My Nest

By Sellina Nkowani in Vienna,Austria As the world has converged in Vienna Austria, global leaders have called upon countries in Africa, Malawi in particular, to repeal its homosexual laws that criminalize homosexuality and laws that also criminalise prostitution. Malawi was one of the countries that have been asked to repeal their homosexual laws. On drug users especially drug injectors, the world leaders said countries in Africa and the rest of the world should stop spending money on the police chasing and arresting such people, but instead channel the money to treatment and care for them. This they said will help countries to respond positively to the fight against HIV and accomplish the Universal Access to HIV care, treatment and support. In her opening remarks on Sunday evening, President of the Austrian Aids Society and Aids 2010 Local Co-chair, Dr Brigitte Schmied sent a strong message to countries such as Malawi to respect the rights of such people. “Treatment, not persecution, ...

By Sellina Nkowani in Vienna, Austria Funding for HIV/Aids projects in Malawi largely depends on donor aid and the situation will remain like this for years to come, Zeke Emmanuel, Health Advisor in the Office of Management and Budget in the USA has said. This is also true for the National Budget which also carters for HIV/Aids response. Emmanuel added that at the moment there is nothing Malawi can do to avert the situation since it has no capacity to do so. “You just have to be efficient in what you do. Focus on what is working and stop wasting resources on what is failing. It is very important for HIV/Aids response to be result-based.” “One thing that governments are failing to do is to stop wasting resources on what is failing and direct them to what is working,” he said. Emmanuel made the remarks at the Reed Messen International Conference Centre in Vienna Austria, soon after Malawi representatives made their presentations on Global Perspectives and Insights—Elements of a country o...