Primeira Conferência Científica sobre COVID-19 em Moçambique com Uso Combinado de Plataformas de Informação e Comunicação / First Scientific Conference on COVID-19 in Mozambique with Combined Use of Information and Communication Platforms

O Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS) organi zou, entre os dias 17 e 18 de Junho do presen te ano, a primeira Conferência Científica sobre a COVID-19 no país. O evento teve lugar nas instalações do INS, em Marracuene, tendo sido transmitida em directo por várias plataformas de comunicação e informação, uma vez que, pelo contexto da pandemia, não era possível realizar um evento presencial abrangente. Em cada um dos dias, houve uma sessão plenária seguida de painéis, com um orador e três comentadores. As sim, a conferência ligou entre si investigadores, académicos e público em geral através de várias plataformas de comunicação e informação (televi são, rádio, jornal e plataformas digitais: facebook, youtube e zoom) num evento que visava promo ver o debate científico sobre a COVID-19, e os desafios que ela coloca à sociedade moçambicana. Pretendia também analisar a resposta à pandemia em Moçambique e no mundo, nos planos eco nómico, social, cultural e, particularmente, no campo das ciências biomédicas. O modelo virtual desta conferência, permitiu a interacção com os participantes, tendo estes gozado da possibilidade de colocar questões aos membros do painel.

The National Institute of Health (INS) organized, between the 17th and 18th of June of this year, the first Scientific Conference on COVID-19 in the country. The event took place at the INS premises, in Marracuene, and was broadcast live by various communication and information platforms, since, due to the context of the pandemic, it was not possible to hold a comprehensive face-to-face event. On each day, there was a plenary session followed by panels, with one speaker and three commentators. Thus, the conference connected researchers, academics and the general public through various communication and information platforms (television, radio, newspaper and digital platforms: facebook, youtube and zoom) in an event that aimed to promote the scientific debate on COVID-19, and the challenges it poses to Mozambican society. It also intended to analyze the response to the pandemic in Mozambique and in the world, at the economic, social, cultural levels and, particularly, in the field of biomedical sciences. The virtual model of this conference allowed interaction with the participants, who enjoyed the possibility of asking questions to the panel members.

Most at-risk populations: contextualising HIV prevention programmes targeting marginalised groups in Zanzibar, Tanzania

According to a 2009 UNAIDS report the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Zanzibar; Tanzania; is low in the general population (0.6); but high among vulnerable groups; specifically sex workers (10.8); injecting drug users (15.1; and men who have sex with men (12.3). In response to this concentrated epidemic; the Government of Zanzibar; international and local non-profit organisations have focused their prevention activities on these marginal populations. Although these efforts are beneficial in terms of disseminating information about HIV/AIDS and referring clients to health clinics; they fail to address how the socio-economic status of these groups places them at a greater risk for contracting and dying from the virus. Furthermore; there is an absence of qualitative research on these populations which is needed to understand the challenges these groups face and to improve the effectiveness of interventions. Through interviews with employees of government agencies and non-profit organisations; medical professionals; vulnerable populations and HIV/AIDS patients; this paper used a political economy of health and syndemic framework to examine how local realities inform and challenge HIV/AIDS programmes in Zanzibar