Comments for haba na haba

Comment on estimating HIV prevalence by brilliantafrica

brilliantafrica — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:52:40 +0000

hi
There are some data which use the same methodology consistently over time which reliably (I think so anyway) show a decline (with occasional blips) over time. Check out work by the MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Programme on AIDS and their cohort in southwest Uganda. They ahve been testing annually since 1990 or so. If memory serves, the rates had been declining until about two years ago when there was a blip upwards. (Many of us blamed the Bush-inspired “abstinence only” emphasis of Ugandan AIDS prevention at the time).
Here is the reference: http://journals.lww.com/aidsonline/Fulltext/2008/08200/HIV_prevalence_and_incidence_are_no_longer_falling.15.aspx

This article reports on data up to 2005. Look for articles by Leigh Ann Shafer on the experience of this cohort.

Comment on estimating HIV prevalence by dakublog » Blog Archive » HIV Prevalence Estimates & Decemburns

dakublog » Blog Archive » HIV Prevalence Estimates & Decemburns — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:15:27 +0000

[...] over measurement, and especially over the ability to compare data over time. (Read Kim’s post here). The data is … questionable. But I guess my point is that all UN data is problematic, and [...]

Comment on is DC really West Africa? by world aids day: another commercialized holiday? « haba na haba

world aids day: another commercialized holiday? « haba na haba — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 04:53:58 +0000

[...] The 2012 International AIDS Conference will be held in Washington DC (a place that has high enough HIV prevalence that some liken it to West Africa). [...]

Comment on estimating HIV prevalence by Michael Bishop

Michael Bishop — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:31:44 +0000

These are good points. One thing we could do is pay people to be tested. That should reduce refusal rates… at the very least, refusal rates should be published and we should have survey data on refusers as well as non-refusers.

Comment on estimating HIV prevalence by how best are best practices? « Permutations

how best are best practices? « Permutations — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:07:25 +0000

[...] the declines may be in part reflecting those refusals more than an actual drop in prevalence (see dadakim for more on this [...]

Comment on seeing africa differently by You need to read these…. « Brilliant Africa

You need to read these…. « Brilliant Africa — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:30:11 +0000

[...] http://habanahaba.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/seeing-africa-differently/ [...]

Comment on MSF loses a supporter by dadakim

dadakim — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:40:46 +0000

thanks, brilliantafrica. i've added you to my RSS feed. welcome to the world of blogging! p.s. you might want to check out an earlier post where I talk about "Seeing Africa Differently."

Comment on MSF loses a supporter by brilliantafrica

brilliantafrica — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:56:40 +0000

Hi
I think the MSF video fails on a number of counts – mainly that it’s not clear what you’re looking at or hearing. At first I didn’t know what I was watching – Is it a rape in a barracks? a delivery in a health center? a FGM being carried out?? Sorry for the MSF UK folks, I don’t think it will work any better there than it did for me.

Haba na haba, I share your concern about the negative portrayal of Africa and Africans and have started a blog called “Brilliant Africa” to highlight some of the good things and ideas coming from Africa and also some ideas which might be interesting to people in Africa who might be reading. Check it out at brilliant Africa (on wordpress.com).

Comment on MSF loses a supporter by dadakim

dadakim — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:30:02 +0000

Pete -

Thanks for sharing those links, I hadn’t seen them. I also loved the t-shirt video that you didn’t link (but I think you also had a “hand” in):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEMhrZZqhmQ

Though “Girl” and “Boy” are only pieces to a greater whole, I think you can admit that they are meant to capture attention. Sure, Toyota makes a whole line of cars, and the Prius isn’t even the biggest seller — but it does catch our attention and try to tell us that Toyota is committed to reducing reliance on fossil fuels. So, as much as “Girl” and “Boy” are not the only adverts MSF has made or released, the fact that MSF has chosen to make/distribute these adverts, and the fact that I find they play to a misrepresentation about Africa (already largely perceived as a place of mostly poverty, suffering, and safaris), I just can’t encourage friends to support their work.

It’s not to say they don’t do good work (or that you don’t do good work — did I say I loved the T-shirt advert already?), just that I can’t support them.

Comment on MSF loses a supporter by Pete Masters

Pete Masters — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:18:09 +0000

Sorry, someone else was logged into my computer, which is why the profile name is strange. just in case you thought it was a fake…

Pete