 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations .(October 2009) |
Thomas John Bisika is a social demographer and public health specialist, diplomat, and former health systems specialist at World Health Organization in Nigeria.He is the current Malawi High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
He is the former Chief of Division responsible for Health, HIV/AIDS, Nutrition, other related infectious diseases and Population at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He was born on April 6, 1967, in Malawi. He is originally from Makanjira Village, TA Chikowi, Zomba District. He worked as a Programme Specialist for the United Nations Population Fund in the sub-regional office for Southern Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa as part of his career as a United Nations diplomat.
Before this he was a Senior Lecturer in health policy and management at the University of Pretoria School of Health Systems. From 1993 to 2005 he was a Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Research of the University of Malawi. During this period he also taught demography and sociology at Chancellor College, a constituent College of the University of Malawi. He studied at Chancellor College of the University of Malawi, Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, University of Hawaiʻi, University of the Witwatersrand, Galilee College (Israel) and the University of South Africa. He holds a B.Sc. in Demography and Computer Science, a M.A. in Reproductive Health Demography and Statistics, a postgraduate certificate in Health Systems Management and Doctorate of Science in Medical Anthropology.
While a student at Chancellor College, he formed the Demography Student Association which he went on to become the founding President and was also the interim President of the Student Union of Chancellor College between 1992 and 1993. He is a member of the Population Association of America.
With respect to charity work, Thomas Bisika was one of the youngest Malawians ever to have been inducted as a Member of the Lions Club International. From 1994 to 2001 Dr. Thomas Bisika was the chairperson of the National Health Sciences Research Committee which is the National Health Research Ethics Review Board for the Malawi Government and is housed in the Ministry of Health headquarters. In this capacity he approved a number of clinical trials and health related studies including the ones involving antiretroviral therapy. From 1998-2000 he was part of the Essential National Health Research network created under the auspices of Council for Health Research and Development (COHRED). In 2008 Dr Bisika was a member of the Positive Synergies between Global Health Initiatives and Health systems and is privileged to be a member of the Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA) and the Africa Platform on Human Resources for Health.
In 1999 Dr. Thomas John Bisika received The Gender Matters Award of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The money from this award was shared with the Centre for Social Research where he conducted the research on traditional eye medicine which earned him this award. Dr Bisika's name appeared in “Marquis Who's Who in the World 2010” and is a nominee for “2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21st Century 2010”.
At the African Union Dr Bisika wrote speeches for H.E. Alpha Konare, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and Advocate Bience Gawanas, Commissioner for Social Affairs. He was also instrumental in the elaboration of a number of African Union policy documents including the African Common Position on Migration and Development, Africa Health Strategy, Plan of Action on Violence Prevention, Policy Framework on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Maputo Plan of Action and the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa. He was also a member of the drafting team which elaborated the Africa-EU Strategy that was adopted in Lisbon, Portugal during the second EU-Africa Summit in December 2007. In 2006 he led a team that produced the second State of the African Population Report which was adopted by the African Population Commission in June 2006 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Dr Thomas Bisika is now the director of the National AIDS Commission of Malawi. Dr Thomas Bisika has also previously worked as a consultant for the World Food Programme, World Health Organization, United Nations Population Fund, Danish Red Cross, Danish International Development Agency, Population Services International, International Eye Foundation, Catholic Relief Services, National AIDS Commission (Malawi), Ministry of Health, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Gender of the Malawi Government and several NGOs including Project Hope, Banja La Mtsogolo and Emmanuel International.
Dr Bisika's has presented a number of papers at the Population Association of America (PAA). His scientific journal publications include:
1. Bisika, Thomas, Ntata, P. and Konyani, S. 2009. Gender-violence and education in Malawi: a study of violence against girls as an obstruction to universal primary school education. Journal of Gender Studies. 18 (3): 299-306
2. Bisika T, Konyani S, Chamangwana I, Khanyizira G. 2009. The Epidemiology of HIV among Drug Abusers in Malawi. African Journal of Drug and Alcohol Studies. 8(2): pages 126-131.
3. Bisika, Thomas. 2009. A pilot study to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of local terminology for malaria screening among children in rural Malawi. Malawi Medical Journal; 21(2): pages 56-58.
4. Bisika, Thomas. 2008. Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS Risk Perception in the Tourism Industry: The Case of Malawi. Malawi Medical Journal; 21(2): pages 75-80.
5. Bisika, Thomas. 2009. The potential acceptability of Microbicides in HIV prevention in Stable marital relationships in Malawi. Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, 35(2): pages 115-117.
6. Bisika, T., Courtright, P., Geneua, R., Kasote, A., Chimombo, L and Chirambo, M. 2009. Self treatment for eye diseases in Malawi. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. 6(1): pages 23-29.
7. Bisika, Thomas. 2008. Do Social and Cultural Factors perpetuate Gender Based Violence in Malawi? Gender & Behaviour Volume 6 (2) 2008: pages 1884-1896.
8. Bisika, T and G. Mandere. 2008. Integration of Nutritional in the Antiretroviral Therapy Scale up Plan for Malawi. September 2008; Malawi Medical Journal. 20(3): pages 93-98.
9. Bisika, Thomas. 2008. The Effectiveness of the TBA Programme in Reducing Maternal Mortality and Morbidity in Malawi. East African Journal of Public Health Volume 5 (2) August 2008: pages 103-110.
10. Bisika, Thomas. 2008. Cultural Factors that Affect Sexual and Reproductive Health in Malawi. Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care. 34 (2): pages 79-80, April 2008.
11. Bisika, Thomas, Madeleine Short, Gold-Marie Wontumi, Jenny Truong, Amy Tsui. 2007. "Repositioning Family Planning To Reduce Unmet Need". African Renaissance Vol. 4 (3&4): pages 83-101.
12. Valerie A. Paz Soldan, Thomas Bisika, Aimee Benson, Janine Barden-Ofallon, Joseph deGraft-Johnson. 2007. Social, Economic and Demographic Determinants of Sexual Risk Behaviors among Men in Rural Malawi. African Journal of Reproductive Health. 11(2): pages 33-46. August 2007.
13. Janine Barden-Ofallon, Joseph deGraft-Johnson, Thomas Bisika, Aimee Benson and Amy Tsui. 2004. Factors associated with HIV/AIDS Knowledge and Risk Perception in Rural Malawi. AIDS and Behavior. 8(2): pages 131-140. June 2004.
Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a field of research, healthcare, and social activism that explores the health of an individual's reproductive system and sexual wellbeing during all stages of their life.
The Population Council is an international, nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The Council conducts research in biomedicine, social science, and public health and helps build research capacities in developing countries. One-third of its research relates to HIV and AIDS; while its other major program areas are in reproductive health and its relation to poverty, youth, and gender. For example, the Population Council strives to teach boys that they can be involved in contraceptive methods regardless of stereotypes that limit male responsibility in child bearing. The organization held the license for Norplant contraceptive implant, and now holds the license for Mirena intrauterine system. The Population Council also publishes the journal Population and Development Review, which reports scientific research on the interrelationships between population and socioeconomic development. It also provides a forum for discussion on related issues of public policy and Studies in Family Planning, which focuses on public health, social science, and biomedical research involving sexual and reproductive health, fertility, and family planning.
HIV/AIDS is one of the most serious health concerns in South Africa. The country has the highest number of people afflicted with HIV of any country, and the fourth-highest adult HIV prevalence rate, according to the 2019 United Nations statistics.
Although almost no research existed on the role of women in Angolan society in the late 1980s, there are a few generalities that could be drawn. In rural Angola, as in many African economies, most of the population engaged in agricultural activities. Women performed much of the agricultural labor. Marriage generally involved familial, political, and economic interests as well as personal considerations and gains. The household was the most important unit of production and was usually composed of several generations. The women grew and prepared most of the food for the household and performed all other domestic work. Because of their major role in food production, women shared relatively equal status with men, who spent much of their time hunting or tending cattle.
Tropical diseases, especially malaria and tuberculosis, have long been a public health problem in Kenya. In recent years, infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), also has become a severe problem. Estimates of the incidence of infection differ widely.
The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program is responsible for collecting and disseminating accurate, nationally representative data on health and population in developing countries. The project is implemented by ICF International and is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with contributions from other donors such as UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO, and UNAIDS.
Population Action International (PAI) is an international, non-governmental organization that uses research and advocacy to improve global access to family planning and reproductive health care. Its mission is to "ensure that every person has the right and access to sexual and reproductive health, so that humanity and the natural environment can exist in balance with fewer people living in poverty". PAI's headquarters is in Washington, D.C.
HIV/AIDS in Lesotho constitutes a very serious threat to Basotho and to Lesotho's economic development. Since its initial detection in 1986, HIV/AIDS has spread at alarming rates in Lesotho. In 2000, King Letsie III declared HIV/AIDS a natural disaster. According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in 2016, Lesotho's adult prevalence rate of 25% is the second highest in the world, following Eswatini.
HIV/AIDS in Eswatini was first reported in 1986 but has since reached epidemic proportions. As of 2016, Eswatini had the highest prevalence of HIV among adults aged 15 to 49 in the world (27.2%).
As of 2012, approximately 1,100,000 people in Malawi are HIV-positive, which represents 10.8% of the country's population. Because the Malawian government was initially slow to respond to the epidemic under the leadership of Hastings Banda (1966–1994), the prevalence of HIV/AIDS increased drastically between 1985, when the disease was first identified in Malawi, and 1993, when HIV prevalence rates were estimated to be as high as 30% among pregnant women. The Malawian food crisis in 2002 resulted, at least in part, from a loss of agricultural productivity due to the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Various degrees of government involvement under the leadership of Bakili Muluzi (1994–2004) and Bingu wa Mutharika (2004–2012) resulted in a gradual decline in HIV prevalence, and, in 2003, many people living in Malawi gained access to antiretroviral therapy. Condoms have become more widely available to the public through non-governmental organizations, and more Malawians are taking advantage of HIV testing services.
HIV/AIDS in Namibia is a critical public health issue. HIV has been the leading cause of death in Namibia since 1996, but its prevalence has dropped by over 70 percent in the years from 2006 to 2015. While the disease has declined in prevalence, Namibia still has some of the highest rates of HIV of any country in the world. In 2016, 13.8 percent of the adult population between the ages of 15 and 49 are infected with HIV. Namibia had been able to recover slightly from the peak of the AIDS epidemic in 2002. At the heart of the epidemic, AIDS caused the country's live expectancy to decline from 61 years in 1991 to 49 years in 2001. Since then, the life expectancy has rebounded with men living an average of 60 years and women living an average of 69 years
Babatunde Osotimehin was a Nigerian physician, who served as Minister of Health, and in 2011 became the executive director of the United Nations Population Fund, holding the rank of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, reappointed in August 2014 until his death. Osotimehin's interests were youth and gender, and he advocated for reproductive health and reproductive rights, particularly within the context of the HIV epidemic. One of his strengths was his reliance on data and evidence.
Malawi ranks 170th out of 174 in the World Health Organization lifespan tables; 88% of the population live on less than £2.40 per day; and 50% are below the poverty line.
Mary Shawa is a Malawian former public official. From 2004 through 2012, she was the Principal Secretary for Nutrition, HIV and AIDS in the Ministry of Health and Population, and then she was the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disabilities and Social Welfare before her retirement from civil service in 2018.
The Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP) was founded over 30 years ago by Phyllis Tilson Piotrow as a part the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's department of Health, Behavior, and Society and is located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States.
Dr. Robert Carr was a Trinidadian scholar and human rights activist who dedicated his life to bringing public attention to issues related to stigma and discrimination against persons living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
The status of women in Zambia has improved in recent years. Among other things, the maternal mortality rate has dropped and the National Assembly of Zambia has enacted multiple policies aimed at decreasing violence against women. However, progress is still needed. Most women have limited access to reproductive healthcare, and the total number of women infected with HIV in the country continues to rise. Moreover, violence against women in Zambia remains common. Child marriage rates in Zambia are some of the highest in the world, and women continue to experience high levels of physical and sexual violence.
James Patrick Manyenye Ntozi was an Ugandan retired academic and farmer. He worked as a researcher in demographics and statistics at Makerere University in Uganda, with his main research projects focusing on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa, fertility, census-taking, and aging and the life cycle. A medical demographer and statistician by training, his areas of expertise include gauging needs assessment, conducting evaluations, and creating baseline studies. After retirement, he took up work as a farmer. In 2011, the book Demography of Uganda and Selected African Countries was published in honor of his research contributions. Professor Ntozi died on Wednesday 19 May 2021 in Kampala, Uganda.
Isabel Apawo Phiri is a Malawian theologian known for her work in gender justice, HIV/AIDS, and African theology. She has been a Deputy Secretary for the World Council of Churches since 2012.
Eliya Msiyaphazi Zulu is a Malawian born demographer and policy analyst who is the founder of the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP). He is also the organization's Executive Director. He is know for his research in public health, poverty, and, and family planning, and human population.