World AIDS Day Thoughts And Events

I didn’t have a heartfelt World AIDS day story this time round. I couldn’t even post a tweet with alarming statistics of some sort – hence my late post. It took me a while to sort out my feelings after which I realized that I’m not any less passionate about the issue.  It’s just that after years of having lost ( and continuing to lose) friends and family to AIDS – this statement, albeit cliché, summarizes what I would want to say.

Remember the 3 ‘P’s; Precaution, Prevention, and Protection

But that’s not all I would like to say

If you can, try to attend at least one World AIDS Day event. The Minnesota Department of Health has a comprehensive list of World AIDS Day Events around the state. I have also highlighted a few that may be of particular interest to our readers (because they are either African – themed or have been put together by some good folk in our community).

Training immigrant health partners in Minnesota

BY BERLINE PIERRE-LOUIS, TC DAILY PLANET

November 28, 2011

In Irene Asong-Morfaw’s native Cameroon, the cultural opinion is that “boys are the heroes and boys can’t get in trouble.” This mindset, she feels, prevents boys and men from having to be responsible for their sexual health. Asong-Morfaw says that a woman may know that there are ways to prevent pregnancy or STI’s but if her husband or partner does not approve of birth control or condom use she may feel she can’t pursue these options freely. That’s why she is part of the Partnership Project, a Planned Parenthood program designed to meet the reproductive and sexual health needs of African-born persons in the Twin Cities in a culturally appropriate way. The project uses community leaders as lay health educators to deploy culturally relevant sexual and reproductive health information into the community.

Minnesota’s immigrant population increased rapidly during the 1990s, and has continued to grow, though at a slower pace, during the past decade. A large and growing proportion of new immigrants come from from East and West African countries such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Liberia, and Kenya

Mandatory health insurance for international students not comprehensive

I recently wrote about international student health insurance (below). What has your experience been? What do you do when you have to see a dentist? Or when insurance doesn’t cover your ailment? Please share in comments below.

When the twenty-two-year-old student’s heart started racing, she figured that she was just fatigued after a long day at school. A visit to the Boynton Clinic at the University of Minnesota convinced her that she was just having anxiety attacks. A second visit, an EKG and several blood tests later, she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, a condition where one’s thyroid gland produces more hormones than it should. Her doctor then put her on medication and monitored her heart for about a year. The Eastern European student at a Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MNSCU) school, was dismayed when she received a $1500 medical bill, even though she was insured.  even though she was insured. Her insurer, United Healthcare Student Resources, is an insurance company that specifically covers college and university students, but it only covered one EKG a year.

Black women and young women most affected by new breast cancer guidelines

The Black Women’s Health Imperative, a health advocacy group, has called the new recommendations for delaying the start of mammograms until age 50 a death sentence to black women. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), published a report this month detailing new recommendations for breast cancer. In its assessment the taskforce found insufficient evidence to support previous recommendations, made by the same body, that advised women to have biannual mammograms at 40. USPSTF also recommends against teaching breast self-examination.

Are you for the “PUBLIC OPTION” or the “AFRICAN OPTION” to solve Africa’s health care crises?

The health care debate in the United States has sparked fire-works and continues to rage—as Obama pushes for health care reform. This back-and forth discourse got me thinking about the state of health care in Africa.  While watching Charlie Rose interview some of the top researchers and health care experts on the recent influenza pandemic, some of the remarks made during this interview made me cringe—Unfortunately, they were spilling the TRUTH— and I just couldn’t swallow their sentiments. They were talking about the recent shortage of the swine flu vaccine in the United States.  “I am sure at the end of the day we will have enough swine-flu vaccine for the Americans” he said. “And we should later-on send whatever is left over to the developing world.” I usually point out the names I quote, but this issue is bigger than any name. This is the reality Africa and other developing nations face—amidst pandemics and other crises. The developed world seems to hold the key to our survival– analogous to how insurance companies are holding the lives of many hostage in the United States. Insurance companies deny coverage to many as a result of ‘pre-existing health conditions.’ Africa and the rest of the developing world is denied immediate coverage as a result of ‘pre-existing poverty.’

Red 10 Team takes on HIV/AIDS

RED10 AFFAIR

RED 10 @ MN AIDS WALK

Team Red10 would like to encourage you to join the Minnesota Aids Walk scheduled for Sunday May 17th 2009.

A Red10 Affair party, will be held on Saturday May 16th 2009 at Trocaderos in downtown Minneapolis. AIM and FunkHouse Entertainment are donating ALL the profits from the event to the MN AIDS Project. DJ’s from all corners of the continent will be featured.

Please also join the Red10 team by bringing awareness to the community, by registering for the walk through the following link: http://community.mnaidsproject.org/TEAMRED10

If you are unable to walk, you are invited to support the team to reach their goals by clicking on the following link: http://community.mnaidsproject.org/TEAMRED10 then click on ‘Support Me’, and make a donation to the team captain (WANGECHI). All proceeds will go towards the Minnesota AIDS project.

A catered Barbecue event will be held on Sunday after the Minnesota AIDS walk at the Minnehaha Park, from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm. to raise additional funds towards the Minnesota AIDS project. Tuma’s Catering will be providing food for sale. SolJams and Touch entertainment will be providing the music entertainment.

African Health Action Corporation [AHA] will be available at the Minnehaha Park to privately test individuals who want to know their HIV status.

Red10 team is also looking for volunteers to help during and after the walk. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Please show your support and work with the Red10 team to bring HIV/AIDS awareness to the community.  Accents Telecom will give $10.00 credit to anyone who walks and gets screened for HIV. Their rates are very competetive.

For more information about the Red10 team & fundraising events, please visit the following websites:

http://community.mnaidsproject.org/Page.aspx?pid=317

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=78560478063

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=78354726453

TEAM RED 10 will be representing the African Community at the 2009 MN AIDS WALK and we hope that you will participate in this worthy cause, our future.

Malaria, the forgotten disease

by Kawuma

HIV/AIDS continues to make the headlines, rightly so as the pandemic tearing apart Sub-Saharan Africa. However, behind the scenes is malaria, the most important parasitic disease affecting humans. One billion people are affected by malaria worldwide with over 3,000 children dying each day and one to three million deaths per year.  Although the burden of malaria is heaviest in sub-Saharan Africa, it also afflicts South Asia, Latin America, Middle East and some parts of Europe. Malaria has also been demonstrated to impact economic growth imposing an economic burden of over 12 billion dollars on African nations—-slowing growth by up to 1.3% per year.

As we approach the second annual World Malaria Day on April 25^th, it is a great opportunity to raise awareness about the plight of millions and reflect on why malaria continues to ravage many communities—-yet we know its cause, prevention and treatment. When drugs are used right, they can cure malaria, bed nets and insecticides can offer protection and environmental management can be effective in containing mosquito breeding. Why can’t these strategies be implemented to reduce the suffering? 

The Price of Not Looking “American”

IBé
Maybe it’s because my own mother is losing her mind to the same wicked disease, but I just read a story about an old lady that just broke my heart.

As the story goes, back in 1994, a mute elderly woman was found wondering a mall in New Jersey. When the police picked her up, she didn’t have any identification on her person, and in addition to being mute, she was found to be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. For 15 years all attempts to identify her returned nothing. Not fingerprinting, not police investigation, not photo circulation…nothing could yield her identity. So where would you suppose she was kept for all 15 years? Not in a nursing home, as you would suspect counting her condition. The poor sick old lady (always well dressed according to witnesses) was sent to live in a psychiatric hospital. Yes, that is right, among mentally diseased individuals. Don’t get me wrong, Alzheimer is also a mental disease, but there is a difference between it and psychotic.

Sick and nowhere to turn? The CSJs have your back

By Katherine Stone (TC Daily Planet)

Know someone who is uninsured and doesn’t qualify for MinnesotaCare or Medical Assistance? St. Mary’s Health Clinics may be able to help. This network of nine neighborhood clinics throughout the Twin Cities offers free clinic hours weekly to those who have health care needs and nowhere else to go.

HIV & Male Circumcision: More to consider during this week of Awareness.

The article below was sent out on World AIDS Day. Also, you can listen to minneAfrican writer Yeamah on last Saturday’s African Roots Connection radioshow talking about AWAD and HIV awareness.

Circumcision Cuts HIV Infection in African Men: Are there implications for the U.S.?
By Wynfred Russell (wynfred@umn.edu)

For well over two decades, Sub-Saharan Africans have been fighting the insidious spread of HIV with everything from latex condoms and faith-based programs to an array of drug cocktails, yet the disease has continued unabated. Now, an unorthodox prevention method shows promise. Health care providers and HIV experts are putting their hopes in a mundane and low cost, but powerful weapon against new infections: male circumcision.