January 25, 2005
Ethiobriefs
Ethiopia launches free AIDS drug treatment
Reuters - Ethiopia, one of the world's poorest countries severely affected by HIV/AIDS, started a programme on Monday to give free antiretroviral drug treatment to 320,000 people by 2008.I wish I knew enough about the history of AIDS treatment to know just how groundbreaking this is. But it must be good news all the same. The article goes on to say that, although infections are slowly rising in rural areas, there are signs that rates are falling in towns and cities - enough to add up to an overall slowdown. A rare achievement.
Ethiopia to host world's largest ever gathering of pastoralists
AP - Spanish shepherds, Mongolian camel owners and herders from 21 other countries will discuss the challenge of preserving their way of life at a unique international conference, the United Nations said Monday.This probably sounded great in the planning stage - statesmen have conferences so why not pastoralists? But what will a Spanish shepherd have to say to a Mongolian camel owner or, for that matter, a Tigrinian subsistence farmer? Or am I being too cynical?
Posted by aheavens at January 25, 2005 4:29 AM