Program Supplement [International Conference on AIDS (14th: 2002: Barcelona, Spain)]

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results in humoral and cellular immunity and increases the
likelihood of vaccine protection. We describe the world's first
efficacy trial of aH IV prime-boost vaccine combination. The
predominance and relatively narrow diversity of HIV subtype E
in Thailand provide an optimal setting for the test of this
concept, utilizing vaccines derived from Thai primary isolates.
An update of this phase Ill plan will be shared with the
international community.
Corresponding author: McNeil, John, Suite 250, One Taft Court,
Rockville, Maryland, United States, Tel: [phone],
Fax: [phone], Email: [email protected]
Poster Presentations
LPP2201
Bridging gaps between public and traditional health care
sectors - testing a model to improve quality of STI/HIV/AIDS
care in sub-Saharan Africa
Unge, Roy1, Brugha, Ruairi2, Faxelid, Elisabeth1, Kabatesi,
Donna3, Mayuad, Philippe2, Ndubani, Phillimon4, Ssengooba,
Freddie3, Vongo, Rodwell4
(Sweden; 2United Kingdom; 3Uganda; 4Zambia)
In a three year EU funded project, feasibility and potential
benefits of collaboration between the traditional and public
health care sectors in Uganda and Zambia will be assessed.
STI/HIV/AIDS and policy researchers from UK, Sweden,
Uganda and Zambia and organisations of traditional healers in
Uganda and Zambia are involved. Focus will be on improving
the humanity and public health dimensions of STI/HIV/AIDS
care. An intervention will be implemented involving providers
in the two sectors. A before-and-after quasi-experimental
evaluation will evaluate process and outcome indicators,
providing evidence, to feed into policy-making, that
collaboration can work and increase access to essential care
services. Stakeholders at four levels will be involved: policy
makers, community members, traditional and public health
care providers, and patients. Pre-intervention data collection
will use stakeholder analysis tools to analyse the different
stakeholders' interests, power and resources; and the
collaborative models that are broadly acceptable and
supportable by them. Qualitative surveys will assess
community members' and providers' perceptions of the quality
of existing STI/HIV/AIDS care in both sectors, and attitudes
towards collaboration. Similarly, a range of methods - facility
records reviews, patient exit interviews and observations of
provider-patient interactions - will assess baseline quality
services. Indicators for measuring collaboration between the
sectors and uptake of services will e.g. be patients receiving
STI treatment and VCT, cross referrals, and access to
prevention and treatment services. Based on these inputs, the
intervention will utilise interactional group discussion and
provider training - bringing together both types of providers -
supported by provider peer influencing networks, to introduce
and reinforce evidence-based quality promoting practices. The
project is in its initial stage. Thus, only the design and no
results will be presented.
Corresponding author: Unge, Roy, IHCAR, Karolinska Institutet,
SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sverige,
Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone],
Email: [email protected]

[ LBPP2202 1
HIV and STD risks and prevention in the Angolan Armed
Forces: challenges and opportunities at the end of a civil war
Ernesto, Francisco', Ortiz, Daniel ]2, Boyer, Cherrie B2, deDeus,
Francisco Joao, Bing, Eric G2 (Angola; 2United States)
Background: Angola's 27-year civil war may have inadvertently
limited H IV transmission by severely restricting mobility within
the country. It's HIV prevalence is estimated to be 4% of the
general population compared to rates of 20% to 35% in
neighboring sub-Saharan African countries. Military personnel,
generally young, sexually active and highly mobile men, are
particularly at risk. Anticipated large-scale demilitarization,
following the civil war's end in April 2002, may lead to rapid
diffusion of the virus into new populations throughout Angola.
HIV prevention for Angolan military and civilians is urgently
needed.
Methods: We conducted 8 focus groups (73 participants) with
Angolan military officers, lieutenants and corporals in Feb.
2002 to assess risk perception, transmission knowledge and
identify effective prevention methods.
Results: Participants included 70 men and 3 women between
16 and 42 years old (n =28.7). Most men (7o%), regardless of
marital status, had multiple sexual partners. Many participants
had only rudimentary knowledge of HIV/STI transmission and
symptoms. Some believed that condoms were ineffective in
preventing transmission and others believed that AIDS was a
myth. Factors participants identified that must be addressed in
prevention campaigns include lack of HIV awareness and
knowledge, limited condom use and availability, heavy alcohol
use, multiple sexual partners, deployment to remote locations,
and few available HIV counseling and testing services.
Conclusions: Angola has a brief window of opportunity to
avoid the ravages that HIV has wrought among neighboring
sub-Saharan countries. A multifaceted HIV prevention program
for the Angolan military that addresses informational,
interpersonal and system-level barriers, must be implemented
now.
Corresponding author: Bing, Eric, Charles Drew University,
1651 E 120th St, Building E, Los Angeles, CA 90059, United
States, Tel: [phone], Fax: +i 323 357 3477,
Email: [email protected]
[ LBPP2203I
South-South information sharing an underutilized approach
in HIV/AIDS interventions
Scott Mark (Malawi)
Issues: as HIV/AIDS continues its worldwide spread, our
response gains momentum. We still need to explore
approaches that broaden capacity to transfer alreadydeveloped, successful interventions. We must revisit global
thinking and explore new avenues of fighting the epidemic to
save time and funds. One underutilized strategy is south-south
information sharing where issues of taboos, women and sexual
negotiation, condom acceptability and poverty require greater
elaboration.
Description: Jamaica Red Cross, American Red Cross, and the
International Federation of Red Cross Societies in Southern
Africa collaboration demonstrates south-south information
transfer. This collaboration facilitated materials exchange and
technical support from the Caribbean to Southern Africa,
leading to establishment of Youth Peer Education programs

XIV International AIDS Conference BARCELONA - JULY 7-12

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