 Economics and HIV
Kicking off the University of KwaZulu-Natal's World AIDS Day events for 2011, HEARD executive director Professor Alan Whiteside recently presented a public lecture to a full auditorium at Howard College Campus on the crucial subject of the economics of HIV.
HEARD’s Support in Responding to Government’s Call for Decisive Action Against HIV and AIDS The last quarter of the year has been an extremely engaging and fulfilling term for the USAID-HEARD project team, which was established in October 2010 to provide technical support to the national Department of Basic Education to develop the Department’s response to HIV and AIDS.
Pre-testing: An Innovative Livelihoods Strengthening Curriculum The new South African National Strategic Plan (2012-2016) includes a priority focus on urban informal settlements, recognising that these spaces are sites where gender inequalities, livelihood insecurities and lack of services intersect to drive the HIV epidemic, particularly amongst young people.
ERG to Advise on Sustainability of Global HIV and AIDS Response The 9th meeting of the UNAIDS/World Bank Economics Reference Group (ERG) convened in Washington DC on 29 and 30 November 2011.
Breaking the Negative Cycle Al Jazeera online recently published an in-depth opinion piece entitled Southern African: Breaking the negative cycle, co-authored by Dr Scott Drimie (HEARD Research Associate) and Marisa Casale (HEARD Researcher).
 The increasing chronicity of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: Re-thinking "HIV as a long-wave event" in the era of widespread access to ART.
More than just talk: the framing of transactional sex and its implications for vulnerability to HIV inLesotho, Madagascar and South Africa View More Publications   |
Newsletter Issue 10
December 2011 Message from HEARD's Director
The end of the year is always a time for reflection. We look back, wonder where the time went, and what we achieved. There can be no doubt that 2011 was a successful year for HEARD. In academic terms the number of publications has risen significantly and most are accessible on our website. We have seen our staff grow in ability, skill and confidence. We retain an excellent reputation both in the region and internationally. As we end the year, the major emphasis has been on planning the new projects which will be carried out in 2012. These are exciting and the fieldwork is either underway or about to begin. HEARD seeks to do applied research and that means, in addition to academic peer-reviewed publications, we want to produce policy documents that will make a real difference in the lives of people. There are some milestones that need to be marked. The formal part of our project on education with USAID and the South African National Department of Basic Education comes to an end. This means that we will be closing the Johannesburg office and I should like to take the opportunity to say thank you to the staff who were based there and who worked so hard to make the project a success; Managa Pillay, Dipuo Mde, Sinikiwe Sithole and Wilondja Muzumbukilwa.. The work is not finished. The products need to be taken out and used. We have a great deal of information that will be written up. We are looking at ways, in which we can continue our relationships especially with USAID, that donor has been one of the longest term supporters of HEARD. Indeed I worked with them on some innovative AIDS interventions even before HEARD was established. This year also marks the end of HEARD running the Economic Reference Group (ERG).Twice a year a group of eminent economists has gathered to ponder issues of importance on the economics of AIDS for these two organisations. The meetings have had their challenges, but we believe they have been important and influential and have helped shaped the agenda and inform policy. In 2011 the concepts around Getting Research into Policy and Practice (GRIPP) have also come to the fore and we have put together a research dissemination plan. It is not enough to do good scientific work; the information needs to get out. Most of our outputs can be seen on our website www.heard.org.za and I should like to end this short article for our newsletter by paying tribute to the communications team at HEARD who have revamped and revitalised this part of our work. With the conferences coming up I hope that many readers will have or have had an opportunity to interact with HEARD staff around the world. Alan Whiteside If you are having problems viewing this email, View it online Share: |
