African Film Against Stigma

posted: 11/05/2011

No Blame, No Shame is an epic new HIV health promotion film from the African Health Policy Network (AHPN). The film tackles the taboos and stigma surrounding HIV infection in UK’s African community. No Blame, No Shame features top comedian Gina Yashere, alongside HIV positive UK Africans, in a film made by Angus Malcolm.
 

No Stigma in living with HIV

No Blame, No Shame is an online video that is also available as a DVD, promoting the African Health Policy Network’s Public Faces  campaign, that there is no stigma in living with HIV and that stigmatising attitudes only help spread HIV.
 

Watch No Blame, No Shame here
 

Eunice Sinyemu, Head of Policy and Deputy Chief Executive at AHPN says “We have to challenge the stigma around HIV in the UK's African communities. It stops individuals from getting tested, which means they don’t get the treatment they need, and are more likely to infect others. With Gina’s help, we are confident we can get this message across in a colourful, punchy and accessible way.”
“Gina is much-loved in the African community, and having a big name on board is really going to help us reach our audience.”

Wide distribution

AHPN is promoting the film to reach as many people in the African community as possible, including viral marketing and distribution on DVD, use in training for a wide range of specialists and professionals, faith leaders and communities, local and national policy makers, workers in the health and social care sectors, local and national media.

Read about the comedian Gina Yashere

The film was made by Angus Malcolm, writer and producer. With a background in healthcare, including several years in the AIDS Unit at the Department of Health, Angus specialises in producing low-cost media for the statutory and not-for-profit sectors, especially education and healthcare.

No Blame, No Shame
 

Better TB Awareness

posted: 04/05/2011

People living with HIV have a higher risk of getting TB (tuberculosis) and there is now a rapid rise in the number of people getting TB in this country.

When people have HIV, TB is harder to diagnose, develops faster and, if it is not diagnosed or treated properly, people are more likely to die. But TB can be cured with a course of antibiotics. There were over 9000 new cases of TB in 2009 in the UK – more than the number of new HIV cases.

Know the risks and what to do

People with HIV need to understand the risks of getting TB and the need for early diagnosis and treatment. However many people don’t realise the risks and the stigma linked with both HIV and TB means people often put off seeking help.

TB Alert has joined with the African Health Policy Network (AHPN) to raise awareness of TB among people with HIV, particularly in the UK's African community, which is the most affected.

There’s a new leaflet for people with HIV which explains TB, what it is, how it is passed on, the risk factors, common symptoms and the relationship between TB and HIV. The leaflet tells people what to do if they are concerned about TB or HIV, and provides a full list of sources of advice and information.

TB Alert's The Truth About TB programme has lots of other resources. The TB programme brings together primary care trusts (PCTs), local authorities and the community sector to work together and raise TB awareness among the most vulnerable communities.

About TB
TB is caused by bacteria transmitted through the air when someone with TB in the lungs or throat coughs or sneezes. TB is quite hard to catch and pass on - you have to be in close contact with someone for many hours.
 

TB can affect any part of the body. Symptoms depend on which part of the body is affected, but the most common are:

• a cough lasting more than three weeks
• unexplained weight loss
• loss of appetite
• fever
• night sweats
• extreme tiredness.
   

Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor.

TB is curable with a course of antibiotics and all TB treatment is always free for everyone living in the UK.
 

TB Alert website 

This includes guidance and posters, including for asylum seekers, homeless people, drug users and people in prison, as well as videos.

African Asks of Government

posted: 05/05/2010

This is a compilation of the voices, issues, needs and thoughts of African communities living with and affected by HIV in the UK, put together by the African HIV Policy Network.

These are the issues African people living with and affected by HIV in the UK want the next Government to deal with.

We ask the UK Government to: 
 

1. Provide free HIV testing, treatment and care for any person living in the UK, including those who are detained or in the prison system.
2. Invest in public awareness, prevention, research and education programmes on HIV and sexual health to challenge stigma at all levels of society.
3. Address the level of mental health problems affecting Africans living with HIV and seek to improve the health and well being outcomes for African communities in the UK.
4. Put measures in place for effective management of the transition of children living with and affected by HIV into adolescent services, and from adolescent to adulthood, ensuring that the rights of families remain protected.
5. Promote the elimination of all forms of discrimination of people living with HIV and eradicate any discriminatory practice in public and private spheres.
6. Reverse the law on criminalisation of HIV transmission as it is not an effective tool for prevention. It instead reinforces stigma and discrimination of the most affected communities.
7. Review the impact of current immigration guidelines and practice on people living with HIV and take an approach that is embedded in Human Rights, equality, dignity and respect. 
8. Review the rights of asylum seekers and their right to work as this would save the state money and encourage integration into the UK society.
9. Invest in community development to achieve active and meaningful involvement of communities and individuals living with and affected by HIV, so that their voices influence decision making. For example, we ask that a person living with HIV have a seat on the All Party Parliament Group on AIDS (APPGA).
10. Influence and ensure better EU-wide HIV and health policy that affect African communities and involve Africans in the diaspora in decisions that are being made regarding development in Africa.

African HIV Policy Network wants to see:

• Communities less at risk
• Strong and strategic communities’ voices
• Sustained support for communities’ well being

Some key facts:

• There are over a million Africans in the UK and this is growing significantly, especially in London
• Of the 83,000 people living with HIV in the UK, about 25,000 of them are Africans, 7,000 of whom don’t know they have HIV
• Africans make up more than half the people diagnosed with HIV in England every year and late diagnosis is still a major problem
• Africans generally experience worse health and social problems and African people living with HIV usually have particular health and social care needs
• HIV stigma is a still a problem, threatening valued means of support, personal networks, health and wellbeing of Africans in the UK.

AHPN 10 Asks of the Government

Vital Positive Voices

posted: 16/04/2010

Vital Positive Voices is a network of Africans in the UK living with and affected by HIV for sharing experiences and giving ourselves a voice.

Vital Positive Voices help the African HIV Policy Network’s (AHPN) work and strengthens the involvement of Africans in the policy, research and practice work. Involving and learning from Africans affected by HIV gives AHPN a much better understanding of the issues and concerns, so AHPN can be even more effective.
 

Vital Positive Voices is for Africans to :

• influence policy, research and practice
• help AHPN learn from people’s experiences 
• have a voice in the decisions that affect people's lives 
• be supported and undisadvantaged.

Benefits of joining Vital Positive Voices

• Become an ambassador for Africans in the UK affected by HIV
• Contribute to national debates and influence change
• Access to AHPN publications
• Dedicated interactive web page for Vital Positive Voices
• Reasonable expenses for attending sessions
• Advice, support and training
• AHPN Membership is free

AHPN welcome people of all ages, experiences and with diverse interests - young people, women, over 50s, men, LGBT/sexual minorities, carers/partners/dependents
 

Application form

More information

To join Vital Positive Voices download and complete the application form and email it / post it to: African HIV Policy Network (AHPN) New City Cloisters, 196 Old Street, London EC1V 9FR

Election Priorities of Africans?

posted: 09/04/2010

Africans living with HIV are asked by the African HIV Policy Network (AHPN) for their ten most important HIV and sexual health issues for the Government, after the general election.
 

There are around 25,000 Africans with HIV in the UK. These Africans’ friends, families and communities are all affected too. After the election there will be major cuts in public spending which will affect health and other services.
 

Make your voice heard
Africans affected by HIV can influence the next Government's policies for the health and wellbeing of African communities.
Please add your top ten asks to this online survey.
 

The African HIV Policy Network will summarise the top '10 big asks' and pass these to existing and potential parliamentarians, community based organisations, policy makers and other stakeholders.

Are you registered to vote?
To vote in the UK general election on 6 May, you need to be registered to vote, before 20 April. 

Many Commonwealth citizens, including people seeking asylum, can register and vote.

We tell you more here.