Changes Planned For Ugandan HIV/AIDS Campaign “The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) is revamping its national HIV information campaign after HIV prevention messages were less successful than hoped,” PlusNews reports.

HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) is launching a free guide for African communities in the UK, stressing the importance of regular testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The guide, called ‘Be Wise’, has been funded by the Pan-London HIV Prevention Programme to tackle high rates of HIV among Africans.

Chembio Diagnostics, Inc., a NY-based company that develops, manufactures, licenses and markets proprietary rapid diagnostic tests, is donating more than 4,500 rapid HIV test kits to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s 2009 Testing Millions Global Campaign, based in Los Angeles, to commemorate World AIDS Day 2009 on December 1st.

World AIDS Day 2009 will be marked with both grim and hopeful data: more than 25 million people have died of AIDS worldwide since 1981; 33 million are living with HIV/AIDS. While potent, effective medications have changed an HIV diagnosis from death sentence to manageable chronic illness in resource rich countries, global rates of infection still outstrip prevention and treatment capacity.

HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust has welcomed the announcement by the Department of Health that all new nurses will be educated to degree level from 2013.