2004 Events

AIDS Day Meeting at Commonwealth Secretariat 1 December 2004

At the World AIDS Day meeting at Marlborough House, London, organised by the Para 55 Commonwealth HIV and AIDS Action Group, CPA was represented by Vice-President Mr Hemant Patel and CPA's HIV/AIDS Liaiason Officer Mr Roger Odd.

In his keynote presentation, Deptuy Secretary General, Mr Winston Cox, spoke on the theme of this year's World AIDS Day "Women, Girls, HIV and AIDS". Supporting presentations from Dr Gareth Tudor-Williams, Dr Alice Welbourn and Tania Boler elaborated on the crucial role of women in the design and implementation of HIV prevention strategies and AIDS treatment.

CPA Vice-President Mr Hemant Patel, in collaboration with the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ICW), Dr Alice Welbourn, presented Mr Winston Cox and members of the Social Transformation Programmes Division (Health Section) of the Commonwealth Secretariat, with a Report on joint discussions held by CPA and ICW in the lead up to AIDS Day.

CPA Members Participate in World AIDS Day 2004

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (NSW Branch)

At its Annual Dinner in December 2004, PSA (NSW) presented every guest with CPA “Pharmacists Listen” badges to highlight CPA’s World AIDS Day campaign and promote individual membership of CPA amongst Australian pharmacists.

Prof. Charlie Benrimoj (President of PSA NSW), Mr Warwick Plunkett (President Pharmacy Practice Foundation) and Ms Maxine Goodman (CEO of PSA NSW), encouraged all pharmacists to support CPA programmes and activities.

Pharmaceutical Society of Botswana
An innovative use of CPA World AIDS Day project material and radio talk-back sessions were the highlight of PSB’s World AIDS Day campaign.

PSB reproduced the “Pharmacists Listen” poster in a coloured and enlarged version to promote the use of women-controlled methods of HIV/AIDS prevention. PSB will distribute copies of the poster to all pharmacists in Botswana.

Radio talk-back sessions in the local language featuring members of the PSB Executive Committee discussing antiretroviral therapy and the management of side effects, were well received by the community.

Pharmaceutical Society of Namibia
As part of its Read with a Friend series, the Society in Namibia launched its comprehensive and user-friendly publication “Taking Medicines – Important Facts about HIV/AIDS Treatment”.

Pharmaceutical Society of St Lucia Incorporated
Members of the Society in St Lucia met for World AIDS Day and made the decision to organise and promote training for all members, in Voluntary Counselling of HIV and AIDS patients. This decision will have significant impact at community level in the prevention and management of HIV/AIDS in St Lucia.

Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa
In a campaign to promote the role of the pharmacist and spread HIV prevention messages, including voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), PSSA distributed CPA project material and information to all its members through the Society’s “electronic newsletter”.

Pharmacy Board of Trinidad and Tobago
The Board, in collaboration with the national Soroptimist Association, held an informative meeting with the support group for people living with AIDS. In conjunction with the Family Planning Association, the Board held an open discussion for junior secondary students following the Association’s video presentation “Teenage Sexuality – Your Life Your Choice”.