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Deborah Brautigam provides an overview and description of China's development finance to Africa. "Looking at the nature of Chinese development aid - and non-aid - to Africa provides insights into China's strategic approach to outward investment and economic diplomacy, even if exact figures and strategies are not easily ascertained", she states as she describes China's provision of grants, zero-interest loans and concessional loans. Pambazuka Press recently released a publication titled India in Africa: Changing Geographies of Power, and Oliver Stuenkel provides his review of the book.
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Health & HIV/AIDS

SOUTH AFRICA: AIDS AND CONTRACEPTION

HIV-positive women can safely use IUDS

2001-09-03, Issue 33

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/hivaids/2610

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The HIV positive women can now use the IUD contraceptive.Research into the effects and merits of use of the contraception. Researchers at the Family Health International ran trials on 156 women in Kenya and observed them at specified intervals. The results indicated that there were very little difference in side effects if any between HIV positive and HIV negative women.

NEW STUDY SHOWS HIV-POSITIVE WOMEN CAN SAFELY USE IUDS
In contrast to current guidelines from the World Health Organization, a new
study has found that HIV-positive women can "safely use the intrauterine
device (IUD) for contraception, provided they see a doctor regularly,"
Reuters Health reports.
Researchers at Family Health International (FHI) inserted the device in 636
women in Nairobi, Kenya - 156 of whom were infected with HIV - and examined
any complications at one, four and 24 months after insertion.
There was little difference in any side effects between HIV-positive women
and HIV-negative women.The study, published in the August issue of the
British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, also showed that HIV-positive
women did not shed more HIV from their cervix four months after IUD
insertion, compared to HIV-negative women. Previous studies have shown that
increased viral shedding occurs with the use of oral contraceptives and
Depo-Provera, an injectable contraceptive.
The study, however, did find that women with gonorrhea or chlamydia were
more likely to develop IUD complications, a conclusion on par with
guidelines recommending that women with STDs besides HIV avoid IUDs. The
researchers concluded, "What this study suggests is that you need to avoid
IUD use in women with a cervical infection but not women with HIV infection.
Women with cervical infections are at increased risk of complications; women
with HIV infection are not"

SOURCE: Reuters Health via Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 28 August 2001

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