The Role of ICT in Halting and Preventing the Spread of HIV/AIDS
By Laura Wilder
Recent development discourse has recognised the need to both contain and control the spread of HIV/AIDS across many poverty
stricken countries. In 2000, as part of the developed world’s initiative to eradicate poverty the UN outlined eight different goals that
needed to be met in order for poorer countries to develop, they were named the ‘millennium development goals’1. The sixth goal
was concerned with ‘Combating HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases’. Although Malaria and other diseases arguably receive a lot
less attention from scholars than the HIV/AIDS epidemic does it is arguable justifiable considering that nearly 40 million people in the
world suffer from HIV/AIDS and the annual infection rate for 2004 was nearly 5 million 2. The following articles from a range of
different sources are all related to the role ICT has or may have in helping fulfil to the Millennium development goal of halting and
beginning to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS. ICT is helping disseminate information more rapidly across marginalized areas of the
world through the mediums of radio, television and the World Wide Web. Although marginalized peoples are now able to access a
large number of sources providing accurate information regarding the disease they are equally now able to access a number of out
of date or incorrect information as well. This means that the use of ICT to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS is a contentious issue. I
have recognised five main aspects/themes where ICT is used to try and fulfil the goal of halting and beginning to reverse the spread
of HIV/AIDS, these are: prevention, education, treatment, information and gender.
Prevention
Many of the articles found focused on this aspect of HIV/AIDS, this is probably due to the fact that HIV/AIDS cannot be cured and is
fatal, and therefore it is of particular importance that the spread of the disease is combated by preventing people from catching the
disease in the first place. The following articles outline various ICT initiatives throughout the developing world with the aim of
preventing people from catching HIV/AIDS.
1
2
UN (2000), ‘UN Millennium Development Goals’, http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ (accessed 02.12.05)
UNAIDS and WHO (2004), ‘Global Summary of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic’, UNAIDS AND WHO
Reference
Medium Used3
Annotation
BBC (2005), ‘Caribbean HIV/AIDS radio
Radio
This article discusses how the BBC World Trust along with the
spots’,
Kaiser network and Viacom have produced HIV/AIDS radio
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/trust/deve
programmes to promote responsible sexual behaviour.
lopmentcommunications/story/2005/08/print
programmes, broadcasted via the BBC World Service and the
able/050822_caribbeanaidsspots.shtml, 22nd
intention is to lower the HIV/AIDS infection rate amongst the young,
August (accessed 02.12.05)
who are most sexually active. This collaboration is the first time 2
The
different media organisations and a health foundation has joined
together to fight the disease. The programmes would perhaps be
more useful to a greater variety of people if they were available in a
variety of languages.
BBC (n.d.), ‘Angola: HIV and AIDS
Radio
This article describes how the BBC’s world service program has
Radiospots’,
conducted a series of focus groups on Angolan youth to find out
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/trust/deve
whether or not radio programs can help to reduce the stigma
lopmentcommunications/story/2005/11/0511
surrounding HIVAIDS. The focus groups have allowed the world
29_angola-radiospots.shtml (accessed
service to produce 16 different programs that run practically nation
02.12.05)
wide to reduce the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. The programs
have also collaborated with Angolan celebrities such as footballers,
who have spoken on the programs to hopefully make the programs
more appealing to listen to. In order to prevent the marginalisation
of certain groups within Angola the programs are to be
broadcasted across the whole of Angola and translated into local
languages.
Benotsch, E. G., Kalichman, S. and
3
E.g. Internet, Radio, TV, CD-Rom
Internet
As briefly mentioned in the introduction of this bibliography
Weinhardt, L. S. (2004), ‘HIV-AIDS Patients’
HIV/AIDS patients are able to access a wealth of knowledge via
Evaluation of Health Information on the
the internet. Whilst enabling patient’s access to a wider range of
Internet: The Digital Divide and Vulnerability
information the internet also opens sufferers up to the possibility of
to Fraudulent Claims’, Journal of Consulting
obtaining mis-information, this study sort to assess the information
and Clinical Psychology, 72, pp. 1002 –
available on the internet regarding HIV/AIDS.
1011
revealed that those who are less literate are more susceptible to
The results also
not recognising incorrect information. It also revealed that those
socially and economically disadvantaged are also more likely to not
be able to access the information of any description due to the socalled ‘digital divide’.
Bessinger, R., Katende, C. and Gupta, N.
Multi-media
This study, conducted in Uganda, used information from the 1997
(2004), ‘Multi-media campaign exposure
and 1999 Delivery of Improved Services for Health (DISH) to
effects on knowledge and use of condoms
examine whether or not HIV/AIDS prevention was being aided by
for STI and HIV/AIDS prevention in Uganda’,
the introduction of behaviour change communication (BCC)
Evaluation and Program Planning, 27 (4),
campaigns. It found that multi-media may be the most successful
pp. 397 – 407
way of improving people’s sexual health knowledge especially in
regards to the use of condoms as a way of preventing the spread
of HIV/AIDS.
Jones, C. (1996), ‘AIDS in an Historical
Radio
This website documents a two-part radio program that discusses
Perspective’,
the historical perspective of AIDS in relation to Syphilis.
http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/features/Aids/index.
discusses how people’s responses to AIDS have been similar how
html (last accessed 21.11.05)
they reacted to the Syphilis outbreak in the 1600’s. The purpose of
It
the programs was to try and find out what approaches work best
when dealing with the public’s perceptions of disease, especially
ones that are classified as venereal diseases. This should then
enable more appropriate responses to HIV/AIDS to be established.
Montazeri, A. (2005), ‘AIDS knowledge and
TV and radio
The results of this survey carried out in Iran, revealed that the
attitudes in Iran: results from a population
majority of people had positive attitudes towards those with
based survey in Tehran’, Patient Education
HIV/AIDS. It also revealed that the most influential body informing
and Counselling, 57, pp.199 – 203
these opinions were different mass medias including TV and radio.
However it is likely that the results of this study were biased as the
majority of those interviewed were married and educated perhaps
neglecting to reflect the attitudes of those who did not fit into these
categories.
The method used to conduct this research; short
questionnaires may also not have been the most appropriate one,
as finding out the true attitudes of people is not very easy to do in a
short space of time.
UNAIDS (2005), ‘Intensifying HIV
ICTs in general
This article gives a general overview of various initiatives that have
Prevention’, UNAIDS Policy Position Paper,
been introduced as part of a program of ‘Intensifying HIV
UNAIDS, Geneva
Prevention’.
It mentions that as AIDS is a disease of the
‘information age’ its tools should be used to fight the epidemic. It
argues that the key forces of spread are ‘denial, inaction,
ignorance, stigma and discrimination’ but that all of them can be
overcome with the introduction of communication technologies and
utilising all forms of media. It argues that the key to success of ICT
projects lies with the ability of projects to be informed by
government policy and be respectful towards the different cultures
that the disease is occurring in.
UNESCO (2004), ‘Latin American Students
Internet
Discusses how 20 Argentina schools will participate in a range of
to be trained in Producing HIV/AIDS
workshops as part of a ‘Youth Communication and HIV/AIDS
Prevention Messages’
Prevention’ project. Part of a larger young media space program
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-
that will allow the project to use its website too allow it to have
URL_ID=17328&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&UR
regional dialogue. Will be available to all schools and crucially
L_SECTION=201.html (accessed 07.11.05)
unlike many websites that contain knowledge for people the site
will be translated (or translatable) to Portuguese as opposed to
English, which most web pages are available in.
The projects
merits include being youth friendly, which should have lasting
effects for the HIV/AIDS epidemic for years to come.
UNESCO (2004), ‘Workshop on AIDS
CD-Rom
This article discusses the impact that the first INFOYOUTH event in
Prevention in Bamako’
Mali’s capital Bamoko has had and talks about the relative merits of
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-
a CD-ROM that has been produced in conjunction with the event.
URL_ID=16489&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&UR
Its purpose is to educate people about how to prevent them
L_SECTION=201.html (accessed 07.11.05)
catching HIV/AIDS. The project has the aim of meeting the most
marginalized of people like people in remote rural areas.
The
target audience for the project is young people in order for the CDROM to hopefully have as big an impact as possible on the future
generations as possible.
UNESCO (2005), ‘UNESCO’s Response to
Tele-
UNESCO’s main focus is on preventing people from catching
HIV and AIDS’ at
communications
HIV/AIDS. The organisation does this using many diverse activities
http://unescodoc.unesco.org/images/0014/0
(ICTs
01414 (last visited 25.10.05)
general)
in to encourage the development of ICT in response to the HIV/AIDS
epidemic. One such initiative is a scheme aimed young people to
help educate them on AIDS related issues using communication
technologies, which promote awareness and understanding of
AIDS related issues. It also plays an important role in education
training teachers how to effectively teach through distance
learning. Secondly the article outlines projects UNESCO runs to
help media professionals portray the epidemic more accurately by
sensitising the problem of HIV/AIDS.
UNESCO (2005), ‘Communication,
Internet
UNESCO provides funding for a variety of ICT related HIV/AIDS
Information and HIV/AIDS’,
projects.
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-
communication to help eradicate HIV/AIDS is split into prevention
URL_ID=17515&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&UR
and treatment of the disease.
L_SECTION=201.html (accessed 12.11.05)
catching HIV/AIDS UNESCO run a number of aggressive and
The organizations approach to information and
In order to prevent people from
awareness campaigns and in terms of treatment of the disease.
UNESCO has undertaken a number of projects to train media
professionals in how to report HIV/AIDS more accurately and
effectively.
This particular article provides links to various case
studies, a review of each can be found in the rest of this table.
UNESCO (2005), ‘HIV/AIDS Media Training
Radio
Reviews a new initiative in Cameroon to train the media and others
Starts in Cameroon’
about the science behind the HIV/AIDS epidemic using ICT. The
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-
review looks at how community radio practitioners can be trained to
URL_ID=19425&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&UR
use their radio slots to convey messages of awareness.
L_SECTION=201.html (accessed 07.11.05)
discusses the usual problems organizations have in trying to set up
It
HIV/AIDS programs such as lack of finance and stigma attached to
those with the disease then goes on to discuss how this project is
overcoming them by using radio as a more appropriate ICT
medium than the Internet. It discusses that unlike other projects
that use ICT for this purpose, it has had relative successes at
reaching those in rural communities due to it using the medium of
radio.
UNESCO (2005), ‘Young TV producers
Television
Reviews the work of 11 young documentary filmmakers from 8
network in Asia on HIV/AIDS’
different Asian countries on a film for VCCT (Voluntary Confidential
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-
Counselling and Testing) who met up for a workshop in New Delhi
URL_ID=19775&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&UR
for training.
Collaborations between UNESCO and AIBD (Asia-
L_SECTION=201.html (accessed 07.11.05)
Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development) to enable quality
TV programming on HIV/AIDS in the region. The films were to be
put onto DVD format for wider publication.
USAID,
GIS technology Outlines how ICT is the key to fighting HIV/AIDS through various
hhtp://www.usaid.gov/our_work/economic_g
and radio
different channels. The article claims that the spread of HIV/AIDS
rowth_and_trade/info_technology/approach/
can be combated using GIS technology to track and map the
hivaids.html (last visited 25.10.05)
extent of the disease so that resources can be focused in most
needed areas or areas that are potentially under threat. The article
concentrates on measures that prevent people from catching
HIV/AIDS using both the latest media technologies such as GIS
surveillance as well as older more accessible technologies. The
article uses the case study of a Malian radio station that has been
successful in spreading preventative measures on HIV/AIDS.
Ward, D. (2001), ‘New Themes out of
Video-
This article discusses how Jeremy Atkinson, a deputy head teacher
Africa’, Guardian, 11th September, accessed
conferencing
from a Manchester school, thought of the idea of introducing a
from
video conferencing link between South African and British schools
http://education.guardian.co.uk/specialreport
after visiting the country. It was hoped that the setting up of this
s/btfuturetalk/story/0,,549729,00.html
ICT technology would allow pupils from the schools to have
interactive PSHE lessons where they could compare their lives and
discuss various PSHE topics. Two schools decided to focus their
discussion of the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Jeremy Atkinson
also helped to facilitate improvements in the provision of ICT
equipment to some schools in the Pretoria region of South Africa
through funding from the BT schools award package.
World Bank (2002), ‘Fighting HIV/AIDS
Tele-
This brief article discusses how the World Bank has implemented a
through Strategic Communications’,
communications
program aimed at reducing the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS and
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTDEV
preventing the spread of the disease.
The project involved 5
COMMENG/Resources/dlcoursehivaids.pdf
African countries; Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia
(accessed 04.12.05)
participating in the distance learning course through the Global
Distance Learning Network. Its aim was to help NGO’s and health
ministries operating in the countries by providing effective, strategic
communication programs such as public service messaging
broadcasts via radio and the television.
Education
One of the key themes that emerge when discussing how to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS is education. The disease has had a
profound effect on the education systems of many developing countries with huge numbers of teachers being HIV positive in many
countries where the disease is rife. Educating people how to have safe sex, as well as providing them with other information
regarding the disease is one way in which the spread of the disease can be reduced.
Reference
Medium Used4
Annotation
BBC (n.d.),
Multi-media
This article discusses how Digital Dimension, a tri-media project
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specials/1
run in Bangladesh is using ICTs to combat the all of the UN’s
112_mdg/page9.shtml (accessed 02.12.05)
Millennium development goals1. It argues that everyone has the
right to access information and that if the goals are to be met then
the dissemination of that information must be done effectively.
DeGuzman, M. A, and Ross, M. W. (1999),
Internet
Although this study was carried out in the developed US state of
‘Assessing the application of HIV and AIDS
Texas, it does reveal some interesting results from its study
related education and counselling on the
regarding the use of the internet for counselling HIV/AIDS
Internet’, Patient and Education Counselling,
sufferers.
36, pp. 209 – 228
initiatives in developing world this study found that those most of
4
1
As is the case with most education and counselling
E.g. Internet, Radio, TV, CD-Rom
UN (2000), ‘UN Millennium Development Goals’, http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ (accessed 02.12.05)
need of the services had the most problems accessing the internet
and therefore the services. The overall results of the study did
however suggest that counselling HIV/AIDS sufferers via the
internet was worthy of additional development.
Dube, L. (2005), ‘Insights into the Diffusion
ICTs in general
This
article
explores
how
information
about
HIV/AIDS
is
of HIV/AIDS Information in Higher Education
disseminated amongst higher education institutions in South Africa.
Institutions in South Africa’, The
The use of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to find
International Information and Library
out this information ensured that the study was carried out
Review, pp. 315 – 327
accurately and thoroughly. The article also offered an interesting
insight into the many difficulties associated with the diffusion of
HIV/AIDS information, which includes the stigma surrounding the
disease and the lack of resources available to implement
information dissemination programmes.
It also highlights how
higher education institutes could pool together resources if they
became networked and learned to communicate more effectively.
E-learning (n.d.), ‘1st Annual Conference on
ICTs in general
This article explores how the concept of e-learning can help reduce
ICT for Development, Education and
the problem of a skills shortage in the health profession in Africa. It
Training’, www.elearning-
discusses how the HIV/AIDS epidemic has caused their to be a
africa.com/pdf/brochure/eLABrochure.pdf
skills shortage due to many doctors and nurses falling susceptible
(last visited 01.11.05)
to the disease and also how many nurses physically unaffected by
the disease have not been trained in how to treat the disease. It
highlights how cultural problems of disseminating information about
the disease are failing to reach both victims of the disease and
health care professionals who treat people with the disease. More
specifically it suggests ways that the concept of e-learning can
distribute
quality
HIV/AIDS
information
and
provide
ARV
information to a wide range of people at relatively low cost.
UNAIDS (2000), ‘Innovative Approaches to
Telephone-
This article outlines the results of two case studies from Egypt and
HIV Prevention: Selected Case Studies’,
communications
South Africa that introduce telephone hotlines as a measure to
UNAIDS, UNAIDS Best Practice Collection
educate and counsel people in HIV/AIDS. Although both boasted
successes in introducing marginalized communities in a nonconfrontational manner to counselling and education about AIDS,
due to the different socio-economic climates in the two different
countries, the success of the projects was more significant in Egypt
than in South Africa. The huge extent of AIDS in South Africa
meant that government-funding cut its budget to the project by 90%
to concentrate on heterosexual prevention of HIV/AIDS as the
phone line was set up to help homosexual sufferers of HIV/AIDS.
In Egypt the project was successful and even allowed valuable
demographic data to be compiled to help the government assess
trends in the spread of the disease.
Unwin, T. (2004), ‘Towards a Framework for
ICTs in general
This article examines the role of ICT in teacher training and
the use of ICT in Teacher Training in Africa’,
education. The article is of relevance to HIV/AIDS since a report
Royal Holloway, University of London at
published in 2001 by the British Department for International
http://www.gg.rhul.ac.uk/ict4d/ict%20tt%20af
Development (DFID) reported that in Zambia there are more
rica.pdf
people dying of AIDS/HIV than there are people being trained to be
teachers.
The report also made recommendations for every
learning institute to become health literate especially in terms of
combating HIV/AIDS.
Treatment
Anti-retroviral (ARV’s) drugs are used to treat the symptoms of HIV/AIDS. They do not cure people from the disease they simply
make life more comfortable for the sufferers and most of the time prolong their life. It is therefore important that everyone across the
world has access to these drugs, the following articles examines how various laws introduced to stimulate the research and
development side of producing ARV’s are affecting access to the drugs by poor people.
Reference
Medium Used5
Annotation
Adams, R. (1994), ‘A New Online AIDS
Database
Adams discusses the relative merits of the US Patent and
Database’, Newsweek, November 14th
technology
Trademarks Office introduction of a new online database for
diagnostic and drug patent information.
The database was
provided free for anyone wanting to access information about a
drug’s patent status making the job of checking for patents easier.
This helps those who are researching into new medicines and
helps them know what drugs are already patented so that two
different companies do not develop the same drugs.
Austin, J., Benotsch, E. G., Cherry, C.,
Internet
As there is no cure for HIV/AIDS one method of treating the
Kalichman, S. C., Luke, W. and Weinhardt,
disease is through counselling and social support. This collective
L. (2003), ‘Health Related Internet Use,
examined the way in which the internet is providing this for people
Coping, Social Support and Health
suffering from the disease. The results of the study found that
Indicators in People Living with HIV/AIDS:
using the internet to source information about their disease, had
Preliminary Results from a Clinical Survey’,
health benefits for people living with HIV/AIDS. It does however
Health Psychology, 22, pp. 111 – 116
fails to mention in enough detail the many pitfalls that the internet
has in providing information for people apart from the notion of the
digital divide. It discusses how this must be addressed in order for
the internet to be a viable and uniform source of information for all
5
E.g. Internet, Radio, TV, CD-Rom
HIV/AIDS sufferers.
Avert (2005), ‘Providing drug treatment for
ICTs in general
This article discusses how the TRIPS initiative is being overcome
millions’,
after lobbying from organisations to allow poverty stricken countries
http://www.avert.org/drugtreatment.htm
access to ARV’s at lower prices or access to generic versions of
(accessed 07.11.05)
the drugs. The TRIPS initiative was introduced by the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) to protect companies producing the drugs
from having their medicines copied. It was meant as an incentive
for further research and development into drugs including ARV’s
that are used to treat some of the symptoms of HIV. It talks about
the introduction in the reforms on the policy in August 2003, which
allowed some of the world’s poorest countries to import ARV’s
cheaply. Although the articles argument is that in reality this is very
difficult for poor countries to implement.
Gómez, E. J., Cáceres, C., López, D. and
Internet
One way in which HIV/AIDS and other health issues can be treated
Del Pozo, F. (2002), ‘A Web-based Self-
is through telemedicine; this web-based self-monitoring programme
Monitoring System for People Living with
is a form of this.
HIV/AIDS’, Computer Methods and
relative merits of the system at its pilot stage.
Programmes in Biomedicine, 69, pp. 75 – 86
programme is based in London, the success of it is important for
In their commentary the authors discuss the
Although the
developing countries as they may be able to adopt the programme
and help people in their country suffering from the disease.
If
doctors are able to treat patients remotely it means that people in
remote regions in poorer countries of the world can be treated for
HIV/AIDS by leading experts based in another country providing
that sufficient infrastructure is available.
Miles, N. (2005), ‘Texting to help SA HIV
South Africa has the largest number of people with HIV/AIDS in
Patients’,
any country in the world, with 6 million people currently suffering
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/44374
from the disease. After a slow start the government is gradually
47.stm (accessed 01.12.05)
beginning to introduce ARV treatment to the millions that are
suffering from the disease. ARV treatment is however extremely
complicated and needs to be taken accurately in order for it to work
correctly.
In order to help those that are having treatment
counsellors have been given special mobile phones that keep track
of treatment details of all the patients that are receiving the ARV’s.
It is quicker and more reliable than using written notes to check if
patients are using their medication correctly and due to the rapid
expansion of the development of the technologies is available
relatively cheaply.
I4D (2004), ‘Using Mobiles to Track HIV
Mobile
Treatment’,
technology
phone Vodacom a telecommunications company in South Africa has
developed a project entitled Cell-life, which allows clinic workers to
http://www.i4donline.net/news1.asp?fol_nam
track how patients are getting on with their treatment for HIV/AIDS.
e=Health&file_name=hea20 (accessed
It uses mobile phone technology and special software and data
01.12.05)
management systems developed especially for the project to
recognise any life threatening behaviours to help treat those
suffering from the disease. It is more efficient than taking notes
about patients and reduces the burden on scarce health care
professionals and resources.
Nurton, J. (2001), ‘Brazil Threatens Broche
ICTs in general
On August 23rd Brazilian health Minister Jose Serra declared
AIDS Patent’, Managing Intellectual
Broches’ anti-AIDS drug Nelfinavir to be too expensive and
Property, 112, pp. 5
threatened to use Brazilian law to force Broche to issue a
compulsory licence on the drug in order to combat the problem of
AIDS in Brazil, where 200,000 are affected. This article illustrates
problems and issues surrounding the use of patents on AIDS/HIV
drugs, especially in less developed countries where governments
can’t afford to provide citizens with the expensive drugs. Nurton
discusses the implications of such a Brazilian move by stating that
there is a possibility that it will undermine the protection of
international pharmaceutical products.
Oxfam (2001), ‘The Impact of Patent Rules
ICTs in general
This article is a case study of HIV/AIDS epidemic in Thailand. It
on the Treatment of HIV/AIDS in Thailand’,
outlines the seriousness of the problem in Thailand and how it is
Thailand Country Profile, Oxfam, Oxford
being exasperated by the introduction of stricter patent rules on
ARV’s. Firstly the patent rules have increased the price of ARV’s,
which means that the government is unable to supply ARV’s to the
population, making them only affordable to the wealthy. In fact
according to the article only 1% of the population suffering from
HIV/AIDS can afford the drugs especially as they are not available
through either public or private health care. However the patent
rules are also affecting Thailand by preventing it from producing its
own cheaper generic versions of ARV’s.
UNAIDS (1998), ‘Access to Drugs’, UNAIDS
ICTs in general
This article examines how patent laws are preventing many people
Technical Update, UNAIDS Best Practice
from accessing ARV’s to help with the symptoms of the HIV virus at
Collection Pamphlets, UNAIDS, October
affordable prices. This is largely due to patents being imposed on
the drugs preventing cheaper generic copies being manufactured
by generic companies. It examines the need for strategic alliances
to be set up between the manufacturers of the ARV’s and smaller
companies trying to produce generic copies of the drugs at lower
prices.
UNAIDS (1998), ‘Access to Drugs’, UNAIDS
Technical Update, UNAIDS Best Practice
ICTs in general
This article examines how patent laws are preventing many people
from accessing ARV’s to help with the symptoms of the HIV virus at
Collection Pamphlets, UNAIDS, October
affordable prices. This is largely due to patents being imposed on
the drugs preventing cheaper generic copies being manufactured
by generic companies. It examines the need for strategic alliances
to be set up between the manufacturers of the ARV’s and smaller
companies trying to produce generic copies of the drugs at lower
prices.
DFID (2004), ‘Access to Medicines in Under- ICTs in general
In 1994 a World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement on Trade-
Served’, DFID Health Systems Resource
Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights meant that there
Centre
would be substantial changes to patent rules of anti-retroviral drugs
(ARV’s) in order to stimulate the research and design aspects of
ARV production.
This DFID study reviews how the emerging
changes will affect both producers and consumers in leastdeveloped countries. The study widely suggested that despite an
increase in public health demand for the ARV’s, access to them for
the world’s poorest would reduce as a result of generic companies
producing cheaper copies of the medicines, ceasing to be able to
supply underserved markets. The report suggests a number of
ways the negative effects the new legislation could be overcome
including the introduction of an electronic searchable patent
information bank by World Intellectual Property Organisation
(WIPO) to increase the producer’s patent knowledge.
Information
One of the key ways in which ICTs can help combat HIV/AIDS is by providing mediums to disseminate information effectively and
efficiently and by providing platforms through which vital information can be stored about the disease.
Reference
Medium Used6
Annotation
BBC (2004), ‘Texts aim to Fight AIDS in
Mobile
HIV/AIDS is a huge problem in Kenya, with over 2 million of its 32.4
Kenya’,
technology
million populations having the disease.
In order disseminate
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/40544
information about HIV/AIDS to the countries population; the NGO,
75.stm (accessed 01.12.05)
One World has launched a mobile phone text messaging service
that sends daily tips to those who have signed up. The service
also allows people to text in any questions about HIV/AIDS and to
receive the answers via a text message back. Due to the stigma
surrounding the disease many people do not want to go to clinics
to ask someone face to face questions about HIV/AIDS so the text
messaging service provides a discreet platform upon which this
can be done.
Bezuidenhout, F. (n.d.), ‘HIV/AIDS:
Tele-
Bezuidenhout argues that one of the major problems of the
Information Management System’,
communications
HIV/AIDS epidemic is that different people in different places hold
http://www.i4donline.net/issue/march04/man
the vast range of information that has been collected about the
agement.htm (Accessed 03.12.05)
disease. He argues that in order for the disease to be addressed
efficiently a central information system containing information about
the extent and treatment of the disease along with other relevant
information should be held. He states that the current development
of information and communication technologies makes this entirely
possible however I feel that it is an ambitious project that would
6
E.g. Internet, Radio, TV, CD-Rom
lead to information being dominantly supplied from developed
countries leading to an inaccurate system being collated.
Chanda, K. (n.d.), ‘ICTs to enhance delivery
Radio,
of health services’,
communications
tele- Zambia has a HIV/AIDS prevalence rate of 19.7%; the huge scale
of the disease has meant that the Zambian Ministry of Health has
http://www.i4donline.net/issue/march04/enh
had huge problems trying to combat the disease.
In order to
ance.htm (accessed 03.12.05)
address the situation the ministry has began to apply a variety of
aggressive ICT programs, one of which includes the introduction of
a Telehealth system that would especially help those suffering from
HIV/AIDS in more remote rural areas. The government recognises
that one of the major hurdles is information dissemination and is
therefore introducing a radio programs and phone help lines to help
supply information to the population.
These programs are also
designed with the intention to help counsel people suffering or
affected by the disease.
Development Gateway, ‘Enable, Educate
Computers and This article from the Development Gateway discusses how in India
and Empower: How The eApproach Can
CD-Rom
utilising the increasing use of computers and mobile technology
Help Tackle The HIV/AIDS Epidemic’,
could possibly reduce the increasing number of people suffering
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/hiv
from HIV/AIDS. One practical way that ICTs are being used to
(last accessed 21.11.05)
combat the disease is through the National AIDS Control
Organisation who used computer-based software to operate their
toll free telephone help lines. Several CD-ROMs are also being
produced by the organisation for use in schools, hospitals to
support training and capacity building programs. The article also
discusses how a low-cost e-Health program that is in operation
across India can help reach the most marginalized of people. So
called 'Teledoc' the program was introduced by the Jiva institute a
non-profit research and design institute.
Foreman, M. (2001), ‘Controversy, Stigma
TV and Radio
This essay discusses some of the negative impacts the
and Education: Media Coverage of
technologies of Television and Radio can have in less development
HIV/AIDS in the Commonwealth, in
areas. It conveys the story of Gugu Dlamini a female HIV sufferer
Morrison, G. (2002), Global Health
in South Africa. She decided to announce her HIV status on radio
Challenges: Essays on AIDS,
and television in order to increase awareness of the disease but
Commonwealth Secretariat
was subsequently beaten death by neighbours due to the stigmas
attached to the disease. The article also mentions that there is so
much competition to get audiences for TV and radio that portrayals
are often sensationalised and inaccurate in order to attract
audiences fuelling the stigma’s surrounding the virus.
One World (2002), ‘One World Radio AIDS
Radio
This article outlines the use of One World’s Radio AIDS Network
Network to promote free exchange of radio
programme. The aim of the station is to allow people to share their
programs on AIDS/HIV between radio
experiences of AIDS/HIV, reduce the stigma associated with the
stations worldwide’,
disease and combat discrimination. One World describes the
http://www.oneworld.net/article/view/40016/1
problem of information dissemination and says that most radio and
/3741 (last visited 21.11.05)
other audio programmes produced with a similar intent are
confined for use in the geographical location that they are
produced. The article argues that one way to overcome this is by
using the Internet. The One World Radio AIDS network provides a
searchable database for uploading and downloading different audio
resources about AIDS/HIV, copyright free meaning that anyone
with internet access can listen to the material.
Parveen, R. (2005), ‘Fighting HIV/AIDS in
HIV/AIDS is emerging as a key development challenge in Pakistan.
Pakistan’,
SACHET (Society for the Advancement of Community, Health,
http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/10
Education and Training) is an NGO that is working to harness ICTs
7979/1/ (accessed 07.11.05)
to help combat HIV/AIDS amongst other development initiatives. It
envisages doing this by providing ICT training for a rural crafts
programme for underprivileged communities. It believes that its
previous efforts to control the spread of the disease could be
improved
through
implementing
strategic
communication
of
information of the disease by using the various information
technology tools that make communication easier.
Plan International (2005), ‘Plan’s work with
Radio
This article outlines the way that the Plan an international NGO is
children affected by HIV/AIDS’,
using radio as an effective way to disseminate information about
http://www.plan-
HIV/AIDS in Africa. The projects that Plan are involved in, are
international.org/action/hivaids/planswork/
centred at a community and aim to empower social networks in
(accessed 01.12.05)
order to safeguard the future of communities – children. In Malawi
more specifically the medium of radio was used to raise awareness
of various aspects surrounding HIV/AIDS with the specific aim of
appealing to AIDS orphans or children whose parents were dying
from AIDS/HIV.
Shakakata, R. C. (2001), ‘Information,
Multi-media
This article argues that recent suggestions to reduce the spread of
Education and Communication on HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS via information dissemination about the virus using multi-
for female adolescents in Africa region in
media methods have many drawbacks. Firstly access to all forms
Global Health Challenges: Essays on AIDS,
of communication technologies is low in most underdeveloped
Commonwealth, SERA
regions. Secondly it argues that gaining access to information will
not necessarily solve the problem of educating marginalized people
as often information found on the Internet is not necessarily derived
from primary sources and therefore open to interpretation. It also
argues that the distribution of information on HIV/AIDS is
particularly hard due to the taboos and stigma’s surrounding the
disease.
Soul City Institute for Health and
Multi-media
The soul city NGO has produced range of multi-media series to
Development Communication (2005), ‘The
impart information about HIV/AIDS and a range of other health
Soul City Series’,
related issues. By providing this information mainly through the
http://www.soulcity.org.za/02.01.asp
mediums of television and radio programmes it is hoped that it will
(accessed 24.11.05)
change the attitudes of the audiences and empower people to
make informed choices in regards to their sexual health.
The
television and radio series have proved to very successful and
have managed to win prestigious awards and have managed to
reach a wide range of people.
United Nations (n.d.), ‘Dispelling
Email (ICTs in This brief article discusses how introducing ICT into Vietnam is
Misconceptions about HIV/IDS – Vietnam’,
general)
helping to organise communication between the government and
http://www.unites.org/cfapps/WSIS/story.cfm
various NGO’s working in the country.
?Sid=18 (last visited 06.10.05)
helping NGO’s to pool together their resources to help those
The re-organisation is
suffering from HIV/AIDS and has allowed the emergence of an
email based discussion group and distribution list to pass on
information on HIV/AIDS to the population. Whilst the project has
been very successful in some respects, cultural, economic and
linguistic traits of the Vietnamese mean that they still lagging
behind in their use of the Internet. This has meant that those most
at need of the information dissemination often do not have the
means to access it. The future potential of ICTs in Vietnam does
however look good, as networking schools and post offices has
become a priority of the government.
UNICEF, ‘UNICEF radio’,
http://www.unicef.org/videoaudio/video_radi
Radio
This website by UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) provides
a link to listen to UNICEF’s global radio service for children. The
o.html (last accessed 21.11.05)
radio service focuses on health issues and contains several
AIDS/HIV case studies that are downloadable to listen to, from
programmes that have run from the radio. There are also links to
the full text article that is related. The articles are available to view
or listen to free of charge making them accessible to even the
poorest of people.
CABI Publishing (n.d.), ‘HIV/AIDS: Topics in
CD-ROM
This article reviews the publishing of a CD-ROM, which has been
International Health International Health CD-
designed in conjunction with the Wellcome Trust, the world’s
ROM Series’ http://www.cabi-
largest medical research charity, as part of a series on different
publishing.org/AllOtherProducts.asp?Subjec
epidemics. The CD-ROM’s have been designed to provide
tArea=&PID=409 (accessed 04.12.05)
information on HIV/AIDS in developed and developing countries. It
is an interactive CD in order to make using it more interesting and
provides access to a range of different tutorials on HIVAIDS related
issues. It also contains over 700 images related to the disease and
data from the World Health Organisation.
Gender
Gender inequalities is a major handicap to controlling the spread of HIV/AIDS, with women disproportionately more affected than
men (Burja 2004) therefore the following section will concentrate on how gender and ICT can aid help prevent the spread of
HIV/AIDS.
Reference
Medium Used7
Annotation
Mulama, J. (n.d.), ‘Access to Computers
ICTs in general
This article outlines how men are the dominant users of all ICTs in
Remain a Distant Dream for Women’,
sub-Saharan Africa, including telephone, internet and photocopying
http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/print.asp?idne
and that in order for women to become empowered the
ws=20650 (last visited 01.10.05)
governments of countries affected must ‘bridge’ this ‘gender gap’.
7
E.g. Internet, Radio, TV, CD-Rom
The article also reveals that it is not just the responsibility of the
government to increase access to ICTs for women and that the
women themselves must encompass and utilise any facilities
available to them.
One particular women who came from rural
West Kenya Nyende Namisi declined the use of a computer
despite being of a very few marginalized persons who had access
to one.
UNIFEM (2005), ‘Web Portal: Gender and
Internet
HIV/AIDS’, http://www.genderandaids.org/
CD-ROM
(accessed 04.12.05)
and This web portal provides information on gender aspects of HIV and
AIDS in the form of an electronic library, with a special focus on
providing information for women.
The sight is designed by
UNIFEM with support from UNAIDS to provide them with tutorials
about HIV/AIDS.
In order to make the entire web portal’s
resources available to those who do not have internet access,
UNIFEM have produced a CD-ROM containing the electronic
library and a resource called an ‘e-Course Builder’ which allows
tailor made tutorials to be produced on specific issues.
Weinstein, B. (2002), ‘HIV/AIDS CD-ROM
CD-ROM
In order to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS and other
for Health Worker’,
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s) and improve women’s
http://www.comminit.com/materials/materials
reproductive and sexual health in general, EngenderHealth, an
/materials-783.html (accessed 04.12.05)
NGO have produced web based course resources for health care
providers. The courses are also available via a CD-ROM. The aim
of the course is to provide health care providers knowledge and
strategies for addressing HIV/AIDS issues especially to those in
resource poor settings. The courses have been provided through
funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.