Why U.S President Obama must not reduce resources to Africa from the war on AIDS. By HE Festus Mogae

Africa is at a crossroads with AIDS-we can finish the job and win this fight with US support. But if US leadership wanes at this critical moment, we will see progress erode, an increase in preventable deaths and a return to the social and economic devastation of past decades.
But there remains a large gap between the president’s vision, and his administration’s budget. The president’s budget actually proposed cutting America’s contribution to the Global Fund by $50 million next year at the very time when the Global Fund needs to double its resources to truly reverse the AIDS, TB and malaria epidemics.

CIRCUMCISION: African men line up in battle against HIV infections

“With global resources spread thin, we must focus on expanding proven and cost-effective methods like male circumcision to prevent HIV transmission,” Krishna Jafa, an HIV expert at health aid group Population Services International (PSI), said at an AIDS conference in Vienna.

Condom with ‘teeth’ to ward off rapists launched in South Africa

The condom ‘latches itself to the skin of the attacker, causing immense discomfort, allowing the victim to escape’ claims the official website for the product. ‘The attacker is “branded” a rapist! Since the attacker will need medical assistance, there is no escaping arrest since medical staff will alert the authorities.’ The device is the brain-child [...]

Mammogram and Breast Cancer test controversy: Liberian-American women on USAfricaPoll

Allyson Brown Sirleaf, daughter-in-law of Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, lent her voice to the discussion despite being miles away in Liberia. The panel’s findings resonated far beyond these American shores. Allyson shared with USAfricaonline.com that she has “cystic breasts, therefore, mammograms are never clear the first time.” She believes “mammograms are important for every woman. They assure that your breasts are clear of cancer symptoms

AIDS: S. Africa’s prez Zuma vows ‘onslaught’; activists support

“We need to do more, and we need to do better, together. We need to move with urgency and purpose to confront this enormous challenge,” he said.

Democrats who voted against public OPTION got $19 million from healthcare firms, lobbyists

Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) alone accounts for nearly $8 million of the total. In addition, five of his former staff members — including two former chiefs of staff — are now lobbyists representing organizations with a strong interest in the health care bill.

Joan Walsh of Salon took Baucus to task for his vote, writing, “So let’s get this straight: Baucus admits the public option would ‘hold insurance companies’ feet to the fire,’ but he voted against it? Is there any clearer evidence that Baucus is in the pocket of the health insurance industry?”