OF NOTE THIS WEEK

On a recent visit to Zimbabwe, PEPFAR Global AIDS Coordinator Eric Goosby spoke with IPS about the U.S.'s commitment to AIDS relief in Southern Africa. The Obama Administration plans to increase dialogue with government health ministries, NGOs, and civil society to improve service delivery, he said, and the U.S. will use the ability to deliver health technical assistance as a diplomatic tool when dealing with developing countries. Goosby added that it's imperative to allocate a significant portion of resources to strengthen medical delivery systems, especially at district and village level.

NEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DONORS

• UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé shares his vision for the future of his organization and meets with U.S. Ambassador Eric Goosby during a visit to Washington
• PEPFAR enters a public-private partnership to improve blood-drawing practices in sub-Saharan Africa

OTHER NEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS

• In Africa, Courts Shape Views on AIDS (Wash. Post)
• Child Deaths Fall, But 'Grossly Insufficent' (Reuters)
• WHO: Uganda Ahead in MDG Efforts in Region (East African)
• Mozambique: Disabled Demand Involvement in HIV/AIDS Programs (All Africa)
• Zambia: Activist Says HIV Fight Needs Local Funding (All Africa)
• Cape Verde: Switch in Donors Disrupts AIDS Funding (Reuters AlertNet/IRIN)
• HIV/AIDS, Undernutrition, and Food Insecurity (Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases)