their estrogen receptor status," a study published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds, according to a NCI description of the document. By comparing the breast cancer rates for black and white women using data from the NCI"s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Result (SEER) program, researchers found that the "differences in breast cancer mortality may reflect racial differences in access and response to innovative breast cancer treatments, as well as other biological and non-biological factors" and "differences in outcomes in the first few years post-diagnosis make up nearly all of the disparity" (7/7).
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Also In Global Health News: Gaming For HIV Prevention; Sex Education In China; Concern Worldwide Receives Maternal, Child Health Grant

Video Game Teaches Kenyan Teens HIV Prevention PlusNews/IRIN examines a multi-player PC video game that teaches Kenyan teens how to avoid becoming infected with HIV. "Pamoja Mtaani" -- Swahili for "Together in the Hood" -- hones in "on five key behaviours that can reduce HIV infections among youth: delaying the onset of sexual activity, abstinence, avoiding multiple sex partners, correct and consistent condom use, and uptake of voluntary counselling and testing services," the news service writes. It was developed by Warner Bros. Entertainment in partnership with PEPFAR, according to PlusNews/IRIN (7/30). Health Officials In China Worry Abortion Statistics Reflect Gaps In Sex Education According to statistics recently released by Chinese health officials, "more than 13 million abortions are performed each year in China, far more than any other country in the world," the New York Times reports (McDonald, 7/30). Officials attribute the country"s high abortion rate to a lack of sex education and an increase in the number of sexually active young people, Reuters/Washington Post reports (7/30). "A survey done by 411 Hospital of PLA (People"s Liberation Army) in Shanghai, for example, found that less than 30 percent of callers to a hotline knew how to avoid pregnancy, and only 17 percent were aware of venereal diseases. More than 70 percent said they did not know sexual transmission is the major contributor to the spread of HIV/AIDS," China Daily reports (Juan and Yanfeng, 7/30). Gates Foundation Gives $41M To Concern Worldwide U.S. To Overcome Barriers To Maternal, Child Health The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded $41 million to Concern Worldwide U.S. for an "initiative to identify new ways of improving essential healthcare in Africa and South Asia," the U.K. Press Association reports. The organization will also "field-test bold and inventive ways to overcome barriers to delivering proven maternal, newborn and child health solutions in six countries" (7/28). According to Irish Independent, Tom Arnold, CEO of Concern Worldwide U.S., said, "We expect some more experimental stuff to come up. There will be a degree of prudent risk-taking but we believe there are projects that need to be tried out" (Bray, 7/29). The initiative will launch in Malawi, India, and Sierra Leone (Concern Worldwide U.S. release, 7/28). This information was reprinted from globalhealth.kff.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at globalhealth.kff.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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