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TIME examines the debate over the Ugandan government’s recent decision to use money from the U.N. Population Fund to purchase and distribute 100,000 female condoms to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. Supporters of the government’s plan say female condoms increase a woman’s ability to negotiate with her partner. “The main issue was the desire for women to be able to say, ‘OK, you’re not going to use yours, then let’s use mine,’” Serra Sippel, president of the Center for Health and Gender Equity, said.

“Many experts, however, disagree,” fearing instead, “that by offering yet another choice, the government’s move may only distract from other drug and condom programs,” the magazine writes. Also, as the article notes, the female condom, which is more expensive than the male condom, has been slow to catch on since its introduction in the 1990s.

“Uganda sees the female condom as one way to regain the success the nation had in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the 1990s. After slashing its AIDS rate from more than 20% in the late ’80s to about 6% in 2000, Uganda saw a leveling off of AIDS cases and then a slight rise,” according to the magazine.

Beginning this year, the government will distribute the condoms in two regions in Uganda and will consider extending the program with the support of donors, according to TIME. However, the magazine writes, “[m]ajor donors including PEPFAR say they are not likely to back the female condom in Uganda.” Mike Strong, coordinator for PEPFAR in Uganda, suggested the government focus on the programs already in progress rather than starting from scratch with new programs (Wadhams, 8/30).

This information was reprinted from globalhealth.kff.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at globalhealth.kff.org.

© Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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The Latino HIV Task Force in Houston will offer free HIV testing as part of National HIV Testing Day on June 27, the Houston Chronicle reports. According to the Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS), Hispanics comprise 21 percent of the more than 16,000 HIV cases reported to the agency over the last 10 years and 17 percent of the nearly 26,000 AIDS cases since 1981. Porfirio Villarreal, HDHHS’s public information officer and media chair for the Task Force, said that HIV prevention is challenging among Hispanic communities because of stigma and difficulties in talking openly about sex. He added, “People who are undocumented in this country do not go test because they fear they may be deported, which is wrong.” The task force was established in 2002 and has brought together several local health agencies and community-based organizations that offer medical treatment or programs focused on HIV/AIDS, according to the Chronicle (Lamkahouan, Houston Chronicle, 6/22).

This information was reprinted from dailyreports.kff.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily U.S. HIV/AIDS Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at dailyreports.kff.org.

© Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.