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Achieving victory over malaria in Africa, a disease that each year kills millions and imposes costs that cripple entire economies, requires a new internationally funded effort dedicated to training and supporting a critical mass of African malaria rese
Scientists might have identified one of the reasons why the bird flu virus H5N1 is so deadly to humans. A study published today in the open access journal Respiratory Research reveals
The British man thought to be the first person to have shaken off HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is to undergo further clinical tests in the hope of a breakthrough in treating the condition. Andrew Stimpson, 25, said yesterday that he was wil
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), China is checking on a possible human case of bird flu in a northeastern province, the second part of the country to make such a precautionary diagnosis.
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Vietnam has slaughtered thousands of birds in its two largest cities this week while other Asian nations have also upped their efforts to halt the spread of deadly avian flu.The Chinese government has promised to help pay for the vaccination of
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Date: Tuesday, 13-Feb-2007
Washington Post columnist Courtland Milloy on Wednesday examined PreventionWorks! -- a privately funded needle-exchange program in Washington, D.C., that aims to curb the spread of HIV among injection drug users in the city.According to the district's Administration for HIV Policy and Programs, injection drug use is the second leading mode of HIV transmission among men in the district, and it is the leading mode of transmission among women, Milloy writes.
PreventionWorks! was launched in 1998 and provides counseling, treatment referrals and HIV tests to IDUs.
Last year, the program had a budget of $600,000, all of which was donated.
The program is run by Ron Daniels, four staff members and a group of volunteers, who visit 12 cites in the district six days weekly.
Last year, the program provided 1,963 IDUs with access to educational materials, treatment referrals and clean needles.
According to Milloy, the district has an estimated 9,700 IDUs.
"The needle exchange is just the beginning," Daniels said, adding, "We use the syringe to engage in conversations with those people nobody wants to talk to.
We believe in meeting people where they are, treating them like human beings and helping them avoid catching and spreading diseases" (Milloy, Washington Post, 2/7).
This article is republished with kind permission from our friends at the The Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery of in-depth coverage of health policy developments, debates and discussions. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for Kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Copyright 2007 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.