[afro-nets] Universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care

[Luca Dussin <dussin.l@healthlink.org.uk>]

Communication for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment
and care
---------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Friends,

Securing universal access raises many communication challenges
as HIV and AIDS touch on all aspects of life. Healthlink
Worldwide, Panos and Source would like to alert you to new
resources that show how effective communication is essential to
realising universal access.

Communication approaches to securing universal access range from
supporting HIV-affected communities to mobilise for social
change to increasing people's literacy about treatment. Central
to the most effective communication approaches is "voice and
dialogue", ensuring that the people most affected by HIV and
AIDS understand the issues that confront them, can talk about
them publicly and privately, and can work with others to bring
about the changes needed to overcome HIV-related challenges.

The following publications give a timely insight into what
communication is working - and what isn't working - to take us
towards universal access.

Treatment literacy: empowering communities to access AIDS
treatment
Alison Dunn, Healthlink Worldwide

This findings paper focuses on the role of communication in
ensuring that people, individually and in communities,
understand what anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is, why it is
needed and what it can and cannot do. The paper, which draws on
research from across the world, explores the issues of access,
uptake and adherence of ARTs. It urges that learning from
community responses is recognised as important for maximising
access to and impact of treatment.
http://www.healthlink.org.uk/PDFs/arv.pdf


Key list: ARVs and Treatment literacy
Source International Information support centre

The key papers, publications, websites and organisations in this
list demonstrate the need for treatment literacy, effective
communication and preparing communities around ARVs. They
include examples of work already underway to strengthen
responses to the situation that ARVs present.
http://www.ids.ac.uk/sourcesearch/cf/keylists/keylist2.cfm?topic=hiv&sea 
rch=QL_arv06AD


Breaking barriers: Effective communication for universal access
to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010

Dr Robin Vincent, Panos London AIDS Programme

This policy overview outlines the communication challenges to
realising universal access and gives recommendations on what
needs to be done for international efforts to succeed. Advocacy
and social mobilisation are identified as keys to tackle social
barriers such as poverty, gender inequity, stigma and inadequate
health systems. It states that communication for universal
access needs to build on existing processes at all levels and to
engage civil society and people living with HIV and AIDS.
http://www.panos.org.uk/PDF/reports/breakingbarriers.pdf

For more resources on this and related topics please visit
Source website at http://www.asksource.info

Best wishes,

Luca Dussin
Information Officer
Healthlink Worldwide
56-64 Leonard St. London EC2A 4JX, UK
Tel: +44-20-7549-0257
Fax: +44-20-7549-0241
mailto:dussin.l@healthlink.org.uk