Kondwani Munthali -Malawi

UNAIDS has revised the acronyms once again, so now people living with HIV are called PLHIV, and young people living with HIV are implicitly called YPLHIV.Old acronyms were PLWHA, PLWA, PLWH, PWH and YPLWH, YLWH, YLWHA............It doesn't really matter at all, but I kind of like PLHIV because you can actually guess what PLHIV might refer to when you see it. Also, "with" is apreposition, so it shouldn't be included in the acronym. =) In case you are interested, the attached document is actually quite good, and discusses some of the stigma that results from the terminology that hasbeen used in the past."PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIVAvoid the expression 'people living with HIV and AIDS' and the abbreviation PLWHA. With reference to those living with HIV, it is preferable to avoid certain terms: AIDS patient should only be used in amedical context (most of the time, a person with AIDS is not in the role of patient); the term AIDS victim or AIDS sufferer implies tha...

Am in Cape Town for the biggest Cancer meet on African continent. The focus is finding solutions to a growing problem of cancer, worsned by HIV and Aids especially Kaposis Sarcoma which has been on the rise since Aids came into play. On average according to Dr. Albrecht, not the famous Gates Global Health fellow, but of CANSA Research unit, at least one thousand South Africans a reported to have cancer everyday. He estimates that 3,000 could be a daily figure in the Southern Africa region. Most men would develop the Kaposis Sarcoma, while women Breast and Cervical cancer are the highest common cancers among them. The statistics are frightening. And projections are that Cancer is back and rising fast that by 2020 it would be a leading cause of mortality even surpassing Aids, TB and Malaria. I learnt during my year at Harvard to be a skeptic of statistics. This was during my principles of epidemiology class with Dr. Elizabeth Buring. I am quite still a skeptic. But my mind wondered if a...

I have arrived in Cape Town for a Cancer meeting. I immediately went around to make noise with some old freinds I have in this great city. Of course I posted my draft concept on a Health Network after observing that nobody was readidly available in Town to talk of Journalists and important they can be in delivering public health communication. As my thoughts run through this one, I immediately took my thoughts to one character that seems to be the god father of malawi politics. The Leader of Opposition John Zenus Ungapake Tembo. Despite his small stature there are alot of giants (in terms of height and body mass) who would simply want JZU as this Dedza man is fondly called by his admirers. He seems to have more people wishing him out than in. I leave the storis of his involvement in Malawi dark history moments to romour mongers. Dan Msowoya one time right hand man of Chakufwa Chihana gave me a quote which landed me in hot soup at the peak of Gwanda Chakuamba and JZU's politcal figh...

The African Healthcare Journalist Network –AHJN CONCEPT DOCUMENT Introduction African Health continues to defy medical successes that have been registered in some places around Globe. Both communicable and non-communicable diseases continue to threaten the gains made in other fields, especially the field of socio-economic development. Today, halfway through the implementation of the millennium goals, Africa remains a mixed bag of success and failure. Democracy has been rooted in many countries, while conflicts continue to prevail and threats of escalation being real in countries like Sudan, Somalia and Congo. Transfer of technologies in the medical field such as new combinations for Malaria, DOT for Tuberculosis and even roll out of Anti Retroviral Therapy for Aids patients while readily available in many African states the situation on the ground remains sketchy and many times the majority of rural people remain inaccessible. Information as has been recognised has helped to deliver so...

I have just reported for my duties. I have close to 200 stories to tell, and your guess is right, mainly focusing on health. I just witnessed a horrible accident at the corner of Kamuzu Central Hospital where an innocent woman might lose her right arm due to a careless truck driver. No one talsk about it. I wish I had more time to follow such a story. Then I have been visiting a place in Kanengo where the Small Holder Farmers Fertiliser Fund is disposing some rotten maize seed from last season and other seasons. Sadly, though Malawi can boast of a great surplus of 1.3 million tonnes and afford to sell some of its maize to Zimbabwe and donate to Lesotho and Swaziland, many Malawians still do not have adequate food. The people around the dumping area are getting the rotten maize and clean in for their next meal. Then I have been busy. Cancer is on the agenda of my President after loosing the First Lady. I am informed a research and treatment centre will be built very soon. I have visite...